Glorious Relics

"Norumbega Tower" by Dvorscak is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0​

My obsession with Norumbega Park in Newton, Massachusetts began with this place--Norumbega Tower. The nineteenth century stone monument stands outside of the old park site, about a half mile across the Charles River in Weston. When I was a child, the tower was accessible to the public. My siblings and I would climb the spiral stairway to the top and look out to woods that bordered the river. Far across the water, a large hotel stood on the banks of the Charles. At the time, I never thought to wonder what once stood there. 

​It was thirty years later when I learned about Norumbega Park. Built in 1897, it was one of the most glorious and popular attractions on the east coast. Nestled amongst lush gardens along the Commonwealth Avenue trolley route, it featured an outdoor theater, penny arcades, a petting zoo and amusement rides. In the 1930s, its famous Totem Pole Ballroom welcomed swing bands such as Artie Shaw, Bennie Goodman and Gene Krupa. The park slowly declined and eventually closed in 1964, and the Marriott hotel was built on the former Totem Pole site. The photo below shows the hotel and a remaining boathouse nearby. ​
​

"Norumbega Then and Now" from the photo collection at Newton Conservators.

My most recent novel takes place in the fictional town of Norumbega, based on this glorious setting. Soon to come . . .