Did you know Nonantum Hill got its name from the Massachusett tribe? Nonantum means “I bless it”. This name reflects its history as one of the first villages for “praying Indians”.
In 1646 Reverend John Eliot preached to local Native Americans here. Waban, a tribal leader, was his first convert to Christianity. Nonantum became a “praying village”. This conversion facilitated English settlement.
But European settlers soon claimed the land. They forced Waban and his people to relocate. They divided the area into small farms. Originally, Indigenous people called this region Cohannet. Settlers renamed it Nonantum.
Later, Nonantum transformed into an industrial site. David Bemis established a paper mill in 1778. Production of cottons, woolens and rope followed. This industrial work drew immigrants to the village. Irish, French Canadian, Italian, and Jewish people arrived.
Nonantum also had a recreational past. Silver Lake provided winter fun for children. They played hockey on the cleared ice. Sadly, it was filled and built over by 1971.
Lake Talk is unique to Nonantum. Older Italian-American residents speak it. Its origins are unclear. Some say it blends Italian with World War II code. Others see similarities to Angloromani or Italian Romany slang.
Castelvenere natives settled in Nonantum in the late 1800s. They were the first Italian immigrants here. Descendants of San Donato Val di Comino natives also claim discovery of “the Lake”.
Here are some Lake Talk words. “Mush” means “guy” or “man”. “Wicked pissa, mush!” means “extremely awesome, man!”. “Chabby” means “boy child”. “Chor’d” means “stolen”. “Cuya moi” means “shut up” or “go to hell”. “Jival” means “chick” or “woman”.
Joe DeNucci said only locals understand Lake Talk. He described it as improvisation. It mixes carnival talk and bebop. Nonantum students have spread it to Newton North High School.
Nonantum Hill also boasts horticultural history. Horace Gray built a country house here. It overlooked the valley. He sold it to William C. Strong due to financial issues. Strong expanded the horticultural business. He added vines and plants. Strong built a large greenhouse. It had 18,000 square feet of glass.
Joseph Breck’s Gardens was at Nonantum and Washington streets. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow visited. Horace Gray founded a horticultural establishment south of Oak Square. He erected the largest grape greenhouses in the US.
The Oak Square School was built in 1894 on Nonantum Street. Preservationists saved it and adapted it into condominiums.
Nonantum Hill has witnessed Native American settlements. It saw industrial growth. It fostered unique language. It nurtured horticultural endeavors. Nonantum Hill stands as a testament to Newton’s diverse past.