Dighton Through Time. This item is unavailable.Dighton Through Time

The Town of Dighton, Massachusetts, blends Native American heritage, early European settlement, and industrial growth along the Taunton River.

Native Americans, Wampanoags, inhabited vast acreage abutting the Taunton River and its tributaries in Southeastern Massachusetts prior to the arrival of European settlers in the early 1600s. In 1672, the portion known as "Taunton South Purchase" was deeded to an organized lot of settlers. Survival skills of hunting and fishing were shown to male settlers, while females and children learned about farming and preparing shellfish found along river banks. This parcel became the Town of Dighton in 1712. Property on the eastern shore of the Taunton River was appropriated to the Town of Berkley in 1799. Shipping and ship building became a major source of revenue in Dighton for decades. As the population increased, more homes were built. Townspeople planted gardens on cleared land. Crops flourished in the fertile soil. Larger farms, which raised animals or vegetables, sprouted up over much of the southern part of town by the mid-1800s. Industry in the northern section took advantage of the rivers, using water power to operate machinery. Laden with history, the Town of Dighton continues to grow, incorporating its past with future endeavors.

PHYLLIS A. DUPERE, local historian and retired high school teacher, takes delight in learning new things. Through a plethora of photographs and brief commentaries, the author offers readers an opportunity to reflect on how these brief moments in time affected the town, their families, and themselves in this constantly changing world. Never letting go of her calling to be an educator, Ms. Dupere has most recently authored Somerset Through Time, and previously wrote a book on Seekonk, Massachusetts, and an appendix article on Native American-based recipes. She continues to seek photographs taken in neighboring communities for future Through Time books.