History Brookfield, Connecticut

early people lived in brookfield subsistence farmers, gatherers , hunters. main food sources corn, beans, squash , wild foods found in rocky, heavily forested foot hills of berkshire mountains of brookfield , new milford. such wild foods harvested white oak acorns, american chestnuts, shag bark hickory nuts, may apples, beach nuts , solomon s seal. hunted animals taken forest , rivers deer, passenger pigeon, turkey, bass, trout, crawfish, squirrel, rabbit , others. in 18th century community called newbury , name came 3 towns land taken – new milford, newtown, , danbury.

as traveling surrounding churches difficult in winter, in 1752 general assembly granted community right worship in area homes september through march. in 1754, general assembly granted permission parish of newbury build own meeting house , recruit own minister. on september 28, 1757, first congregational church building dedicated. reverend thomas brooks ordained first settled minister. incorporated in 1778, town s name changed brookfield in honor of brooks, still minister.

along still river, mills in operation 1732 in area became known iron works district. brookfield thriving town iron furnaces, grist mills, sawmills, comb shops, carding , cotton mills, paper mill, knife factory, hat factories, stage-coach shops, lime kilns, harness shops , other plants in operation. grist mill still stands, brookfield craft center. iron works aqueduct company, formed in 1837 supply water mountain springs iron works district, still supplies water brookfield water company.

before 1912, town had 2 train stations: 1 in iron works district near present brookfield market , second, junction station, near corner of junction road , stony hill road.

the danbury & bethel gas , electric company brought electricity brookfield in 1915. .475 wildey magnum gun, later made famous in 1985 charles bronson movie death wish 3, developed wildey j. moore in brookfield in 1970s (the factory has since moved warren, connecticut).

in 1970s, town home lego usa headquarters.