| History
North Brookfield has rich agricultural lands which were profitably
farmed by early settlers, but also developed a strong industrial
economy, primarily in the shoe manufacturing and rubber products
industries. Rufus Putnam, one of George Washington's chief
engineers during the Revolution, served his apprenticeship as a
millwright at the Matthews Fulling Mills from 1754 to 1757. The
Matthews Mills 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.
Nineteenth Century American poet William Cullen Bryant lived in North
Brookfield with his uncle, the minister in town for 64 years, when he
prepared for college. Bates Observatory was given to the town in
the 1890's, and townspeople say that on a clear day you can see all the
way to Boston.
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| Town Facts
Population (2000): 4,683
Registered Voters (1996): 2,625
School Enrollment (1996): 851
Worcester County
Square Miles: 21.72
Public Road Miles (1996): 68.62
Median Family Income (2000): $51,750
Tax Rate (2003): $13.86
Contact Information
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