William H. Smith House c1881


Living in the City of Attleboro, MA

Historic homes are where you find them. They are not located in clinically planned sub-divisions. The William H. Smith House is located in the heart of the City of Attleboro, Massachusetts. In addition to the advantages of living in a beautiful gilded-age home, made for entertaining friends and family, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has adopted real-estate tax legislation that limits the amount of annual increase. This policy has contained and controlled the local government and forced municipalities to live within their means. Low property taxes are only the beginning. The City is on the threshold of a remarkable transformation from a factory dominated town to a bedroom community for the financial centers of Boston and Providence (Rhode Island). Here are some details of the community that every prospective homeowner wants to know.

Attleboro is a City located in Bristol County, Massachusetts run by an elected Mayor and City Council. The 2009 population was approximately 43,000. It is an ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse place to live and raise a family. Residents consistently remark that the city life is like living in the 1950’s America, a “city” with a small town feel. The crime rate is significantly below the national average. The city has a total area of 28.3 square miles, of which 27.5 square miles of it is land and 0.8 square miles of it is water. The City has its own reservoir and water shed allowing residents enjoy very clean taste-free tap water.

Attleboro was once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" named for its many jewelry manufacturers. William H. Smith built his high style Queen Anne Victorian to celebrate the success of his jewelry manufacturing company – Smith & Crosby. The city is home to many fine homes that were built by the factory owners. Some are located across the street from the factories! The William H. Smith House, however, is located in a neighborhood with other fine homes and smaller homes built during the 20th Century.

History of the City

There is plenty of history in and around the city. 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 Cumberland, Rhode Island, until 1747 and the town of North Attleborough until 1887. When the city re-incorporated in 1914, the "-ugh" was removed from the name; (North Attleborough kept the –ugh spelling.) Like many towns in Massachusetts, it was named for a British town.

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 which continue to operate today. 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 currently in operation.

Development

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. This river is the focus of a significant redevelopment effort by the City. The Downtown Development Plan intends to use the river and transportation areas to anchor a residential and recreational infrastructure turning Attleboro from the Jewelry Capital of the World into a premier residential community of the Boston/Providence business and financial centers. Visit the Attleboro Downtown Development web site at http://attleborodowntown.com/default.aspx

One can see the beginnings of the redevelopment project on Wall Street. Work is beginning on the new Olive Street Bridge about 500 yards from the William H. Smith House in the summer of 2011. Relocation of the electrical and other utility lines across the bridge are being designed now.

Attleboro is officially a part of the Providence (Rhode Island) metropolitan area. It is also only a short distance from Boston, and is linked to the Boston metropolitan area via the commuter rail system known as the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority). Providence is home to Johnson & Wales University and its world famous Culinary Institute. This resource of talent has resulted in Providence being the home of many fine restaurants and dining experiences – and it is all located just 15 minutes south of the William H. Smith House. The New York Times has said that the Providence restaurant scene is better than Boston’s and a rival of many pricier places in New York City.

Of course, one does not have to travel to Providence for good food. Located in Attleboro is the historic Colonel Blackinton Inn (http://www.colblackintoninn.com/ ). The Inn, which houses 11 guest rooms, has been created from a historic landmark known as the Blackinton Double House (circa 1850). It is located less than a mile from the center of Attleboro, situated on the bank of the Bungay River. You can take a Virtual Tour of the Colonel Blackinton Inn at their web site.

In addition to the Blackinton Inn, you can walk from the William H. Smith House to Dunkin Donuts for your morning wake-up. A short walk to the center of the City will bring you to a new Italian restaurant and bakery in the renovated historic Ashley Building - Scorpio’s Italian Restaurant serving "home cooked" meals from old family recipes starting in September 2009. Next door to the Attleboro train station is the Fresh Catch Seafood, Steak and Sushi Bar. Fresh Catch was recently featured on The Phantum Gourmet TV Show where it was described as "a hidden jewel." And for a trip back in time for outstanding comfort food, visit Moran’s Diner – an original 1911 diner which has expanded into a wonderful family restaurant and sports bar. It is also within a 10 minute walk of the Smith House and located in Attleboro’s city center.

Of course, if you miss the “chains” you can jump in the car and you are just 10 -15 minutes from Olive Garden, Ruby Tuesdays, Uno’s, Applebee’s, Longhorn Steakhouse, Panera Bread, The 99, or TGI Friday’s. And of course, there are other favorites nearby like, Kozy Kitchen, The Hearth 'N Kettle, Memphis Roadhouse, The Vineyard, Picadilly Pub, Wetherlaine’s, and Bistro 45. There are also a large variety of ethnic restaurants, but El Azteca Mexican, Fortuna, Ho One, and Attleboro House of Pizza, have stood the test of time and are just a sampling.

Education

Attleboro has its own school department, with five elementary schools, three middle schools, and Attleboro High School. In addition to Attleboro High School, which has its own vocational division, students from the city and surrounding towns may choose to attend Bishop Feehan, a Roman Catholic high school opened in 1961 and named for Bishop Daniel Francis Feehan, second Bishop of the Diocese of Fall River. The city also has a satellite branch of Bristol Community College. Many residents seeking private schools for their pre-high school children avail themselves of the numerous private schools in Providence.

Points of interest

Downtown Attleboro, about 1909
Attleboro has four museums, including the Attleboro Arts Museum, Attleboro Area Industrial Museum, the Women at Work Museum, and the Museum at the Mill.
Other points of interest within the city include:
• Highland Country Club for golf enthusiasts
• Capron Park, which houses a small, but well respected zoo.
• L.G. Balfour Riverwalk, which was once the site of the L.G. Balfour jewelry plant, is a small park adjacent to the downtown business district.
• YMCA which offering fitness programs for every age
• LaSalette Shrine which has a famous Christmas light display attracting visitors for decades
• Triboro Youth Theatre / Triboro Musical Theatre
• Historic Dodgeville Mill and home of the Museum at the Mill

Just outside the city limits you can find shopping at the Emerald Square Mall or Wrentham Premium Outlets.

Transportation

One of the keys to Attleboro’s popularity is its location. Attleboro is located along I-95 (which enters the state between Attleboro and Pawtucket, Rhode Island), I-295 (whose northern terminus is near the North Attleborough town line at I-95) and US 1, as well as Routes 1A, 118, 123 and 152, the last three all intersecting at Attleboro’s city center. The city is also home to two MBTA commuter rail stations: one in the downtown area and the other near the Rhode Island border in the South Attleboro district. Both modes provide easy access to Boston and Providence. There is also talk of expansion of the commuter rail to Green Airport. From Providence (15 minutes), you can take Amtrak Accela high speed transport (3 hr 2 min) to New York City’s Penn Station or other NE corridor destinations.

Religion

The religions represented by the churches in Attleboro reveal the historic ethnic makeup of the community. The five Roman Catholic churches reflect the English/Irish, formerly French now Hispanic, and Portuguese, neighborhoods, respectively. The Attleboro Area Council of Churches is very active in the community.

All Saints Episcopal Church (1890) on North Main Street represents that traditional English presence in the community — though the church is now very diverse. In 2007 All Saints Episcopal Church divided over the liberal policies of the ECUSA resulting in the establishment of All Saints Anglican Church in the Hebronville village of Attleboro which is affiliated with an Anglican diocese under a Bishop in Uganda.

The historic Second Congregational Church (1748), located near the town common, is typical of a New England town. Second Congregational had a stately white clapboard building that was destroyed by fire. An equally impressive red brick building replaced it in the early 1900s.

Bethany Village Fellowship, formerly Bethany Congregational Church, (1886) is located in South Attleboro at 516 Newport Ave.

Murray Unitarian-Universalist Church (1875) on North Main Street is also typical of a New England town.

Evangelical Covenant Church (1903) on North Main Street recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. It was historically "the Swedish church," though it includes many different ethnic groups today.

Congregation Agudas Achim on Kelly Boulevard is part of the Jewish Reconstructionist movement.

There are a number of Protestant denominations represented in Attleboro including Baptist (Grace Baptist on Oakhill Avenue, the Word of Truth Baptist Church on Union Street, and 1st Baptist on South Main), Christian & Missionary Alliance (Faith Alliance on Pleasant), Advent Christian (also on Pleasant), Fruit of the Spirit Mission Church (located on Leroy Street), Assembly of God (the South Attleboro AOG on Newport Avenue), and New Covenant Church on North Main Street (Rt. 152).

There are also non-denominational churches such as Good News Bible Chapel on West Street (1935) and Candleberry Ministries on South Main St. (Rt. 152). The Body of Christ, a new religious movement, was founded in Attleboro.

The Salvation Army Bridges of Hope located on Mechanic Street offers Sunday Services as well as weekday and evening support services including "Bridging the Gap" for adolescent support.