BlockBefore
Decorative drawing: a small American settlement seen from a low hill. Not a photograph of this place.

Brookfield, Massachusetts

33 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1887 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Brookfield town. It lies in ZIP code area 01506. It stands on Trout Brook. The Survey maps it on the East Brookfield quadrangle.

Brookfield within Worcester County

Then and now

1887 to 1985

The same ground, surveyed 98 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Brookfield, surveyed 1985
Topographic sheet of Brookfield, surveyed 1887

Topographic sheets covering this place

33 sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Photographs

6 photographs, 1938

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

New England hurricane. Apple orchard near North Brookfield, Massachusetts. This orchard has seven thousand trees and eighty-five percent of them went down
New England hurricane. Apple orchard near North Brookfield, Massachusetts. This orchard has seven thousand trees and eighty-five percent of them went down
Dick, Sheldon, photographer, 1938. Library of Congress
New England hurricane. Pine wood lot near North Brookfield, Massachusetts
New England hurricane. Pine wood lot near North Brookfield, Massachusetts
Dick, Sheldon, photographer, 1938. Library of Congress
Captain John Potter House, Exposition Grounds (moved from North Brookfield, MA), West Springfield, Hampden County, MA
Captain John Potter House, Exposition Grounds (moved from North Brookfield, MA), West Springfield, Hampden County, MA
Unattributed, . Library of Congress
Milestone, Route 9, East Brookfield, Worcester County, MA
Milestone, Route 9, East Brookfield, Worcester County, MA
Unattributed, . Library of Congress
Banister House, Brookfield, Worcester County, MA
Banister House, Brookfield, Worcester County, MA
Unattributed, . Library of Congress
Levi & Peletiah Gilbert House, Exposition Grounds (moved from West Brookfield, MA), West Springfield, Hampden County, MA
Levi & Peletiah Gilbert House, Exposition Grounds (moved from West Brookfield, MA), West Springfield, Hampden County, MA
Unattributed, . Library of Congress

Fires nearby

39 since 2015

The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 39 fires within 5 miles of Brookfield between 2015 and 2020, burning about 21 acres in total. None started naturally. 3 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Recreation and ceremony12
Debris and open burning12
Missing data/not specified/undetermined3
Power generation/transmission/distribution3
Smoking3
Arson/incendiarism3
Equipment and vehicle use2
Railroad operations and maintenance1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
8 June 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
24 June 2016Smokingunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
22 June 2016Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
17 June 2020Railroad operations and maintenanceunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
9 May 2020Power generation/transmission/distributionunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
4 May 2015Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
3 May 2015Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
26 May 2020Power generation/transmission/distributionunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Worcester County

Specimens collected nearby

12 of 352 shown

Museums hold 352 specimens collected within 10 miles of Brookfield between 1858 and 1975: 163 Plantae, 104 Animalia, 83 Fungi, 2 Unrecorded. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. B. Seymour, A. F. Hill, H. St. John, G.S. Torrey, A. Lavallee and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Image SpeciesYear Collected by Where, as recorded
Specimen of Carex tenera var. teneraCarex tenera var. tenera1899R. M. Harper
A photograph of the species Carex vestita, not of this specimenCarex vestita Willd.1858J. BlakeWare
A photograph of the species Celastrus scandens, not of this specimenCelastrus scandens L.1858s.coll.
A photograph of the species Uncinula salicis, not of this specimenUncinula salicis (DC.) G.Winter1880A.B. Seymour
Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw.1881Daniel Cady EatonMassachusetts
A photograph of the species Cryptogramma stelleri, not of this specimenCryptogramma stelleri (S.G.Gmel.) Prantl1881Daniel Cady EatonMassachusetts
A photograph of the species Phegopteris connectilis, not of this specimenPhegopteris connectilis (Michx.) Watt1881Daniel Cady EatonMassachusetts
A photograph of the species Dendroica petechia, not of this specimenDendroica petechia aestiva (J.F.Gmelin, 1789)1882G.L.Warren
Uromyces hyperici (Schwein.) M.A.Curtis1883A. B. SeymourGreenville
A photograph of the species Uromyces phaseoli, not of this specimenUromyces phaseoli G.Winter1883SeymourGreenville
Nitella megacarpa (T.F.A.) R.D.W.1894G. E. SternLake Lashaway
Calosoma calidum (Fabricius, 1775)1896Knab, Frederick (1865-1918)Massachusetts

All 352 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries nearby

4 within 5 miles

The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of Brookfield: 2 producers, 2 past producers. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Bond Washed Sand and StoneSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
E W Sykes PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Highway PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Lyford Road PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Worcester County

Storms nearby

36 since 1996

The National Weather Service names Brookfield in 36 storm reports between 1996 and 2025: 22 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 3 flood, 2 lightning. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 1996LightningEast Brookfield1 hurtno account filed
March 2010FloodWest Brookfield$1,350,000Ten homes along Quaboag Street were flooded when Quaboag Pond overflowed its banks. Route 148, Quaboag and Mill Streets were flooded.
July 2002Tornado (F1)West Brookfield$50,000Brief F1 touchdown
June 2010Thunderstorm WindEast Brookfield$25,000Many trees and wires were downed by thunderstorm winds.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindEast Brookfield$25,000no account filed
September 2016Thunderstorm WindWest Brookfield$15,000Trees and wires were downed by thunderstorm winds. An amateur radio operator recorded a 67 mph wind gust on their home weather station.
July 2014Thunderstorm WindBrookfield$15,000A large branch and wires were downed on a car in front of the Brookfield Fire Station. Large branches were downed on Allen Road in Sturbridge.
June 2006LightningWest Brookfield$15,000no account filed
August 2020Thunderstorm WindWest Brookfield$10,000In West Brookfield, a tree was down on a house and car on New Braintree Rd. A tree fell onto a roof of a house on East Main St. A tree was down on wires on Myrick Rd. Multiple trees and wires were down on Ragged Hill Rd.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindWest Brookfield$10,000Trees on Church Street and Woods Street were downed by thunderstorm winds.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindWest Brookfield$10,000Trees on Long Hill Road and on Central Street were downed by thunderstorm winds.
June 2003Thunderstorm WindWest Brookfield$10,000no account filed
June 2008Thunderstorm WindWest Brookfield$8,000Trees were downed by thunderstorm winds in several locations across West Brookfield, including one downed onto wires on Draper Rugged Hill Road, one downed onto a car on East Main Street, and one blocking Brian Hill Road.
July 2023Tornado (EF0)North Brookfield$7,000A NWS survey determined at an EF-0 tornado, with maximum estimated peak wind of 80 mph, touched down in North Brookfield at 1056 AM EDT. There were no injuries or damage to homes in the area. There were several eyewitnesses to the tornado, although none of them saw an actual funnel. One eyewitness was in an auto body shop and reported strong winds making the garage door bow inward. Another eyewitness, the Fire Chief of North Brookfield, saw debris lofted into the air. A third eyewitness described chaotic swirling as the tornado passed by. The tornado is estimated to have touched down a little east of the North Brookfield Waste Water Center. It traveled about 2 miles to the northeast, although not on the ground continuously, and ended a little east of the intersection of Ryan Road and Hillsville Road. The damage was limited to trees, with the most concentrated damage area along Ryan Road, slightly north of the Ward Street intersection.
February 2016Thunderstorm WindBrookfield$5,000A tree on Route 148 near White's Landing was downed by thunderstorm winds.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindBrookfield$5,000A tree on Long Hill Road was downed by thunderstorm winds.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindBrookfield$5,000A large tree branch was downed onto Route 148. A tree on Post Road was downed by thunderstorm winds.
August 2015Thunderstorm WindBrookfield$5,000A tree was downed onto a car on Lake Road.
August 2014Flash FloodNorth Brookfield$3,000Gilbert Street was flooded and impassable. Flood waters extended into a home.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindEast Brookfield$3,000Trees on Podunk Road were downed by thunderstorm winds.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindWest Brookfield$2,000In West Brookfield, trees and wires were reported down.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindNorth Brookfield$1,800In North Brookfield, a tree was down on Route 148 near Brooks Pond Road. Also, a large tree was down on power lines on Hillsville Road.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindNorth Brookfield$1,000A large tree branch on School Street was downed by thunderstorm winds.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindWest Brookfield$800In Warren, a tree and wires were down on Old Douglas Rd.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindNorth Brookfield$500In North Brookfield, a tree was down on Ayers Street. Report relayed by amateur radio.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindWest Brookfield$500In West Brookfield, a tree was down on Birch Hill Road.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindWest Brookfield$300In West Brookfield, a funnel cloud was sighted by several emergency management officials from 5 surrounding towns. No actual tornado reached the ground. However, straight line winds downed wires on Checkered Lane.
May 2025HailWest Brookfield-Quarter sized hail fell in West Brookfield.
September 2023HailWest Brookfield-In West Brookfield, there was quarter size hail.
August 2020FloodWest Brookfield-In West Brookfield, Snow Rd at Rt 9 was closed due to flooding.
August 2020FloodWest Brookfield-In West Brookfield, Shea Rd was closed from Birch Hill Rd to Wickaboag Rd due to flooding.
April 2019HailWest Brookfield-Amateur radio operators reported quarter size hail in West Brookfield.
May 1998HailWest Brookfield-no account filed
June 1998HailBrookfield-no account filed
May 1998HailWest Brookfield-no account filed
June 1996Thunderstorm WindWest Brookfield-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Worcester County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
West Brookfield2.5 miles34
East Brookfield3.1 miles33
Marks Garrison3.3 miles34
North Brookfield3.8 miles32
Union Chapel (historical)4.2 miles33
South Spencer4.6 miles33
Warren4.7 miles34
Mystic Grove5.7 miles33

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 609777. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.