 The arrival of the railroad in 1848 spurred additional growth, including the construction of stores such as the 1890 South Middleborough Store at 32 Spruce Street, and the rise of lumbering as an industry.In the 1920s the rise of the automobile led to increased traffic on the Wareham road, and the village grew to serve the business of passing travelers.This traffic was considerably reduced by the construction of Route 24, and the village suffered economically.