Town meeting members will be voting on George Henry Morse House application for a professional feasibility study and master plan, Nov. 12.
The town of Norwood has owned the historic home of George Henry Morse at 1285 Washington St., in South Norwood for 45 years. Over time, with the many efforts of volunteers and donors, the Morse House began its journey of rehabilitation for use by the community. Now, through the wisdom of Norwood town voters who approved the Community Preservation surtax of 1% on their property taxes a few years ago, the Norwood Historical Commission filed an application requesting $50,000 of those funds to conduct a thorough professional property assessment and master plan for this historic home and property. The goal of the Norwood Historical Commission is to protect this home long-term for future generations.
The Morse House is truly a lens through which residents can appreciate Norwood’s very distant past - but it’s more than that. It serves as a tangible portal that bears witness to generations of the Morse family who served local history in a myriad of ways. George Henry Morse held many civic positions, including the town’s first Assessor, first Selectman voted in the town’s first publicly held election, and first Fire Chief. The ancestors of George Henry Morse also bear witness to centuries of highly motivated, civic-minded, forward-thinking, and industrious actions that shaped what Norwood would eventually become. It is a remarkable history that connects all the residents of Norwood regardless of how long one has lived in the town.
The Morse House property on Morse Hill is situated in an area that is referenced, described, and documented to in a variety of historic written sources as being the vicinity of Norwood’s earliest settlers of the Morse family, especially Ezra Morse. The house itself is an excellent architectural example of an Italianate style home circa 1860s. George Henry Morse represents the 9th generation of Samuel Morse (signer of the Dedham Compact) whose influential family members wasted no time in establishing strongholds in their new world when they arrived in the Massachusetts Bay area in 1635. George Henry Morse was a leader just as his ancestors before him. He built the house several years before Norwood became incorporated and raised two daughters there. Preserving the history of our community through the restoration and rehabilitation of the George Henry Morse House will provide valuable cultural, social, and educational benefits for all residents to enjoy and appreciate.
We encourage interested residents to please watch the recorded Community Preservation Committee’s public hearing dated Sept. 23, 2020 on Norwoodcommunitymedia.org, under the View Community Announcements Government Channel section. The Morse House PowerPoint is the 4th presentation in the latter part of the hearing.