Brockton, MA: Town History and Location

Brockton is one of Plymouth County's two county seats and the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts. Call or text 508-466-5460 or book online.

Brockton is one of Plymouth County's two county seats and the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts. Here's a short look at its history, plus how dumpster delivery works for Brockton homes and businesses.

In 1649 the Wampanoag leader Ousamequin (Massasoit) sold land called Saughtucket to Myles Standish. The English renamed the area Bridgewater, and Brockton grew out of it. In 1821 part of Bridgewater became North Bridgewater.

By the 1870s town leaders wanted a more distinctive name. Ira Copeland, a local inventor and businessman, heard a train conductor announce the station at Brockville, Ontario, and suggested "Brockton." Brockville is named for Isaac Brock, the British general killed at Queenston Heights in the War of 1812. Residents voted for the new name, and North Bridgewater became Brockton on May 5, 1874. It became a city on April 9, 1881.

During the Civil War, Brockton was the largest shoe producer in the country, and shoes and leather drove its economy until late in the 20th century. Office supply company W.B. Mason was founded here in 1898 to serve the shoe factories. Several Brockton homes were stops on the Underground Railroad, and Frederick Douglass spoke at the city's Liberty Tree before the Civil War.

On October 1, 1883, Thomas Edison switched on a three-wire underground electrical system in Brockton, the first of its kind in the world. The City Theater, opened in 1894, was the first theater tied into that system.

Brockton's nickname comes from native boxers Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler and from Brockton High School's long run of athletic success. The city is home to the Brockton Rox baseball team of the Frontier League. About 105,643 people lived in Brockton at the 2020 census.

Plymouth Dumpster Rental delivers 10 to 30 yard roll-off containers across Brockton, from Campello and Montello to the west side. City lots can be tight, so tell us about the driveway, overhead wires and parking when you book. If the container has to sit on the street, check with the city about a permit first.

Call or text 508-466-5460, or book at southshoredumpster.com/book. See also our Brockton dumpster rental page.