The land that now makes up Brookfield originally belonged to the towns of Danbury, Newtown, and New Milford. In 1754, the Parish of Newbury was incorporated by decree of the General Assembly with boundaries and an area similar to those of the town today. In October 1755, the Assembly approved the site of the Newbury meeting house at the location of the present Congregational Church. In 1788, the Parish of Newbury was incorporated as the Town of Brookfield, named for the first pastor of the Congregational Church, the Reverend Thomas Brooks.