Towns in our Neighborhood
Brookline
FOUNDED: 1769
CURRENT POPULATION: 4709
POPULATION AT FOUNDING: 338 residents in 1790
TOWN ZIP CODES: 03033
DESCRIPTION: A small community of about 4,600 residents, Brookline is located on the Massachusetts border, just west of Hollis. It is a town that is one of the fastest growing in the state, but it remains a quaint, rural village. About 8,000 of Brooklineâs 13,000 acres remain undeveloped. This is despite a recent growth spurt that prompted the Planning Board to introduce an ordinance limiting the number of building permits given out each year. That ordinance has been in place since 1994 and will likely remain on the books as a way to help Brookline preserve its rural character.
A number of historical homes and buildings are located in the town center, including the Florence Barnaby house, which is now the headquarters of the Brookline Historical Society. The former Brookline Railroad Station, now a private home, is another historical landmark.
The Talbot-Taylor Wildlife Sanctuary, Nissitissit River and Lake Potanipo are popular sites for outdoor enthusiasts. Quiet country roads and homes tucked away on wooded lots define Brookline. It is this small-town appeal that has brought many new residents to the town in recent years.
HISTORY: The town was established in 1769, carved out of several surrounding pieces of land. The establishment of the Hollis Meetinghouse left residents in the western part of that town dissatisfied and they petitioned to become a separate town. The new town, called Raby, was made up of the western part of Hollis, the Mile Slip (an unsurveyed piece between Brookline and Mason) and the part of Townsend, Mass., left in New Hampshire after the boundary was settled in 1741. Raby was named for a town in England where many of the residentsâ ancestors had come from. In 1786, because of its small size, Raby petitioned to be enlarged and a 3/4-mile piece of Hollis was added. The name was changed to Brookline in 1789.
The Congregational Church was established in 1795, but parishioners didnât get a church built until 1838. Considered a poor place, the town was not served by the railroad and had many marginal farms. Early industries included potash, shingles, barrels, furniture making, and a large tannery. With the coming of the railroad to other places, the industry languished. It was a four-day trip to Boston by ox cart.
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