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:See also: Attleborough, United Kingdom
Attleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts and is immediately north of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" for its many jewelry manufacturers, Attleboro has a total population of 42,068 as of the 2000 census.
History
Attleboro was incorporated from part of Rehoboth in 1694 as the Town of Attleborough. It was reincorporated in 1914 as the City of Attleboro. Attleboro included the town of North Attleborough until 1887, and Cumberland, Rhode Island, until 1747. When the city re-incorporated in 1914, the "-ugh" was removed from the name; North Attleborough kept it. Like many towns in Massachusetts, it was named for a British town.
During the colonial period, Nathaniel Woodcock lived in North Attleboro. During the Native American insurgency Woodcock's son was murdered and his head was placed on a pole in his front yard. The house where Woodcock lived is now a historical monument. It is rumored George Washington once passed through and stayed near the Woodcock Garrison House at the Hatch Tavern where he swapped one shoe buckle with Nathan Hatch, a revolutionary soldier and new owner of the Garrison House.
The city became known for jewelry manufacturing, notably through the L.G. Balfour Company starting in 1913. However, the company has since moved out of the city, with the site of the former plant turned into a riverfront park. The Balfour Company was not the only jewelry manufacturer or supplier to the jewelry manufacturing trade in Attleboro. At one time, Attleboro was known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World." There are jewelry related manufacturing firms in Attleboro who continue to operate. One of these companies is Guyot Brothers Company, which was started in 1904. General Findings, M.S. Company, James A. Murphy Co., Garlan Chain, and Masters of Design, which was started by former Balfour employees, are still jewelry related manufacturing companies still currently in operation.
Geography
Attleboro is located at (41.928099, -71.314564). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 73.2 km² (28.3 mi²). 71.3 km² (27.5 mi²) of it is land and 2.0 km² (0.8 mi²) of it (2.72%) is water. Its borders are the shape of an irregular polygon, resembling a pointless triangle pointed west. It is bordered by North Attleborough to the north, Mansfield and Norton to the east, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Pawtucket, Rhode Island to the south, and Cumberland, Rhode Island to the west. It includes the localities of Briggs Corner, Dodgeville, East Junction, Hebronville, and South Attleboro.
The Ten Mile River, a tributary to the Blackstone River, runs through the center of Attleboro, and is fed by several brooks and the Bungay River. Several small ponds are in the city, as well as the Manchester Pond Reservoir, located along Interstate 95. There are also two reservation areas, the Antony Lawrence Reservation Area and Coleman Reservation Area,...
