15 Best Things to Do in Norton (MA)
The city of Norton, population 20,000 in Pierston County, has long been on the sports map as the home of TPC Boston, which hosted the Dell Technologies Championship until 2019.
Norton Center Village, where you'll find the city's civic institutions, is located adjacent to Wheaton College's 500-acre campus, truly considered one of the region's most attractive campuses.
When you spend time in Norton, you'll notice water almost everywhere, in large ponds and lakes like Norton Reservoir and Winconnet Pond, but also in the marshes, creeks, and creeks that dot the southern part of town.
The Land Conservation Society (LPS) runs several reserves and refuges in this part of the city, many of which will soon be linked by a trail network.
1. Winslow Farm Animal Sanctuary
Founded in 1996, this animal shelter rescues, rehabilitates and cares for abused and abandoned animals. Winslow Farm opened to the public a year later, and has raised more than 300 animals since then.
Their sanctuaries and walls are set in beautiful forests, with paths for pilgrims weaving between ancient trees.
Residents include horses, goats, llamas, chickens, alpacas, sheep, donkeys, mules, dogs, cats, geese, peacocks and emus.
The farm hosts seasonal events throughout the year, as well as guest amenities such as picnic areas and a children's playground.
2. Wheaton College
Combined with municipal functions such as the police department, public library, and city hall in Norton Center, you have the small but attractive campus of Wheaton College.
This private liberal arts college was founded in 1834 and was one of the oldest institutions of higher education for women in the country until 1988, when it accepted men for the first time.
The campus can be used as a nursery with hundreds of mature trees, anchored by a beautiful small pond. Managed through around 20 traditional-style halls, there is a mix of historic and modern architecture to admire.
Some of the older buildings include Mary Lyon Hall (1849), Cole Memorial Church (1917), Knapton Hall (1911), Emerson Hall (1908), Larcom Hall (1908), and Park Hall (1934).
From the same year, Aston House (1962) and the Watson Fine Arts Center also house important examples of mid-century modernism and brutalism, respectively.
3. Norton Reservoir
Both the Wheaton College and TPC Boston campuses are located within 589 acres of waterfront. Norton Reservoir dates back to the mid-19th century when a dam was built on the River Romford to power wool mills downstream.
For one thing, the reservoir has a strong fishing reputation, with large numbers of largemouth bass and chain pickerel.
The northwest shoreline is developed with residential areas, shopping centers, restaurants, and the Xfinity Center (Great Woods).
To enjoy the water, you'll find three public rides at 206 Reservoir Street, 404 Reservoir Street, and 111 Mansfield Street, and people visit these waters in the summer on canoes and kayaks.
4. Norton Kayak Company
With its shallow depth, numerous small islands and a winding coastline with dozens of bays, Norton Reservoir is ideal for a paddling adventure.
Along Mansfield Avenue on the West Coast, you'll come to Norton Kayak Company. The company runs a tour schedule from May to October.
These tours are usually held on weekends, last two hours, and from Thursday to Sunday there is a special sunset tour so you can enjoy the lake during the golden hour.
Private sessions are available any day throughout the season, while the company also runs a kids' kayak camp, guided fishing trips and kayak safety classes led by a certified instructor.
5. Bog Iron Brewing
Founded in 2011 by three friends, Bog Iron Brewing Company began commercial production in 2013 and has expanded into an 8,500-square-foot, 15-barrel brewery and taproom.
If you're wondering about the name, it comes from the Chartley Iron Works Company (1696-1790), which extracted its ore (bog iron) from nearby swamps, lakes and ponds for smelting.
Head to the taproom for a flight or a full pint – some of the beers available when we put together this list were Burly Blonde (a pale ale), Soul Cellar (IPA) and Camp Out Mild (English mild).
It's a great outdoor space for a perfect summer evening, and as a bonus, dogs are welcome here too.
6. Winnecunnet Pond (Winnecunnet Lake)
One of Norton's most prized natural features is Kettlehole Pond, which covers about 150 acres on the east side of town.
Winnecunnet Pond is a recreational center in the warmer months, especially for activities such as canoeing and kayaking, with a boat ramp on the eastern shore along Bay Road.
In the winter, it is a great destination for ice fishing, chain bass, largemouth bass, and the occasional northern pike.
The pond is known to have a long history of human activity, having been a fishing, hunting and camping site for thousands of years for the indigenous Pokanoket and Mataki Set people.
One thing that brings a lot of people to the beach is the Chateau Restaurant. This upscale Italian venue was established in 1933 and has stunning views of the water, especially at sunset.
7. TPC Boston
The home of professional golf in the Boston area first opened in 2002 with designs by Arnold Palmer. TPC Boston was reorganized a few years later by Gil Hines, with PGA Tour star Brad Faxon serving as a consultant.
Until 2019 it was home to the Dell Technologies Championship (known as the Deutsche Bank Championship 2003-2016) and then briefly became the regular venue for The Northern Trust. When we wrote this article, Boston was off the PGA Tour, but that will likely change in the future.
In the meantime, anyone who can be played as a guest should seize the opportunity. With fairways, greens and over 60 bunkers, the course has tested some of the world's best players, but also accommodates a range of talent with five sets of tees on each hole.
The par-5 18th features a compact, elevated green, with a challenging bunker on the green side.
8. King Philip's Cave
An enjoyable hiking trail just north of Winnecunnet Pond is an unusual collection of granite boulders that were dropped into a pile by a retreating glacier at the end of the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. You'll find it in a small reserve managed by the Land Conservation Society.
The formation takes its name from the small shelter below, which is allegedly the place where Wampanoag Sachem Metacomet (1638-1676), also known as "King Philip", hid near the end of King Philip's War, before his death in the Mossery Swamp. On Mount Hope. Bristol, RI.
9. Woodward Forest
The largest property under the care of the Land Preservation Society can be found on Gateway Lane off Old Taunton Avenue.
Woodward Forest is 150 acres and includes a network of color-coded trails along the riverbanks and an old wagon trail. The reserve consists of mixed forests, grasslands, a large vernal pond and wetlands.
The minor trail takes you along the Three Mile River, which you can follow to the confluence of the Wadding River and the Romford River at the northern end of Woodward Forest.
The Locktyneck on this site is believed to have been the site of a skirmish in King Philip's War of 1675.
10. Crane Farm Preserve
A short distance down the Three Mile River from Woodward Forest is Little Crane Farm Preserve, a favorite spot for horseback riding on the river and launching kayaks and canoes.
It is 45 acres of northern terrain consisting of lush floodplains and sandhill forests as you travel south on the main loop.
The reserve is an important habitat for wood turtles, and you can relax on a bench along the riverbank at the north end. Plans are afoot to link the Crane Farm reserve to Woodward Forest, just a few hundred meters away.
11. Xfinity Center (Great Woods)
Across the city line in Mansfield, one of the area's best live music venues is located right next to TPC Boston.
This partially covered amphitheater first opened in the summer of 1986 with a capacity of 12,000, and was expanded to its current size in 2000, with 5,900 general admission seats, 7,000 lawn seats and 7,000 reserved seats, for a total of 19,900.
One of the artists connected to the Xfinity Center is Jimmy Buffett. When we wrote this list, he had performed here more than 60 times, more than anywhere else in his career.
With approximately 40 shows each summer, the current lineup includes the likes of Beck, Jennifer Lopez, Wiz Khalifa, Blink-182, The Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, and Alanis Morissette.
12. The L.A. Foster Wildlife Refuge
Before long you'll be able to spend hours in nature south of Norton as the city is adding another preserve to its Woodward Forest trails.
This is the LA Foster Wildlife Refuge, located across Taunton Avenue from the Wading River and the forest.
The LA Foster Wildlife Refuge is an interesting place to explore due to its industrial history, such as forgotten copper sites and mining site.
An interesting feature of this period is a canal built to transport water from the Al-Khoud River to the pond at the copper works. The path takes you past the refuge along the surface next to the canal, while if you head south you will enter a wetland area.
13. Everett Leonard Park
In the warmer months, this public park on Norton's quiet south side is popular for family fun.
The first thing worth mentioning is the Norton Town Pool, a modest but well-maintained facility that is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
Not far from some Land Conservation Society properties, Everett Leonard Park is located in a rural area and has a trail if you want to spend more time in nature.
For active entertainment, the park also has a basketball court, baseball field, horseshoe pit, volleyball court, playground, and a snack bar open in the summer.
14. Links at Mass Golf
A round at TPC Boston may be out of the question for most, but this 18-hole par-3 course in Norton has an alternative.
Links at Mass Golf are perfect if you're new to the game, or have kids finding their feet. The green face is suitable for a par 3, and the course is designed with plenty of variety to keep younger players occupied.
Over the past few years, Links at Mass Golf has become a year-round facility with the introduction of a pair of golf simulators. This allows you to experience nearly 200 famous courses from around the world, from the Old Course at St Andrews to Pebble Beach.
15. Great Woods Conservation Area
To further encourage outdoor recreation, Mansfield has a wide range of protected land parcels near TPC Boston to the north.
The main parking lot for the Great Woods Conservation Area is located across the city line off Oak Street.
A booth awaits you here with a map of a large system of trails through forests, wetlands and interesting historical parts of ancient stone walls, tombs and dungeons.
If you're short on time, the orange trail starts at the parking area and follows one of the old farm tracks before meeting a bridge on the red trail, so you can return in a few minutes.