The Town of North Brookfield, situated in Worcester County, has a very
varied history with many distinguished residents. The town had rich
agricultural lands which were profitably farmed by early settlers, but
developed a vigorous industrial economy as well, primarily in the shoe
manufacturing and rubber products industries.
Rufus Putnam, one of George Washington’s chief engineers during the
Revolution, served his apprenticeship in the town as a millwright at the
Matthews Fulling Mills from 1754 to 1757. The Matthews Mills were
themselves a tribute to 18th century engineering, since they included
several canals and tunnels which made the natural glacial kettle holes in
the area part of a mill ponding complex for the fulling mill. The town
avoided the deadly smallpox epidemics of the 1770′s by inoculating over 200
people with weakened smallpox virus. People came from as far away as
Worcester to receive the inoculations of the experimental vaccine from
North Attleborough physicians, Dr. Thomas and Dr. Kittridge, and then to
convalesce through a mild form of the disease in small hospitals the town
built on the outskirts of the community.
Along with its neighboring town, North Brookfield sent 150 Minutemen to the
Battle of Lexington and Concord. But they also demonstrated against the
government they had helped create when residents of North Brookfield were
involved in Shays Rebellion in 1780, holding meetings in town and hiding
their weapons at Ayre’s Tavern, one of the oldest buildings in town.
Nineteenth century American poet William Cullen Bryant, lived in North
Brookfield when he prepared for college with his uncle, the minister in
town for 64 years. Bates Observatory was given to the town in the 1890′s
and on a clear day, townspeople say, you can see all the way to Boston.
George M. Cohan, actor, producer and playwright, was a frequent visitor to
town when he came to stay with his grandparents. In the summer of 1934
both Cohan and Connie Mack, another former resident, were honored by the
town. The stage of the present Town House was the site of a performance
of “Ah, Wilderness,” with the original New York cast directed by Cohan, and
the Philadelphia Athletics played an exhibition baseball game in town with
the Quabang Rubber company team, who defeated them, townspeople are quick
to note.
varied history with many distinguished residents. The town had rich
agricultural lands which were profitably farmed by early settlers, but
developed a vigorous industrial economy as well, primarily in the shoe
manufacturing and rubber products industries.
Rufus Putnam, one of George Washington’s chief engineers during the
Revolution, served his apprenticeship in the town as a millwright at the
Matthews Fulling Mills from 1754 to 1757. The Matthews Mills were
themselves a tribute to 18th century engineering, since they included
several canals and tunnels which made the natural glacial kettle holes in
the area part of a mill ponding complex for the fulling mill. The town
avoided the deadly smallpox epidemics of the 1770′s by inoculating over 200
people with weakened smallpox virus. People came from as far away as
Worcester to receive the inoculations of the experimental vaccine from
North Attleborough physicians, Dr. Thomas and Dr. Kittridge, and then to
convalesce through a mild form of the disease in small hospitals the town
built on the outskirts of the community.
Along with its neighboring town, North Brookfield sent 150 Minutemen to the
Battle of Lexington and Concord. But they also demonstrated against the
government they had helped create when residents of North Brookfield were
involved in Shays Rebellion in 1780, holding meetings in town and hiding
their weapons at Ayre’s Tavern, one of the oldest buildings in town.
Nineteenth century American poet William Cullen Bryant, lived in North
Brookfield when he prepared for college with his uncle, the minister in
town for 64 years. Bates Observatory was given to the town in the 1890′s
and on a clear day, townspeople say, you can see all the way to Boston.
George M. Cohan, actor, producer and playwright, was a frequent visitor to
town when he came to stay with his grandparents. In the summer of 1934
both Cohan and Connie Mack, another former resident, were honored by the
town. The stage of the present Town House was the site of a performance
of “Ah, Wilderness,” with the original New York cast directed by Cohan, and
the Philadelphia Athletics played an exhibition baseball game in town with
the Quabang Rubber company team, who defeated them, townspeople are quick
to note.
