Norumbega Tower
Eben Norton Horsford was convinced that the Eastern Algonquian word 'Norumbega', which has been taken to mean the general region that is now coastal New England, was derived from 'Norvega', meaning Norway. A prominent stone plaque on the tower relates to Norse explorers from the Icelandic sagas. Horsford believed Norumbega to be Vinland, which he had no physical evidence to prove. The construction of the tower was accomplished four years before Horsford's death.
Horsford's beliefs and tower influenced the naming of Norumbega Park, a well-known recreational complex located across the river in Newton that operated from 1897 to 1964. The addition of the tower also altered the way Americans viewed Norse history and its impact on North America.
References
- ^ "Atlas Obscura". Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ Scheible, Sue. "The Patriot Ledger". Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- Eben Norton Horsford, "The Discovery of the Ancient City of Norumbega" (November, 1889) full text
42°21′12.20″N 71°15′43.6″W / 42.3533889°N 71.262111°W