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Town of Mansfield History and Resources
Photo: Mansfield Tavern |
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| The Town of Mansfield is an
industrial railroad town in Bristol County. In its earliest days, the town
was the unsettled frontier of Taunton, used for hunting, fishing and some
livestock grazing. The earliest permanent settlement took place in the
1680's. During the Colonial era, the town's economy was based on a mixture
of agriculture and iron working. The first grist mill was established in
1695 and the first iron forge in 1735, to work bog iron found in the area.
In the early 19th century a small industrial base was
established with several tack factories, cotton mills, machine foundries
and straw hat manufacturers. Local officials made a conscious effort to
diversify the businesses in town. It appeared that Mansfield's commercial
destiny was decided when the railroads arrived in Mansfield in the 1830's
and the town was established as a refueling and freight transfer point.
However, later in the 19th century, the town suffered from the de-emphasis
of rail freight, and the town fathers were actively engaged in attempting
to draw new industry to town. The Mansfield Board of Trade was formed in
1892 and was instrumental in getting industry to set up in town. Among the
companies they brought in were jewelry firms which had been settled in
Attleboro. Immigrants from Italy, Ireland, England and Canada moved to
Mansfield to fill the manufacturing and farming jobs in the town, which
was site of experimental gladioli farms. Narrative based on information provided by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. |
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| Community Profile | Mansfield Public Library |
| Federal Census, 1790, Mansfield | Town of Mansfield |
| Federal Census, 1850, Mansfield | St. Mary's Parish |
| Federal Census, 1860, Mansfield | |
| First Baptist Church of Mansfield | |
| Historic Maps Covering Mansfield | |