Norfolk County consists of twenty-eight eastern Massachusetts communities, located to the South and West of Boston. The County was incorporated as a regional governmental entity in 1793, and has its county seat at the town of Dedham.

The county of Norfolk, as first incorporated, included all the original territory of Suffolk, except for towns of Boston and Chelsa. On May 10, 1643, the Colony of Massachusetts Bay was divided into four counties; Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk and Norfolk. Thus Norfolk County originally had the towns of Haverhill, Salisbury, Hampton, Exeter, Dover and Portsmouth. Salisbury, Hampton, Exeter & Dover were set off to New Hampshire with state separation in 1680. The remaining towns were set back to Essex county on 4 Feb 1680 and the Original County of Norfolk ceased to exist.

Norfolk County Re-incorporation, Massachusetts History An act to re-incorporate Norfolk County was approved by Gov. Hancock on March 26, 1793. The northeastern end of Norfolk has interchanged several times with Suffolk , and Middlesex Counties.

Norfolk county is the Birthplace of 4 United States Presidents: George Bush - Milton, MA, John Adams - Mass Bay Colony, John Quincy Adams - Braintree, John F Kennedy - Brookline.