History of Middleborough, Massachusetts, USA

Middleborough [Middleboro], Massachusetts
Plymouth county. This is the Indian Namasket; formerly thickly populated by the people of that tribe, and governed by the noted sachem Tispacan. On the rocks in this town are the prints of naked hands and feet, supposed to be the work of the Indians. Here are numerous ponds, several kinds of fish, and large quantities of iron ore is found in the ponds. These ponds, of which the Assawamset [Assawompset] and Long pond are the largest, empty into the Taunton river, and produce an extensive water power.

This town lies 34 miles S. by E. from Boston, 14 S.S.W. from Plymouth, and 10 S.E. from Taunton. Incorporated, 1660. Population, 1837, 5,005. This is probably the largest town in the state: it is 15 miles in length, and about 9 average breadth: it has several pleasant villages. There are 2 cotton mills, 2 forges, an air and cupola furnace, a nail factory, a manufactures of leather, shovels, spades, forks, ploughs, wrought nails, chairs, cabinet ...

Marlborough was called Namashet by the Indians.

The township is one of the largest in the State, and the chief village is called Four Corners.

It contains many ponds, of which Assawamset and Long Pond are the largest, and empty into Taunton River.

Cotton goods, shovels, nails, straw bonnets, and tacks, are the principal manufactures.

Rev. Isaac Backus, who wrote a valuable history of the Baptists, was settled in Middleborough in 1748.

Distance from Plymouth, 14 miles ; from Boston, 34.

Middleborocgh, a post-township of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, on the left bank of Taunton river, about 40 miles S. by E. from Boston, contains an important manufacturing village of its own name, which is situated on the Fall River railroad, at its junction with Cape Cod railroad. Pop., 5336.

Middleborough is an unusually level town of large area lying in the western part of the southern section of Plymouth County. The Cape Cod Division of the Old Colony Railroad runs through the midst of the town, swerving to the west of the centre, where it connects near Four Corners village (Middleborough station) with the Newport line and the Taunton Branch. It is some 35 miles from Boston, 20 from Fall River and New Bedford, 15 from Plymouth and 10 from Taunton.

On the north are Bridge water and Halifax; on the cast, Plympton and Carver; on the south, Wareham and Rochester; and on the west, Taunton and Raynham. The area is about 43,577 acres, of which 38,171 are taxed. There are 19,352 acres of forest, consisting principally of pines. Elms are numerous, especially about the villages. The land is slightly undulating in parts, but mostly low, level and swampy. There are not less than 19 swamps shown in the county map within the limits of the town. Several are of large extent, and one ...

Middleborough, mid'del-bür-rüh, a post-village of Plymouth co., Mass., in Middleborough township, on the Old Colony Railroad, at the junction of two branches with one of the main lines, 34 miles S. by E. of Boston, and 10% miles E. of Taunton. It has a bank, a fine town hall, an academy, a high school, a public library, gas-works, the Bay State Straw-Works, 5 shoe-factories, 3 churches, 1 news er office, and manufactures of woollen goods, lumber, shovels, spades, needles, trunks, boxes, varnish, &c. The township is bounded on the N.W. by the Taunton River, and has a pop. of 6065.