Brockton

by James E. Benson

Overview

First gaining notoriety as the "shoe city," Brockton grew and flourished toward the end of the 19th century. As the halcyon days of the shoe industry waned, however, Brockton experienced many changes. After World War II, major residential development took place in the form of affordable single-family homes, and four new junior high schools and (eventually) a new high school were built. Housing for senior citizens and low-income residents was constructed, and new commercial buildings replaced those from a bygone era. Today, the city is still transforming as former shoe factories and commercial blocks are preserved and rehabilitated into new usage—whether residential, commercial, or industrial. Once a one-industry town, Brockton today is diverse in its industry and its people as it continues to be the "City of Champions."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467133951
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	11/16/2015
Series:	Images of Modern America
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

James Benson, a lifelong resident of the Brockton area and author of six books with Arcadia Publishing, has drawn on several sources to bring readers a sense of Brockton in more modern times. Many of the images in this book are from the Stanley A. Bauman Photograph Collection at Stonehill College.

Editorial Reviews

It took Brockton more than a century to outgrow its "Shoe City," but there has been no lack of change or claims to fame in this friendly city. For example, how many non-residents know that the world's first department store Santa welcomed children onto his lap in Brockton in 1890? (Hand-selling tip: We are becoming a more local nation with more local interests. According to a 2009 Newsweek article, fewer Americans are relocating than at any time since 1962.)

Title: Brockton profiled in pictures in new book by city historical society president
Author: Erik Potter
Publisher: Enterprise News
Date: 7/10/2010

James Benson spent the past 14 months culling through thousands of historical photos of Brockton, looking for the best ones to illustrate life in the city from the 1860s to the 1960s.

Ultimately, he pared it down to 240 images that have gone into a new book, "Brockton," part of Arcadia Publishing's "Images of America" series.

Benson, the president of the Brockton Historical Society, has written four books for Arcadia, a leading publisher of local history books. This is his second about Brockton.

"In a lot of cases there were pictures that I guarantee no one who is alive today has seen, other than the person who gave them to me," Benson said.

The images come from private collections, the Brockton Historical Society and the Stanley Bauman Collection at Stonehill College.

The 128-page book provides a broad overview of Brockton's history, including sections covering its beginnings as North Bridgewater, up through its "Boots and Shoes" industrial years, and a section covering the famous people and places in town.

Benson, a historian, believes it's important to preserve and remember the past.

"First and foremost, it gives everyone, whether they've been a lifelong (Brockton) resident or just moved here, a sense of place," Benson said. "People move a lot nowadays; they don't tend to stay in one place. (This book) shows what the city was."

The Brockton Historical Society will be holding a joint event Friday night, celebrating its 40th anniversary as well as the release of Benson's book.

The celebration will be at 6 p.m. at The Shaw's Center, 1 Feinberg Way in Brockton. Tickets are $35 and available at several area locations, including the historical society, First Lutheran Church and the Metro South Chamber of Commerce.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase for a discounted price of $19.99. Full retail is $21.99. Copies will also be available at the historical society.

From the Publisher