Ever wondered about the “castle” on Westside Road? Who built such an extravagant estate amid a New England village? The Norfolk Historical Society’s 2024 exhibit delves into the history of the property and celebrates one of its most distinguished early summer residents, Mihajlo Idvorski (Michael) Pupin.
Pupin, a brilliant physicist, professor and inventor, held 34 patents that brought him world-wide fame. He came to Norfolk at the suggestion of Dr. Frederic Dennis, a Columbia University colleague, who thought the climate and beauty of Northwest Connecticut would be a tonic for the bereaved Pupin, who was mourning the untimely death of his wife.
Pupin, who had already revolutionized medical science with his inventions, found Norfolk to be his “Haven of Happiness,” and soon considered it to be his home.
He built two significant residences here: The Knolls on Westside Road, which became the talk of the town in 1898; followed a decade later by Hemlock Farm, the European-style “castle” reminiscent of his Serbian homeland (today used by the Connecticut-Asia Society).
Hemlock Farm was a far cry from the circumstances that confronted the 16-year-old peasant boy when he disembarked in America in 1874. With five cents in his pocket and no knowledge of English, he started his hard scrabble toward world renown. He worked days in fields and factories while studying at night. So successful was he, that he earned a scholarship to Columbia, later studying at Cambridge University and receiving his doctorate from the University of Berlin in 1889.
Pupin cared deeply about Norfolk and contributed financially to several important projects, including the construction of the Royal Arcanum building in 1903 and the Center School in 1915.
The exhibit is open to the public Saturdays and Sundays, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., through October 13.