Editing Norfolk County, Massachusetts (section)

==History==
One of the original counties of the Massachusetts Bay Colony created on May 10, 1643, was called Norfolk, and is unrelated to the current Norfolk County. It covered territory in what is now New Hampshire, and was abolished on September 18, 1679, when [[Charles II of England|King Charles II]] separated the [[Colony of New Hampshire]] from Massachusetts.<ref name="Chronologies">[https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/MA_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm Massachusetts : Individual County Chronologies]</ref>

Shortly after the [[Constitution of Massachusetts]] was adopted on October 25, 1780, a number of towns in [[Suffolk County, Massachusetts|Suffolk County]], of which Dedham was then a part, elected delegates to a convention to decide upon some policy relative to the division of the county.{{sfn|Cook|1918|p=39}} The convention met at [[Gay's Tavern]] in Dedham on December 12, 1780, and adopted a resolution to the effect that the towns of [[Bellingham, Massachusetts|Bellingham]], [[Dedham, Massachusetts|Dedham]], [[Foxborough]], [[Franklin, Massachusetts|Franklin]], [[Medfield]], [[Medway, Massachusetts|Medway]], [[Needham, Massachusetts|Needham]], [[Stoughton, Massachusetts|Stoughton]], [[Sharon, Massachusetts|Stoughtonham]], [[Walpole, Massachusetts|Walpole]], and [[Wrentham, Massachusetts|Wrentham]], along with the [[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]] towns of [[Holliston, Massachusetts|Holliston]], [[Hopkinton, Massachusetts|Hopkinton]], [[Natick]], and [[Sherborn, Massachusetts|Sherborn]] ought to be formed into a new county with Medfield as the shiretown.{{sfn|Cook|1918|p=39}} The [[Great and General Court]] did not look favorably upon the resolution, however, and no new county was then created.

Norfolk County, Massachusetts was created on June 20, 1793. Legislation passed in March which separated off all the towns in Suffolk County except Boston and Chelsea (which at the time included what are now [[Revere, Massachusetts|Revere]] and [[Winthrop, Massachusetts|Winthrop]]). Dedham was designated as the "shire town".<ref>[https://archive.org/details/actsresolvespass179293mass/page/110/mode/2up Massachusetts General Court, Acts of 1792 Chapter 72, page 111] (also indexed as Acts of 1973 (January Session), chapter 43). Approved March 26, 1793, by Governor [[John Hancock]].</ref> [[Hingham, Massachusetts|Hingham]] and [[Hull, Massachusetts|Hull]] petitioned to remain in Suffolk County and on the day the law was to take effect, their removal to Norfolk County was repealed, making [[Cohasset, Massachusetts|Cohasset]] an [[exclave]].<ref>https://archive.org/details/actsresolvespass179293mass/page/352/mode/2up Massachusetts General Court, Acts of 1793, Chapter 8, page 353.] Also listed as 1793 May session, chapter 9. Approved June 20, 1793.</ref> In 1803, they were moved into [[Plymouth County, Massachusetts]].<ref name="Chronologies" />

On June 22, 1797, the town of [[Natick, Massachusetts|Natick]] was given to Middlesex County, and the town of [[Needham, Massachusetts|Needham]] was transferred from Middlesex to Norfolk. The towns of [[Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester]] and [[Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury]] were part of Norfolk County when it was created but, as Boston annexed each town in stages from 1804 to 1912, they became part of Suffolk County again, leaving [[Brookline, Massachusetts|Brookline]] separated from the rest of Norfolk County. No other changes have been made to the territory of Norfolk County, other than new municipalities being created within its boundaries, and minor border adjustments.<ref name="Chronologies" />

Norfolk County is the birthplace of four Presidents of the United States ([[John Adams]], [[John Quincy Adams]], [[John F. Kennedy]], and [[George H. W. Bush]]), resulting in the moniker "County of Presidents."<ref>[http://www.norfolkcounty.org/ The County of Norfolk, Massachusetts]. Last accessed December 21, 2006.</ref>

===Jails===
Following the creation of the county, [[Gay's Tavern]] was the site of a Court of General Sessions on August 25, 1794.{{sfn|Cook|1918|p=48}} They ordered that the committee on buildings proceed with collecting materials for building a jail.{{sfn|Cook|1918|p=48}} On the last day of September following this order, the court accepted from Timothy Gay{{efn|Timothy Gay Jr. was the jail keeper and was indicted, but acquitted, in the escape of [[Jason Fairbanks]].{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=188}}}} the gift of a parallelogram lot of land to erect the [[Norfolk County Jail (1795)|Norfolk County Jail]] next to his tavern.{{sfn|Cook|1918|p=48}}{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=166}}{{r|series}} 

It was replaced by a new [[Norfolk County Jail (1817)|Norfolk County Jail]] in 1817.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=11}}<ref name=condos/> The two story stone building was built in 1817 and was 33' square.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=11}}<ref name=condos/> Part of the jail was torn down in 1851 to erect a central, octagonal portion and two wings.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=11}}<ref name=condos/> It resulted in a building with the shape of a [[Latin cross]], and featured [[Gothic Revival]] windows.<ref name=condos/> The three tiers of cells radiated out like spokes from the central guardroom.<ref name=condos/> There were two hangings in the central rotunda: [[George C. Hersey]] on August 8, 1862 and [[James H. Costley]] on June 25, 1875.{{sfn|Parr|2009}}

Inmates were housed in the jail until 1992 when the [[Norfolk County Correctional Center]] was opened in 1992.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=11}} A court forced the closure after 13 inmates escaped in 1989.{{sfn|Parr|2009}} There were at least 27 break outs during the prison's history.<ref name=condos/> 

The current Norfolk County Correctional Center is located on the median of [[Massachusetts Route 128|Route 128]] in Dedham. The facility has 502 beds and opened in 1992.<ref name=difazio/>

===Courthouses===
After the creation of the county, the Court of Common Pleas and the Court of General Sessions of the Peace first met in [[First Church and Parish in Dedham#1762 meetinghouse|Dedham's meetinghouse]].{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=166}} [[Nathaniel Ames (third)|Nathaniel Ames]] was chosen as the clerk of both and they met for the first time on September 23.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=166}}{{efn|Hanson is not clear in which year they first met.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=166}}}}

When the court met on January 7, 1794, it was so cold in the building, which lacked any sort of heating, that they moved to the [[Woodward Tavern]] across the street.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=166}} The [[History of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1700-1799#Anglican Church|Anglican Church]] in town had also offered their building, but it was in such a state of disrepair that the offer was not accepted.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=166}} The [[First Church and Parish in Dedham]] then offered a piece of land on their Little Common, and a new courthouse was ordered to be constructed.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=166}} Construction was sluggish, however, and the delays frustrated Ames.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=166}}

The court was still sitting in the meetinghouse in 1794 but the new courthouse was completed in 1795.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=166-167}}{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=10}} It was found to be too small, however, and the ceilings were so low as to stifle people in the courtrooms.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=167}} [[Charles Bulfinch]] was hired in 1795 to design a turret for the building and [[Paul Revere]] was commissioned to cast a bell.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=167}}{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=239}}{{efn|The bell was moved to the new courthouse, and the last record of the cupola was in 1817. It disappeared sometime after that.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=239}}}}

When it became apparent that the Courthouse was out of date, the County Commissioners ordered a new one to be built.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=229}} They originally were seeking a utilitarian building that would be fireproof and safe to store important documents.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=229}} Local boosters, however, wanted a building that aligned with the town's rapidly improving self-image.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=228-229}}

The land for the courthouse, across the street from the existing one, was purchased from [[Fisher Ames|Frances Ames]] for $1,200.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=229}}{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=10}} Ames later refused to sell the lot to the east at an asking price of $400, however.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=229}} Masonic ceremonies, bell ringing and cannon fire accompanied the laying of the cornerstone on July 4, 1825.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=229}} In 1827, the old courthouse was sold at public auction.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=10}} 

The new building was designed by [[Solomon Willard]]{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=229}}<ref name=NHL/> and was dedicated on February 20, 1827.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=10}}{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=229}} It was a basic rectangular granite-walled structure, 48' by 98' and two stories tall,{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=10}} with Greek-temple porticoes at either end.<ref name=NHL/>{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=229}} Each 10' portico was supported by four Doric pillars.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=10}} A bell made by [[Paul Revere]] was moved from the old courthouse to the new north portico, where it was tolled to announce court sessions.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=239}}{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=15}}

The interior had a hall running through the center paved with brick.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=6}} On the eastern side were the offices of the Country Treasurer and the Clerk of Courts.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=14}} On the western side were the Registry of Deeds and Probate Court.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=14}} The courtroom was upstairs and featured an arched ceiling.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=14}} The high sheriff had a desk in the room.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=14}}

From the outside it was an attractive building, but it was not a comfortable place to work.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=229}} The only water was provided by a well on Court Street, and it did not have an adequate heating system.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=229}} One employee complained that it was "barren and destitute of every convenience, demanded for health, comfort and decency."{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=229}} In 1846, an iron fence was installed around the perimeter.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=15}}

===Registry of Deeds===

The Registry was originally housed in one of the first floor rooms of the home of Eliphalet Pond, the first registrar, at 963 Washington Street in Dedham.<ref name=trivia1722/> A sign was nailed to a tree out front informing the public of its location.<ref name=trivia1722/> It then moved to the original [[Norfolk County Courthouse (1795)|Norfolk County Courthouse]] and remained there for about three decades.<ref name=trivia1722/> When the new [[Norfolk County Courthouse]] was built in 1827, the middle office on the west side of the lower level was used by the Registry.<ref name=trivia1722/> When the population of the county grew and the number of real estate transactions increased apace, a new building was constructed for the Registry across the street at 649 High Street.<ref name=trivia1722/> The Boston firm [[Peabody & Stearns]] was hired to design the current Registry of Deeds, built in 1905. The main section of the building measures 52 feet by 186 feet, is two stories high with a copper hipped roof, and is built of Indiana limestone with details made of granite from [[Deer Isle, Maine]].<ref name=trivia1722p5/>