Editing Stoughton, Massachusetts (section)

==History==
{{More citations needed|section|date=June 2023}}

Stoughton was settled in 1713, and officially incorporated in 1726 from the southwestern portion of the large town of [[Dorchester, Boston|Dorchester]]. At its founding, it included the current towns of [[Sharon, Massachusetts|Sharon]] (which separated in 1765), [[Canton, Massachusetts|Canton]] (which separated in 1797) and [[Avon, Massachusetts|Avon]] (which separated in 1888).  It was named after [[William Stoughton (Massachusetts)|William Stoughton]], who was the first [[chief justice]] of the Colonial Courts, and the most relentless and recalcitrant judge during [[Salem Witch Trials]], who refused to acknowledge the trials were anything but successful and was infuriated when they were ended by Governor Phips.<ref>[https://salem.lib.virginia.edu/people/phips.html Phips profile], salem.lib.virginia.edu. Accessed August 28, 2022.</ref>

The [[Suffolk Resolves]] were written in Old Stoughton (current day [[Milton, Massachusetts]]) at Doty's Tavern.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stoughtonhistory.com/dotytavern.htm|title=THE DOTY TAVERN|website=stoughtonhistory.com}}</ref> The meeting included the Rev. Samuel Dunbar and [[Paul Revere]]; the site was chosen by [[Samuel Adams]] and Dr. [[Joseph Warren]].

Originally an [[agricultural]] community, Stoughton developed into an important [[shoemaking]] center. In 1874, the [[Stoughton Public Library]] was established.<ref>[http://www.stoughtonhistory.com/stoughtonlibraryhistory.htm The Trustees of the Stoughton Public Library], stoughtonhistory.com; accessed June 24, 2015.</ref>

The oldest choral society in the United States is located in Stoughton. Founded in 1786 as [[Stoughton Musical Society|The Stoughton Musical Society]], it is now known as the Old Stoughton Musical Society. It has the oldest constitution of any musical society in the United States, written in 1787, only a few weeks after the United States Constitution. In 1893, this musical society distinguished itself by performing several concerts at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, heard by an audience of several thousand people. In 1986, the musical society celebrated its bicentennial with a series of concerts and special events.<ref>[http://www.americanmusicpreservation.com/stoughton.htm Singing Stoughton], americanmusicpreservation.com; accessed June 24, 2015.</ref>

The "Save Our Stoughton" campaign attracted national attention in the 1980s for their work picketing a local adult book store.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hatch|first1=Richard|title=FOLLOW-UP ON THE NEWS; Smiting Smut|journal=The New York Times|date=June 12, 1983|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/06/12/nyregion/follow-up-on-the-news-smiting-smut.html|access-date=September 7, 2014}}</ref> Most recently, Stoughton became the first municipality in Massachusetts to declare itself a "No Place for Hate" town.

Stoughton's [[Stoughton (MBTA station)|train station]] was built in 1888, and is the only one in Massachusetts to house a clock tower. The station is unique in another way as it was built out of stones from a West Street quarry that belonged to Stoughton resident Myron Gilbert. In 1974, it was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. Over one million dollars was raised to restore the station to its original luster in time for the 100th anniversary. In 2009, however, the [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|MBTA]] permanently closed the station, which stood at the terminus of the Stoughton Branch of the MBTA's [[Providence/Stoughton Line]]. The building still stood but remained closed to the public as of 2015. In 2015, members of Town Meeting voted to purchase the train station from the state. Plans for use of the property are being developed by the Community Preservation Committee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.enterprisenews.com/article/20151127/NEWS/151126553|title=Stoughton voters OK money to buy train station|last=Shepard|first=Cody|website=The Enterprise, Brockton, MA|access-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref>

On May 9, 2013, a weak, brief, and unexpected [[tornado]] touched down in Stoughton, with minor damage occurring. The tornado was rated EF0 on the [[Enhanced Fujita scale]] after the [[National Weather Service]] office in [[Taunton, Massachusetts]] confirmed this tornado in a damage survey on May 10.<ref name="National Weather Service Tornado Statement">{{cite web|title=Iowa Environmental Mesonet - National Weather Service Raw Text Product|url=http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/p.php?pil=PNSBOX&e=201305101758|publisher=U.S. National Weather Service|access-date=May 17, 2013}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="130px">
Image:The Square Looking South, Stoughton, MA.jpg|Stoughton Square in 1908
Image:Public Library, Stoughton, MA.jpg|Public library in 1908
Image:Chicataubut Club, Stoughton, MA.jpg|Chicataubut Club in 1911
Image:stoughtonsquare1.jpg|Stoughton Square {{circa| 1912}}
Image:Railway Station, Stoughton, MA.jpg|[[Stoughton (MBTA station)|Railway Station]] {{circa|1918}}
</gallery>