[1] Lucy Stone was born in West Brookfield, and George and Charles Merriam, the publishers of Webster's Dictionary, were raised there.

He later settled with his wife and daughter in West Brookfield where he carried out his duties as Consul and lived here between the years 1794 and 1798.

At that time West Brookfield had a population greater than Worcester and was being considered for the county seat.

Local legend has it that Diederik Leertouwer imported asparagus from his homeland and was the first to plant it in this area.

Leertouwer died here and is buried in the Old Indian Cemetery on Cottage Street in West Brookfield.

By the mid-1800s, it was part of a farm owned by William Adams whose descendant, F. A. Carter, dammed a small stream to create Carter Pond and built the cottage now serving as a trailside museum and nature center.

The Merriam-Gilbert Public Library was built in 1880 when Charles Merriam (born in West Brookfield in 1806), famous for publishing the first Webster's Dictionary, provided the funding for the structure.

After seven months of construction, the building was dedicated as the Merriam Public Library and Reading Room.

[17] The following includes the names of those who have served as Head Librarian (Director) throughout the Library's history: Thomas S. Knowlton, 1880–1894; Charlotte E. Wilbur, 1895–1899; Florence A. Johnson, 1900–1906; Mary P. Foster, 1907–1916; Helen P. Shackley, 1916–1948; Evelyn Hazen, 1948–1951; Freeda E. Huyck, 1951–1953; Doris Jones, 1954–1955; Mildred B. Grazier, 1956–1960; Isabel Smith, 1960–1965; Joanne Scobie, 1965–1967; Roberta M. Rhodes, 1967–1987; Mary Hulser, 1987–1997; Michael J. Bennett, 1997–1999; Louise Garwood (Interim), 1999–2000; Elizabeth Zemelka, 2000–2001; Lisa M. Careau, 2001–2011; Carrie Grimshaw, 2011–2015; Katie Marsh, 2015–2017; MaryAnne Pelletier, 2017-2024; Amy Agro, 2024-present.