Attleboro, Massachusetts

Named after a town in England, Attleboro was originally formed from part of Rehoboth in 1694 and incorporated as the Town of Attleborough. The town of Attleborough included land which would later become the towns of Cumberland, Rhode Island (1747) and North Attleborough (1887). When Attleboro re-incorporated as a city in 1914, the last three letters were dropped from the name; North Attleborough kept the original spelling. Located in southeastern Massachusetts on a tributary of the Blackstone River, Attleboro shares a border with Pawtucket and Cumberland, Rhode Island. Attleboro currently has a population of nearly 43,000 and enjoys easy access to parks and conservation land as well as to nearby Providence and Boston.

Attleboro's location on the Ten Mile River and Bunguy River, as well as several brooks and ponds, made it well suited to textile and metal-working industries. The button- and jewelry-making industries had their start in 1780, with a small brassworks established in North Attleborough by a settler known as "the Frenchman." Textile mills soon followed, including the Attleborough Manufacturing Co. in 1809 and theAtherton Manufacturing Co. (later Hebron Manufacturing Co.) in 1812. Both of these companies built housing and other amenities for their workers, resulting in the neighborhoods of Dodgeville and Hebronville, respectively. By 1855, Attleboro's businesses included a manufacturer of power loom shuttles, two dozen button, medal and jewelry manufacturers, a newspaper, and an opera house. In 1898, a fire destroyed four acres of downtown Attleboro, resulting in the loss of more than a dozen businesses and factories and 1,500 jobs.

Entering the 20th century, Attleboro gained a wider reputation for jewelry manufacturing, notably through the L.G. Balfour Company, which opened in 1913. L.G. Balfour became a well-known manufacturer of college and military insignia and rings, helping to earn Attleboro the nickname, "The Jewelry Capital of the World." Also in 1913, a donated Victorian mansion was renovated to house the 15-bed Sturdy Memorial Hospital. In 1953, the LaSalette Shrine and seminary opened on the site of a former cancer sanatorium. Although L.G. Balfour moved its operations to Texas in 1996, several jewelry-related manufacturing firms remain. Attleboro is also home to four museums, a private Catholic high school, and a satellite branch of Bristol Community College, which currently occupies the former Texas Instruments site.

Attleboro's long tradition of metalworking and textile industries, along with more recent technology and chemical industries, means Attleboro workers and their families may have been exposed to asbestos, putting them at risk for several asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma. Mesothelioma information including top doctors and cancer centers in and around the city of Attleboro are listed at the bottom of this page.

Jobsites in Attleboro where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

A number of jobsites in Attleboro, MA have been identified as harboring asbestos containing materials. These sites, at one point in their history, were known to have exposed a variety of tradesmen to asbestos. We will be documenting in more detail how asbestos exposure occurred at these sites in the future on this web site.

Mesothelioma Cancer Centers Near Attleboro, MA

For your convenience we have compiled a list of mesothelioma cancer centers that are located within a 100 mile radius of Attleboro, MA. Please click on a cancer center link to obtain more information about the clinical programs offered, professional designations, areas of expertise and how to contact the center.

Mesothelioma Doctors Near Attleboro, MA

For your convenience we have compiled a list of mesothelioma doctors who are located within a 100 mile radius of Attleboro, MA. Please click on a doctor link to obtain more information about his/her background, areas of expertise, professional affiliations and office locations.