Images of America Sale

In The Military History of the Cape Cod Canal, the abandoned foundations at Sagamore Hill and throughout most of Buzzards Bay are explored, as well as the weapons, devices, and personnel assigned to ensure the canal's integrity throughout the war. Although the responsibilities of the U.S. Army's Coast Artillery are a focal point, the actions of the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the air arms of all the military services during World War II are also included. The Military History of the Cape Cod Canal documents the mishaps, collisions, and war-damaged ships in and near the canal, as well as the joint military protection forces and plans in effect during World War II.

Regardless of how the name came to be, many agree that Jamaica Plain is one of the loveliest areas of New England.

Stories abound as to how Jamaica Plain derived its name; some trace it to the flow of rum shipments to the port of Boston following Oliver Cromwell's seizure of Jamaica in 1660, but whatever the true origin of the name, the area has a rich and colorful history that flows from its rural, pastoral beginnings in the 17th century and into the 21st. Jamaica Plain today is one of Boston's great suburban neighborhoods, but it has not always been connected to the city. Jamaica Plain first became a part of Roxbury, and later West Roxbury, and served as a summer playground for influential Bostonians before becoming part of Boston in 1874. The neighborhood's beauty has been protected by such visionaries as Benjamin Bussey, who bequeathed his estate to Harvard College for what is now the Arnold Arboretum, and Henry A.S. Dearborn, the former mayor of Roxbury who established the Forest Hills Cemetery. Today, the neighborhood is a bustling suburban spot that has preserved its natural beauty and resources.

This captivating pictorial history acquaints the reader with the seacoast defenses of Boston Harbor.

Fortified since the the 1600s, seacoast defenses provided important protection for the new seaport. By the Civil War, strong granite fortresses guarded the seaward approaches to the Port of Boston. Later, powerful long-range guns and mortars protected the seaport. During World War II, the most sophisticated and powerful guns existing were installed. These guns used the first computers and radar systems developed for the military for target acquisition and tracking. In The Military History of Boston's Harbor Islands, great care has been taken to identify harbor defense systems at all of the harbor islands, mainland forts, and the observation and radar towers from Nahant to Scituate. The book identifies and explains the long-abandoned granite and concrete monoliths of Boston Harbor, briefly describes Edgar Allan Poe's tour of duty in Boston Harbor, the impact that Col. Sylvanus Thayer had on Boston's seacoast fortifications and many mysterious structures at the harbor forts.

This book is an historical account of the beginnings of present-day Somerville, from a connection to Boston to a population increase that changed everything.

Once a part of Charlestown that could only be reached via ""The Neck"" (present-day Sullivan Square), Somerville became accessible from Boston with the construction of the Middlesex Canal and the extension of various rail lines in the mid- to late nineteenth century. By 1842, Somerville's population had increased to the point that the town officially separated itself from Charlestown. Over the years, the population continued to grow. With the increase in population came tremendous change, including the subdivision of farms and estates for residential neighborhoods. The city of Somerville was incorporated in 1871, and the bucolic borough became the beloved hometown of many residents over the next century. Described by Mayor Edward Glines as ""healthy, morally clean, comfortable and convenient,"" Somerville has thrived for years as an attractive, modern residential neighborhood.

Newly found images from the extensive collections of the Agawam Historical Association and the author fill Around Agawam and Feeding Hills, the third volume to visually document the town's residents and the places they lived, worked, and played.

Calla Shasta, Riverside Park, the Agawam Fire Department, schools, agriculture, and 75th and centennial anniversary celebrations are among the subjects depicted within and accompanied by informative text. News photographs from the last half of the 20th century connect readers to the town's recent history, making Around Agawam and Feeding Hills a must-have addition for anyone interested in Agawam's fascinating story. All royalties from the sale of his book benefit the Agawam Historical Association.

The maritime history of Cape Ann, on the northern coast of Massachusetts, is filled with stories of heroism, adventure, and human endeavor.

The lighthouses and lifesaving stations surrounding Cape Ann since the late 18th century have served to protect and safeguard the area's mariners and major industries. Fishing, shipbuilding, and granite quarrying businesses all flourished under their watchful eyes. They provided artists with spectacular subject matter and attracted tourists from around the world to visit them. This book highlights the heroism and dedication of the lighthouse keepers and lifesaving surfmen who served. Cape Ann is famous for being the home of America's oldest seaport in Gloucester and America's most painted building, Motif No. 1, in Rockport.

This volume details Nantucket's long history from European settlement in 1659 to whaling culture and Quaker influence to tourist destination.

Nantucket, a Wampanoag word meaning ""far-away island,"" was first settled by Europeans in 1659. The earliest settlers, known as the ""Proprietors,"" envisioned a community of farmers and shepherds, but the island found its fortune as a preeminent whaling port in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. During its time under Quaker influence, Nantucket was a cosmopolitan and dynamic place; radical new ideas, like abolitionism and women's rights, found fertile ground in the Quakers' firm belief in equality. As the entrance to the harbor became impassable, Nantucket lost its whaling focus and experienced a general economic decline. Ironically, this downturn and the resulting absence of new building, along with modern cultural change, became the springboard for its later revival. Nantucket was transformed into a tourist destination, an artist colony, and a summer home to the wealthy and famous, with a rich maritime heritage and a proud tradition of historic preservation.

Quaben, the Nipmuc Indian word for many waters, was the name originally given to the area of central Massachusetts that is now known as the Quabbin Valley.

The abundance of ponds, lakes, and streams in the region made it an obvious target for those seeking new water sources to supply the escalating population of Boston in the late 19th century. However, the little towns of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott that were established in the area stood in the way. Following an act of the legislature in 1926, these towns were disincorporated, and the 2,500 inhabitants were given modest compensation and ordered to leave. By 1938, the former towns were flooded and stood at the floor of the reservoir, which held the potential of 420 billion gallons of water to be outsourced eastward. Never to be forgotten, the story of the lost towns and their former residents are displayed through artifacts housed at the Swift River Valley Historical Society in North New Salem.

Hardy Gloucester men and large fishing vessels known as Gloucestermen were ever-present along the busy waterfront of the North Shore city between the mid-19th century and the early years of the 20th century.

As part of the giant fishing industry, the vessels, which were owned by Yankee, Portuguese, and Italian fishermen, were a dramatic and colorful accent along the inner harbor. In the 1830s, artists discovered the charms of the fishing port of Gloucester and around forty years later, others were in Rockport. The art colony at Rocky Neck in East Gloucester is the earliest in America and was visited, or lived in, by many prominent painters. Tourists of the past also took delight in the attractive areas of Cape Ann where they could while away a summer vacation in a fancy hotel along the rugged shore, explore the local sites, view the mysterious former settlement of Dogtown, or inspect the many granite quarries that were active from the 1820s to the Great Depression.

Most of the images used in Dedham have never before been published. They show the homes, businesses, and portraits of some of the most illustrious citizens, as well as the more modest individuals who have made an impact on the town. They include rare photographs related to the military, unusual events, and the unique everyday life of Dedham and its citizens from the earliest days of photography. Also among them are photographs by Fred Holland Day, considered one of the fathers of modern photography.

Chicopee: 1950-1975 tells the story of a three-decade Cold War relationship between the Strategic Air Command of the US Air Force and its considerable impact on a small New England city.

On September 19, 1939, Chicopee mayor Anthony J. Stonina was sitting at his desk wiping away tears. The three-term mayor had just finished reading a brief letter from the US War Department. The seven square miles of Chicopee's tobacco plains had been selected as the site for the Northeast base of the Army Air Corps. The city was destined to permanently be a ""City with Wings."" In 1942, the facility, already the largest air base in the country, was named to honor the memory of military aviation pioneer Maj. Gen. Oscar Westover. This is the story of a community's initial misgivings growing into a beneficial symbiotic relationship, which continues to this day.

An archival adventure for technology enthusiasts and local lore seekers that's sure to delight!

Join Archivist Melissa Mannon on an exciting journey that begins at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and travels through the advance of the computer age. Discover Waltham's history in this impressive and unprecedented pictorial collection, with photographs selected from the Waltham Public Library and other Waltham historical institutions. Separated from Watertown in 1738, Waltham shed its agricultural roots and went on to become a world-renowned manufacturing center. Entrepreneurs realized the power that could be harnessed from the Charles River and took full advantage of this natural resource. The Boston Manufacturing Company, founded in 1813 by Francis Cabot Lowell and Patrick T. Jackson, was the first mill in the world to mass-produce cotton cloth from start to finish under one roof. Waltham earned its nickname, ""Watch City,"" from the Waltham Watch Company, the largest manufacturer of watches in the world in the nineteenth century. In 1929, Walthambegan a third economic boom with the establishment ofRaytheon and the electronics industry. Today, Waltham and its neighboring towns on the belt of Route 128 have become one of the country's largest manufacturing centers for computer and electronics equipment.

Lois Yeulenski, a native and lifelong resident of Worcester, has created a delightful journey into the past which will appeal to young and old alike.

Since the development of photography in the mid-nineteenth century, the camera has been used as a tool of both discovery and preservation. Photographs bring alive our image of the past and can open a floodgate of memories and nostalgia or inspire curiosity and a sense of history. In this fascinating visual history we see Worcester through the eyes of those who have lived, worked, and played there for the last 120 years. We are led on a journey down Main Street of the past, and watch it grow and expand along with the surrounding community. The people who make up the heart of this community are here as well; while daily life has changed a great deal over the last century, the pride and passion for life characteristic of the people of Worcester remain strong to this day.

For three centuries, shipbuilding flourished in Essex, a small village wrapped around a shallow tidal estuary that flows into Ipswich Bay.

From sturdy little Chebacco boats to the tough but graceful fishing schooners that plied the Grand Banks, Essex vessels became known throughout the maritime world as swift and strong fishermen, and Essex shipbuilding became synonymous with craftsmanship of the highest order. More than four thousand ships slid down the ways destined for ports such as Gloucester, Boston, and New York. By the middle of the twentieth century, however, the industry had vanished and this extraordinary chapter in American maritime history was closed. Essex Shipbuilding recalls an era when dozens of vessels in different stages of construction lined the Essex River and the shipyard gangs worked six days a week, year-round, in any weather. Featuring the photograph collection of Dana A. Story, Essex Shipbuilding illustrates the firms of A.D. Story and Tarr & James, who built the famous racing schooners Mayflower, Columbia, and Gertrude L. Thebaud, and the high-lining fishermen Elsie and Adventure. Essex Shipbuilding also depicts these vessels at sea-fishing, racing, or pursuing more unusual work, from Arctic exploration to naval service in both world wars to rum running during Prohibition.

Revere Beachinvites the reader to take an unsurpassed pictorial journey detailing nine pivotal decades of a premier metropolitan seaside destination.

Revere Beach Reservation, created by the Metropolitan Park Commission in 1895, encompasses a three-mile stretch of a sandy crescent shore only five miles from downtown Boston. While later years witnessed the damage wrought by several devastating storms, including the infamous Blizzard of 1978, much of the 20th century saw a successful amusement industry flourish here, and the book showcases Wonderland Amusement Park, with its famous amusements and attractions that thrilled and entertained generations of visitors. Through archival and private collections, Revere Beachenables the inquisitive to discover the true Revere Beach, which captured the attention of two U.S. presidents and the heart of swimming champion Annette Kellerman, who chose the beach as the perfect venue to introduce the scandalous one-piece bathing suit to North America.

Pittsfield is truly the heart of the Berkshires.

The Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts have long been a cultural hub and an area of exceptional natural beauty, and Pittsfield, the area's largest community, has always been at the center of attention. The town center, now known as Park Square, was the site of the first agricultural fair ever held in the United States, and Pittsfield became well-known as the adopted home of such literary luminaries as Oliver Wendell Holmes and Herman Melville, who wrote his classic novel Moby-Dickat his home, Arrowhead. In addition to Pittsfield's rich cultural heritage, the town's commerce and industry have fueled the region from the early days when Arthur Scholfield operated the only wool-carding machine in America, to the city's more recent role as an innovator in the electrical industry. Pittsfield celebrates the scenic beauty, the cultural heritage, and the ingenuity of the people and places of the town using nearly 200 vintage images. Inside find Pittsfield's famous sons and daughters, scenic novelties like Balance Rock, the diving horses that performed at Pontoosuc Lake, and even the famous trolley wreck that almost killed Theodore Roosevelt.

In Lowell, Massachusetts reminders of the Industrial Revolution can still be seen and felt but few reminders are more powerful than the photographs contained in this dynamic visual history.

In 1604, Sieur De Monts wrote, "The Indians speak of a beautiful river far to the South, which they call Merrimac." The common thread that runs through the history of Lowell is the Merrimac River. The river attracted European explorers and colonists in the seventeenth century, as it had attracted various Native American tribes before them. The fertile land around the river made agriculture profitable for many years, but it was the Merrimac's potential for water power and transportation that opened the area up to industry in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Reminders of the Industrial Revolution can still be seen and felt in Lowell today, but few reminders are more powerful than the photographs contained in this dynamic visual history. Photographers captured Lowell on film firsthand as it developed into one of the most powerful centers of industry in the world. They also photographed the people that made Lowell what it was and is; the images of their faces, homes, workplaces, and daily lives say more about the city's history than words ever can.

In Watertown, the long and colorful history of this town is told through vintage images as never before.

Established in 1630, Watertown was the first inland settlement of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. With its central location and proximity to the Charles River, Watertown has always been a convenient meeting place and a starting point for travelers and traders headed to the West. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the town consisted of many country estates and farmlands. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries saw industrial growth and an influx of immigrants. Today, Watertown has become a thriving business community, retaining its small-town character, beautiful historic houses, and tree-lined streets. In Watertown, the long and colorful story of the town is told through vintage images as never before. Within these pages, see the Perkins School for the Blind, the Stanley steamer, the Arsenal, and an array of historic houses, churches, and public buildings. Learn how Paul Revere and his comrades held meetings in Watertown during the eighteenth century and how the first streetcar routes originated in Watertown in 1894.

This fascinating photographic history tells the story of Hudson, a peaceful New England town with a rich history.

The first resident of Hudson, John Barnes, came to the area in 1698 and built a gristmill by a waterfall on the Assabet River. Later, a sawmill was built, followed by several small industries that huddled around the mill. By 1850, railroads came to the area, now called Feltonville, as did many factories. In 1886, the area became the Town of Hudson, and it continued to grow with modern factories, a more diversified industry, banks, schools, and a wonderful new town hall. The people of Hudson have always had an exemplary pride and courage in times of struggle. During the Civil War, several local homes were stations in the Underground Railroad, and many Hudson men took up arms to defend abolition. In 1894 disaster struck when a fire grew into an inferno and destroyed more than 40 buildings in the heart of the town. The same citizen zeal and courage that originally built the town built a new town to rise in place of the ashes.

In rare and historic images, the stories and memories of the Gateway to Cape Cod come to life.

Bourne is considered the gateway to Cape Cod. Whether one travels across the Bourne Bridge or the Sagamore Bridge to gain access to the Cape, the town of Bourne is inevitably en route. In 1884, Bourne was separated from the town of Sandwich and has grown into a community of distinct villages, including Buzzards Bay and Bournedale, Sagamore Beach, Sagamore, Bourne, Monument Beach, Pocasset, and Cataumet. Uniting all these communities is the Cape Cod Canal, which opened in 1914. Over the years, Bourne's economy has been bolstered by the cranberry industry, the iron foundries, and the Holway Axe factory. The Keith Car & Mfg. Co. began a booming business in town, starting by making covered wagons and eventually manufacturing railroad cars. From the dude train that brought men from the cities to join their families on weekends to the hotels, beaches, and seafood restaurants that catered to them, Bourne shares photographs of what life was like for visitors and residents of this tight-knit community.

With the earliest known images of the town and its people through the 1950s, this unprecedented collection reveals Mansfield as it once was.

Mansfield explores the history of this small Massachusetts town between Boston and Providence that has grown to 20,000 residents. Included in Mansfield are early schools and churches, as well as many buildings that have burned or been demolished. Longtime residents of the community will remember the huge construction projects of the 1950s that created underpasses for the railroad to cross local streets. The faces of Mansfield's past are seen in these vintage images, highlighting the people who shaped the town's future and tracing the area's development as an impressive industrial base. All geographical areas are covered, including the South Common, the North End, Main Street, East and West Mansfield, and downtown. Discover the changes the town has endured over the years in this engaging collection of images complimented by an informative text.

Gloucester on the Wind is an engaging history of this town, with never before seen historical photographs.

Since the development of photography in the mid-nineteenth century, the camera has been used as a tool of both discovery and preservation. Photographs bring alive our image of the past, and can open a floodgate of memories and nostalgia or inspire curiosity and a sense of history. Originally founded by a fishing company from Dorchester, England, in 1623, Gloucester has always been linked to fishing and the sea. By 1870 Gloucester was the leading fishing port in the Western Hemisphere, and its great fleet of fast, white-winged schooners ranged deep into the heart of the Atlantic in search of cod, haddock, halibut, and mackerel. These stunningly beautiful ships and the hardy men who sailed them made Gloucester an evocation of courage, perseverance, and seamanship unique in America's maritime heritage.

Wilbraham, a unique collection of more than two hundred vintage images, reveals how the area started as a rural town-with mills located along the rivers of its northern and southern borders and with agriculture spread between the two rivers. This volume also shows how Wilbraham evolved into a residential community, why the town holds a three-day Peach Festival each year, and how the Wesleyan Academy moved to the center in 1823 and became an integral part of the town.

Author James Claflin combines an extensively researched text with this exquisite collection of many previously unpublished images to tell the story of a state dependent upon its coastal commerce.

Lighthouses and Life Saving along the Massachusetts Coast is a unique tribute to the men and women who protected mariners from shipping disasters. With a variety of vintage images from private as well as museum collections,this rare glimpse into the lives of the dedicated workers who protected thousands of vessels plying the dangerous waters of Massachusetts Bay and Nantucket Sound is a visual journey to an earlier era in our nation's history. From Cape Ann to New Bedford, residents of Massachusetts have relied heavily on the sea for employment, trade, and nourishment. The task of lighting and protecting the coasts was taken on by the U. S. Lighthouse Establishment and the U. S. Life-Saving Service. Within these pages, see the Cape Ann lighthouse keeper proudly posed in his uniform, the Cape Cod life savers launching their surf-boat through the breakers toward the shipwreck, and the Boston Bay lighthouse keeper's family returning by skiff from their brief excursion to town.

Abington presents an illustrated portrait of what it was like to live and work in the town during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It presents vivid images of the townsfolk, the shoe factories, and the old roads through Abington. The book includes images of John L. Sullivan, heavyweight boxing champion, and of the Buffum automobile, built on Centre Avenue. With photographs from the Abington Historical Commission, the Dyer Memorial Library, the Historical Society of Old Abington, and personal collections, Abington is sure to evoke memories of a bygone era.

Through vintage photographs, many never before published, Littleton connects the current generations with the town's past. Vintage photographs of homes that have changed in appearance or have been destroyed for expansion recall a time of farmhouses and open fields. The book also follows the growth of Littleton, including the emergence of the Conant-Houghton Company and the depot area, as well as the Long Lake and Lake Warren resorts.

Framingham, a marvelous photographic history containing over 200 carefully selected images, explores the exciting evolution of this intriguing Massachusetts community.

Framingham is a fascinating town whose rich history began in the seventeenth century. Originally inhabited by the Nipmucs, this ""wilderness land"" was explored by English adventurers and soon after witnessed the fury of King Philip's War. At first a haven for Salem families seeking refuge from the witchcraft hysteria, Framingham grew to become one of the most populous towns in America. As an agrarian society transformed itself into a center for commerce and manufacturing in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the economic life of the town shifted from Framingham Centre to South Framingham. The importance of the Boston to Worcester stagecoach stop faded as the railroad spurred new growth. Rapid development of industry and infrastructure followed and Framingham became the home of many ""firsts"": the nation's earliest teacher's college and the first prison for women are both located here. In 1951 one of the world's first shopping malls, Shoppers World, was built along the notorious Route 9.

A fascinating history of Lowell, Massachusetts, from its powerful place in the Industrial Revolution to the everyday routines of its citizens.

When we think of Lowell, Massachusetts, and the historic part the city played in the American Industrial Revolution we often conjure up powerful images of mills and machinery. But what about the daily lives of the citizens and workers, their festivals, and their simpler recreations like park ball games and family events? The waters of the Merrimac run deep and have always been a source of vitality and strength for the people of Lowell. This sequel to the highly acclaimed Lowell continues our journey--this time into the more recent past of this amazing city. Older members of the community will appreciate this new pictorial history as a nostalgic window to a time when drugstore soda shops and drive-in movies were in their heyday. Younger generations will find the over 200 images presented here a unique and intriguing resource for connecting with their roots.

Thoreau's Walden describes the beauty of this historical setting through the writings of Thoreau. The book uses many of his most captivating and inspiring quotations as a tribute to the man and his life, works, and philosophy. Beautiful images and descriptive historical writing combine to create a visual insight into the reasons why Thoreau lived at Walden and what he has to teach us about this most inspirational place. Thoreau's Walden also includes little-known facts about the writer and philosopher, including the stories behind his relationship with Ralph Waldo Emerson, his search for the perfect location for his experiment, and his many visitors, such as Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Alcott family.

Wilmington, Massachusetts, has made the natural transition from a traditional, rural landscape into a modern, bustling American cityscape.

Located north of Boston, Wilmington's transformation from a community dotted with labyrinth farm roads into a town crisscrossed by far-reaching and accessible interstate highways is an accurate reflection of small-town America's amazing expansion and growth. However, Wilmington, while continuing to move forward, has not forgotten its history and uses the lessons learned from its past to work toward tomorrow's goals.

This volume of over two hundred photographs captures the kaleidoscope of the Wilmington experience over the past one hundred years, especially the period between 1887 and 1965. The reader will walk along forgotten, dirt roads and sparsely populated city streets, explore old farms and once-undeveloped countrysides, peer into old schools, churches, and town buildings, and witness the sporting events, parades, and various celebrations of yesteryear.

Volume II takes readers on a journey through the business, transportation and sports history of the ""City of Firsts.""

Images of America: Springfield Volume I gave readers a photographic history of the city's ethnic populations and religions. It also told the story of education and public service in the ""City of Firsts."" In Springfield Volume II, author Ginger Zabecki Cruickshank takes readers on a second journey through the past to the origins of the city's many businesses, transportation systems, and social agencies, such as the YMCA and local hospitals that have served the people of Springfield, as well as some of the best sports stories in the city's history. The stories and early photographs of well-known companies including Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Friendly's Ice Cream Corporation, and Merriam-Webster are shown in this striking volume. All have roots in Springfield, as do Milton Bradley and Smith & Wesson. The famous Knox automobiles and the Peter Pan Bus Company are brought to life with other stories in the fascinating development of transportation in the area. As the city has adapted and grown with the population and changing economic times, it has built a tradition of citizens succeeding despite great obstacles. It is that tradition that has made the city what it is today.

Uncover the history of Cambridge, Massachusetts through vintage images in this pictorial history.

Settled as New Towne in 1631, Cambridge was referred to by Wood, a seventeenth-century chronicler, as ""one of the neatest and best compacted towns in New England."" The founding of Harvard College in 1636 was to ensure the town's notoriety, as it was the first college in the New World. Harvard gave Cambridge a cosmopolitan flavor, but the town retained its open farmland and its well-known fisheries along the Charles and Alewife Rivers for nearly two centuries. By the early nineteenth century Cambridge saw tremendous development, with industrial concerns in Cambridgeport. New residents swelled Cambridge's population so much that it became a city in 1846. These changes, which included horse-drawn streetcars and, later, the Elevated Railway that is today known as the Red Line, made Cambridge a place of convenient residence. With the large-scale development in the late nineteenth century, Cambridge became a thriving nexus of cultural diversity.

When Pres. John F. Kennedy established the Cape Cod National Seashore in 1961, it was acclaimed as the finest victory ever recorded for the cause of conservation in New England.

When erosion and overdevelopment threatened the Cape, the idea of a national seashore took hold, forever protecting this treasured place. The park preserves 44,000 acres of forest, marsh, bog, and ponds, and a 40-mile stretch from Provincetown to Chatham, which Henry David Thoreau called the Great Beach. Unlike other national parks at the time, the Cape Cod National Seashore was created from a combination of private, town, state, and federal lands. Cape Cod National Seashore: The First 50 Years captures the political drama of the creation of this extraordinary seashore. Images detail an early Native American presence and the romance of whaling, shipwrecks, lighthouses, windmills, and dune shacks.

Norwell was originally part of the maritime town Scituate, an area that boasted a thriving shipbuilding industry for over 200 years on the North River. In 1848, taxpayers from the south end of Scituate wanted more control over their finances and voted for secession. This area, originally known as South Scituate, was renamed Norwell in 1888 after the town s generous benefactor Henry Norwell. What remains of this quintessential South Shore community are many charming neighborhoods such as Ridge Hill, which has remnants of a commercial era long since passed, and Norwell Village, with a quaint small-village atmosphere that survives today."