Norumbega Area History

The Norumbega Tower
In the 1890s Harvard Chemistry Professor Eben Horsford came to the conclusion that the local Indian name Norumbega must have been their word for Norway. Since Norway is home to the Vikings and Leif Erikson, Horsford was convinced that Vikings had inhabited the area. His theory was that the Vikings sailed up the Charles River, and he claimed to have discovered an ancient lost Viking city in the town of Watertown. He believed that the Viking city of Norumbega had been established around 1000 AD. Right up the street from where Norumbega Point resides, he had a huge stone tower to built to honor these Viking Explorers. This tower is still intact, and you can view it with a short walk from our facility. He also he commissioned a statue in 1887 by artist Ann Whitney, which still stands in Boston on Commonwealth Avenue. Modern day scientific review refutes Horsford's theories, but his ideas are still etched in stone to this day.

Norumbega Park
In an attempt to increase customers and business on the trolley line between Boston and Auburndale, the directors of the trolley company Commonwealth Avenue Street Railway built Norumbega Park. Norumbega Park opened its gates in June of 1897. It became the most popular "trolley park" in New England, and resided in what was called the "Auburndale-on-the-Charles" area of Newton. It offered many attractions including a carousel, an outdoor theater, a penny arcade, canoeing, picnic areas, and a zoo. The zoo was the largest in the region, and the Great Steel Theater was the largest theater in New England. Due to it's extreme popularity Norumbega Park was able to add new attractions often, and began to have amusement park type rides, and a huge Ferris Wheel. The Great Steel Theater was converted into the Totem Pole Ballroom in the thirties. It was considered the best and most elegant ballroom in its time. Numerous popular swing bands performed there, including the Dorsey brothers, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Harry James, Lawrence Welk, Ozzie Nelson and Frank Sinatra just to name a few. Some of our residents still have fond memories of nights at the Totem Pole Ballroom!

History of the Norumbega Area
www.norumbegapark.com
http://www.defunctparks.com/parks/MA/norumbega/norumbegapark.htm
http://www.ci.newton.ma.us/jackson/exhibitions/norumbega-pollock.asp
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/6129