The Quaboag Plantation was settled in 1660 and encompassed lands located in the present towns of Brookfield, North Brookfield, East Brookfield, West Brookfield, New Braintree and Warren. Native American tribes had farmed the Quaboag Hills region since the 4th century, making the area attractive to the Puritan farmers from Ipswich. Fields and home lots were already cleared so the Puritans willingly paid the natives 300 fathoms of wampum. After living together for a time in peace, tensions with the natives mounted as the settler's appetite for land increased.
In 1675, King Philip (son of Massasoit) and his warriors surprised Captain Wheeler and his soldiers in what is now called Wheeler's Surprise, located in New Braintree*. Thus began the battle against the settlers in the Quaboag Plantation. After a three-day siege in which nearly one hundred Puritans took refuge from flaming arrows in Ayers Tavern, King Philip and his warriors were driven off by soldiers from eastern settlements. Some of the settlers were saved, but the smoldering Quaboag Plantation was abandoned until 1686 when it was successfully resettled. Fighting continued throughout Massachusetts, but the strength of the British forces was too strong for the natives. King Philip was eventually hunted down and shot by an Indian fighting on the British side.The celebration of the founding of the Quaboag Plantation is planned for the year 2010. Many events are being planned: a ball, a parade, *the first reenactment of Wheeler's Surprise (June 13&14 2009) in New Braintree, and a reenactment of the Siege of Ayers Tavern on Foster Hill in West Brookfield, historic house tours, dinners, Descendants Homecoming, 350th event hats and clothing, a limited edition coin and pot, and much more.
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Member Towns of the Quaboag Plantation
| Quaboag Plantation | Settled 1660 |
| Brookfield | Incorporated in 1673 |
| Warren (Originally the town of Western) | Incorporated in 1741 |
| New Braintree | Incorporated in 1751 |
| North Brookfield | Incorporated in 1812 |
| West Brookfield | Incorporated in 1848 |
| East Brookfield | Incorporated in 1920 |
Original Planter Descendants and Friends at the Q.H.S. Museum 10/08