Originally part of Dunstable, Massachusetts, Brookline was incorporated in 1769 as the Town of Raby, but was renamed in 1798 at the suggestion of a leading citizen originally from Brookline, Massachusetts.

While the town’s early European settlers engaged in agrarian pursuits, its earliest and primary commercial activities were defined by its natural resources—wood and water. Brookline’s first mill was built in 1741 and by 1859 there were eight sawmills, one gristmill, and a sash and blind shop with the town noted for producing lumber, charcoal and casks.

One of the fastest growing towns in New Hampshire, Brookline has managed to retain many of the features of its rural past while benefiting from its proximity to the shopping and employment opportunities afforded by nearby Milford and Nashua.