| North Attleborough is an
industrial town in Bristol County on the Rhode Island border. In
pre-Colonial times, it was the site of the Bay Path, a major Indian trail
to Narragansett Bay, the Seekonk River and Boston. John Woodcock and
family established a small settlement in North Attleborough in 1669, which
subsisted on agriculture, fishing and hunting but also clearly liked a
little conviviality because by 1670, Woodcock had received a license to
open an ordinary, or tavern. The settlement was attacked during the King
Philip war, with two killed and one home burned, but the garrison house
which Woodcock had built survived the attack. Recovery was swift after the
war and the community grew very quickly; by 1776 there were 2200 people
living there. In about 1780 a French settler set up a forge for working
brass and the industrial era arrived in North Attleborough. Englishmen
brought with them British machinery from Birmingham
in 1794 and designed American improvements in button making which they
patented. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, small grist and
sawmills were built along the Tenmile River, and subsequently established
nail factories were eventually eclipsed by cotton spinning mills. The
development of cotton spinning was spurred by the embargo on imports
resulting from the War of 1812. Textiles and jewelry manufacturing were
the staple industries of the town by 1832 but buttons were king. By 1834
it was said that North Attleborough produced more buttons than anywhere in
the United States. Through the 19th century there was tremendous growth
and innovation in the jewelry industry and the number of firms in the town
increased sharply. By 1855 there were 24 shops making almost $1 million in
jewelry in both Attleboroughs. The Civil War spurred their growth with
profitable U.S. Army orders for badges and medals. North Attleborough
retains an outstanding collection of mid- to late-19th century houses
including several Italianate villas.
Narrative based on information provided by the
Massachusetts Historical Commission |
