Town of Holbrook history

1854 - East Randolph East Randolph, a post-office of Norfolk county, Massachusetts.

The first school was built in 1860, followed three years later by the first church.

Early in the fall of 1871 those who most earnestly desired the separation of Randolph and the establishment of a new town, began work in earnest.

Before the hearings were concluded Elisha N. Holbrook died on February 5, 1872.

TOWN HALL In 1873 the town erected a town hall on Franklin Street, just south of Linfield, adjoining the Winthrop Church.

A pumping station was built at Great Pond and standpipes erected in each of the towns, and the water was turned into the mains in the summer of 1886.

1895 - Holbrook Holbrook, formerly East Ran'dolph, a post village and township of Norfolk co., Mass., 15 miles by S. of Boston.

On the last day of February, 1898, the town hall was again seriously damaged by fire, but was immediately repaired, a few changes being made in the original design.

In 1915 eleven of the twenty-eight towns in Norfolk County reported a smaller population, and seven showed a lower valuation of property.

At the annual town meeting on March 1, 1916, a communication was received from E. E. Holbrook offering to pay one half the cost of a soldiers' monument, to commemorate the valor of those who sacrificed their lives in defense of the Union.

The meeting then voted to appropriate $1,500, to be taken from the tax levy of 1917, and that Louis E. Flye, Philip H. Fraher, J. F. Megley, John W. Porter, H. H. Sampson and Ellis A. White be added to the committee, which should have full charge of the fund and the construction of the monument.

In 1927, The Holbrook Volunteer Fire Department was formed.

1929 saw the construction of Holbrook’s first firehouse, located on Broadway Avenue.

During the 1930’s the Federal government, realizing that air transportation was important for the future economic growth of an area, offered to build airports for local communities that would dedicate a tract of land to be used for that purpose.

The first siren was installed in the tower about 1934.

Johnson was from Sayville and it is believed that he died December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor.

MacArthur Airport was built in 1942 and though not a military airport, played an important role by being home to Sperry Gyroscope and several other companies that had significant roles in the defense of our country.

With the growth of the department in members and vehicles, the firehouse was relocated to a newer one story building on the south side of Terry Boulevard in 1956.