Discover Norfolk

Norfolk brings together historic sites and a landscape shaped by woodlands and wetlands. The Hepburn Library and Hale Cemetery offer tangible connections to local history and culture; State Forests, trails, and rivers add a range of outdoor activities to the picture.

Library and Local History

The Hepburn Library of Norfolk is located at 1 Hepburn Street in Norfolk, New York. Alonzo Barton Hepburn donated it to the Town of Norfolk. The building was designed by architects Rossiter & Muller and constructed in 1919–1920; it officially opened in November 1921. Alonzo Barton Hepburn was a philanthropist and banker from Colton, New York, who was born in the region.

The brick building is designed in the Georgian Revival style, has a T-shaped floor plan, and a cross-gabled roof. These features give architecture enthusiasts concrete points of reference for understanding the building’s design. The donation, design, construction, and opening represent different aspects of its history: its connection to the Town of Norfolk as well as its development in the early 20th century.

The Hepburn Library serves the Town of Norfolk with current, highly requested, and especially interesting materials in a variety of formats for people of all ages. If you are planning a visit, check the current opening hours in advance.

Hale Cemetery

Hale Cemetery in Norfolk is listed as a New York State Historic Landmark. It is the final resting place of distinguished veterans and historical figures. Colonel Ira Hale founded the cemetery in 1836; a handmade fieldstone arch is also one of its distinctive features.

The two sites therefore have different historical and cultural focuses: the Library centers on its donation, architecture, and opening, while the Cemetery centers on its founding, Landmark status, and the people buried there. Those exploring Norfolk through its history will find two clearly distinct subjects here rather than repeated accounts of the same era.

Woodlands, Trails, and Wetlands

The Bombay and Brasher State Forests form a 22,242-acre reforestation complex. It extends across the Towns of Brasher and Norfolk in St. Lawrence County and the Towns of Bombay and Moira in Franklin County. The complex includes extensive trails and roads. Its size and distribution across four Towns shape the landscape and the recreational opportunities available there.

Landscape features include ponds, swamps, hardwood swamps, and other wetlands. More than 4,500 acres of wetlands provide important habitat for birds, fish, amphibians, and protected plants. Nature enthusiasts will therefore find wetlands here as a distinct focus alongside the woodlands.

On the marked trails, signs indicate which activities are permitted: hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, or snowmobiling. Choose your activity according to the signs on each trail; the listed uses do not automatically apply to every trail.

More Outdoor Activities

Raymondville State Forest extends across the Towns of Stockholm and Norfolk. The terrain is very flat and contains extensive wetlands. Its large, largely undeveloped areas are suitable for hunting, hiking, and nature observation. These areas thus complement the trails and landscape features of the Bombay and Brasher State Forests with another focus for outdoor activities.

At the regional level, the St. Regis River and Deer River also offer opportunities for brook and rainbow trout fishing. When choosing what to focus on in Norfolk, options include historic architecture and local history, landscape and nature observation, and activities on woodland trails. Which of these takes center stage can shape your stay in Norfolk.

Discover more destinations: Ogdensburg, Potsdam, Massena, Brasher Falls-Winthrop, Gouverneur.

For the regional travel overview: St. Lawrence.