HISTORY OF BROOKFIELD, CONNECTICUT

pre-Colonial times  --  Prior to the white men settling Connecticut,  this area was inhabited by the Pootatuck Indians, members of the Algonquin Federation  For many years, Chief Pokono ruled in the area.

1684 – Danbury settled.

1707 – New Milford settled.

1710 – Newtown settled.

1732 – Ironworks District settled.

1745 – First bridge built at the Ironworks.

1748 – First grist mill.

1748 – Land’s End Cemetery established.

1754 – Newbury Parish (the future Brookfield) established.

1755 – The Ecclesiastical Society of Newbury Parish accepts the site of the first Meetinghouse.

1756 – Parish of Newbury (the future Brookfield) voted to hold school for six months per year.

1756 – Voted to lay a tax on the inhabitants to cover the meetinghouse.

1757 – The meetinghouse dedicated and Thomas Brooks ordained and installed as permanent minister of the Congregation Society.

1761 – Four School Districts – Ironworks, Whisconier, Pocono, Obtuse.

1776 – Earliest burial in the Huckleberry Hill Cemetery.

1776 – On July 4^th, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.

1777 – Central Cemetery established.

1778 – Earliest Burial in the Merwin Brook Cemetery.

1781 – English General Cornwallis surrendered to the combined American and French forces, effectively ending the American War for Independence .

1781 – First Physician – Dr. Preserve Wood.

1783 – A peace treaty was formally signed in Paris on September 3^rd, granting Americans unconditional Independence.

1785 – The Episcopalian Church established.

1788 – The Parish of Newbury became The Town of Brookfield.

1788 (June 9) – First Town Meeting held.

1789 – Great Flu epidemic caused canceling of public meetings.

1790 – The population of Brookfield numbered 1,018.

1792 – Brookfield Town Singing School started.

1794 – Old South Cemetery was established.

1794  --  Mary Northrop died and left her entire estate to the Town of Brookfield for public education.

1796 – The Brookfield Town House completed.

1797 – Masonic Lodge established in Brookfield.

1801 – First Post Office established in Brookfield. Colbe Chamberlain was the first postmaster.

1808 – 8 Schools – East Ironworks, West Ironworks, Whisconier, Center, Long Meadow Hill, Bound Swamp, South Mountain and Obtuse.

1830 – Temperance Society started.

1830 – Population of Brookfield 1,255.

1837 – Ironworks Aqueduct Company established.

1837 – Methodist Church established.

1837 – Second Episcopal Church built.

1837 – Daniel Tomlinson built a dam on the Still River and a factory for the making of currier’s knives.

1839 – South Mountain School changed to Whortleberry Hill School.

1840 – the first railroad was constructed in Brookfield. It was called the Housatonic Railroad and was built in the Iron Works district (and called the Brookfield Station).

1845 – Laurel Hill Cemetery established.

1846 – Baptist Church established in the Ironworks District .

1850 – Population of Brookfield 1,359.

1850 --Probate Court established - Brookfield Judge Ebenezer Blackman appointed Probate Judge.

1852 – Sons of Temperance and the auxiliary the Cadets organized in Brookfield.

1854 – Second Meeting House of the Congregational Church was dedicated .

1858 – St. Paul’s School for Boys established on Longmeadow Hill Road.

1866 – Anti-Thieving Society established. Horses were being stolen.

1867 – Catholic Parish established in Brookfield.

1868 – Dutch Reformed Church established in Brookfield.

1868 – St. Paul’s School for Boys closes.

1868 – Henry Hawley opened a hat factory.

1869 – Second Post Office established.

1870 – Brookfield Shakespearian Dramatic Society established.

1875 – A new Brookfield Town House built and called Town Hall.

1880 – Present Stone Bridge on route 25 built.

1881 – Measles closed the schools.

1883 – Curtis School for Boys moved to Brookfield.

1884 – The Dutch Reform Church becomes The Chapel.

1888 – Brookfield celebrates its 100^th birthday.

1889 --Miss Wilhelmine Skidmore opened a school for girls in Brookfield Center.

1892 – St. Joseph’s Catholic Church built on Pocono Road.

1893 – Village Improvement Society established in Brookfield.

1895 – Hawley Bible School opened on Whisconier Hill

1900 – Greene School of Music opened.

1903 – Local chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union formed.

1907 – Ziegler Summer School of Singing established in Brookfield Center.

1913 --The Brookfield Improvement Society put streetlights through the Center.

1914 – Railroad tracks moved & train station built in the Ironworks District.

1915 – Electric lights come to Brookfield Center.

1918 – Ancient Inn, located in the Ironworks district, moved to Danbury.

1918 – Aunt Sue’s Brook, a watering trough on Route 133, was given to the town by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.

1920 – Pocono Grange established.

1920 – 155 Women presented themselves at the Town Hall to be made voters.

1924 – Greene School of Music closed after the death of Professor Herbert Greene.

1926 – Brookfield Book Club meets.

1926 – Construction of Candlewood Lake began.

1929 – Lake Candlewood completely filled.

1929 – New state highway built north to Obtuse (currently Route 133 to Bridgewater).

1934 – Brookfield Fire Department formally organized.

1938 – Consolidated School replaces the one-room schoolhouses.

1939 – Town offices moved into the former Center School.

1940 – The Grotto was started.

1943 – Curtis School for Boys closed Joyce Memorial Library established in the old town hall.

1951 – Brookfield Craft Center opened.

1953 – Ground broken for new firehouse in the Center .

1953 – Friends of the Library established.

1955 – Lake Lillinohah filled overnight during hurricane Dianne.

1956 -- St. Joseph’s Parochial School opened.

1957 – Samuel Wilson became our first Resident State Trooper.

1957 – The first Brookfield Journal was published.

1958 - Williams Park built.

1859 – Long Meadow Hill School built.

1859 – Brookfield Players acquire gym from Curtis School for use as Playhouse.

1960 – Zoning Laws put into effect

1960 – Chamber of Commerce formed.

1960 – Population 1,345 and start of largest growth period in Brookfield history.

1960 --Eugene McGowan was appointed first School Superintendent.

1960 – United Jewish Brookfield Cemetery‘s first burial.

1961 – Candlewood Shores Annexed from New Fairfield.

1963 – Prince of Peace Lutheran Church held first services.

1966 – Huckleberry Hill School built.

1967 – Newbury Congregational Church established.

1967 – First High School Graduation from Brookfield High School.

1968 – Brookfield Historical Society founded.

1968 – Gospel Hall takes over former St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on Pocono Road.

1970 – Whisconier School built.

1975 – The Brookfield Public Library opened in its present location.

1976 – The Brookfield Museum & Historical Society began occupying the old Town House. Dr. Rudy Favretti, a noted writer, designer and restorer of 18^th century gardens such as Winterthur, designed the beautiful period garden on the Museum property.

1981 – Brooks Quarry built & named for Rev. Thomas Brooks.

1983 – New Town Hall on Pocono Road opens.

2005  --  a gift by the Gurski family and the Town of Brookfield made it possible for the Brookfield Museum and Historical Society, to add Gurski's Forge to its inventory of artifacts.  (Hopefully open in the summer of 2005.)

Source:

Brookfield Museum and Historical Society   http://www.brookfieldcthistory.org/page_historical_timeline.html  

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