In 1841, the property was purchased as a site for the Hopedale Community. I was then a child of two years when my father, Henry Lillie and his wife took up their abode in The Old House, previous to the coming of other members of the Community. In October 1841 my sister Lucy was born. Hers was the distinction of being the first child born in the Hopedale Community. She was named Lucy Ballou Lillie, for the beloved wife of Reverend Adin Ballou. The winter was a memorable one to my mother, for it was her first experience of frontier life. Being a very timid woman, she suffered exceedingly. From the back roads, leading from Mendon, there often appeared,wandering dissolute men, who in those days were called "Shacks." On one occasion, father happened t obe away and a "shack" made his appearance frightening us all, with his peculiar actions. He drew out along knife from his belt and commenced to sharpen it. No harm resulted there-from, but we were glad to see him leave. One family after another came in the course of the next few months, and Community life began in earnest. Families were crowded, each into one room, which served as sleeping room. Dining room, and kitchen. My parents occupied the southeast chamber, a pleasant room with four windows. The bed was an old fashioned four-poster, in summer curtained with mosquito netting. A trundle-bed underneath held the two youngest children, my sister and me. Sarah L. Daniels, Greenville, Sonoma County, California, 1910 Click here to read much more of the history of the Old House as recalled by Sarah. |
Henry, whose son, Richard, was a friend of mine. They had a cow barn. There were trapdoors at one end of it where they could hoe down the manure where it would drop down under the barn. One day I was with Richard and he was going down under the barn. He wanted to go across to the other side. I said, “You go first.” He did. He went waist deep in manure. I didn’t go any further. I kept back as far as I could. He told me later, “Boy, did I get hell when I got home.” Of course, home was just a few steps away. Later he moved to the state of Washington. His sister Murial married Wesley Tinkham and they moved to New Hampshire. Marshall Clark, 2013 |
Hopedale in May 2017 Hopedale in May 2016 Ezine for May 1 - Hopedale Schools in 1886, Part 1 Ezine for May 15 - Hopedale Schools in 1886, Part 2 Ezine Menu HOME . |
Below - The Larches after if burned in May 1909. At the time of the fire, it was owned by Draper's aunt, Hannah Thwing Draper Osgood. |
This fire hydrant is beside the driveway going into the former Larches, now known as Crossroads Clubhouse. As you can see from the town report, a few months after the fire it was decided that it would be a good idea to have a hydrant there . |
The former Larches, now Crossroads Clubhouse.It was built shortly after the original home on the site burned. |
The Warren and Malinda Dutcher house. |
store was downstairs and they lived on the second floor. It was part of some chain of stores. I don’t think it was IGA, but something like that. The Jenks family next door (122 Dutcher) had a candy store in their house. They might have sold soda, too. Marshall Clark, 2013 |
May 1991 - Click here to go to the rest of the story on the big weekend building Kingdom Hall. |
May Day in Boston |
The Hindenburg - May 6, 1937. |
Old House plaque at Adin Ballou Park. |
vandalism in the Hopedale Parklands this week. Some has been removed, some has been covered. Walter Swift has personaly offered a $200 reward to the person, who supplies the Hopedale Police or the HPC with a name of the vandals if it leads to their conviction regarding this disrespect to our town. Please feel free to share this info. Please call in ANY suspicious activity. |
Religious graffiti? Seems like that would be an oxymoron. |
Some say, Water under the bridge." Others say, "Water over the dam." As in many places, here along Freedom Street, it's both. |
Here during the flood of 1955, it was water over the dam and over the bridge. |
A broken window that looks a bit like a cartoon character. |
Parklands bridge near the Dutcher Street entrance. Poison ivy and skunk cabbage. |
Above - This picture is from a box of old Draper negatives that I came across at the Bancroft Library this week. It was dated 1939. Near the upper left you can see the Unitarian Church steeple. A bit right of center is the Harrison block,, then Patrick's Store, a couple of Patrick's storage buildings, and on the left, the Hope Street bridge.
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Here's another picture from the Bancroft Library. The negative was a bit of a mess, as you can see in the lower left corner, but fortunately most of it survived. This one was in an envelope dated 1938. |
Council on Aging annual volunteer appreciation breakfast held at the Community House. Thanks once again to Atria Draper Place for providing the breakfast. |
Opening Thursday, May 11: The Little White Marketplace on Depot Street, behind the Hopedale Police Station. Handcrafted items from local vendors are on display: soaps, jellies, jewelry, cards, and much more. Hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10am-6pm For more (and better) pictures, see the Hopedale Bulletin Board on Facebook. Also across Depot Street (under the Hopedale Town Hall) is the Curiosity Shoppe run by the Friends of Elders. Gently used treasures of all sorts. Hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday 9:30am- 12:30pm |
Hopedale Pond sunset - Photo by Amy Burns. |
Click here for the Cumberland Farms project with pictures now up to May 16. |
The sidewalk on Hopedale Street between Route 16 and Adin Street is being replaced. |
Concrete dust from out-of-sight jackhammer. |
May 18 - Lots of pollen on the pond. |
May 20 - Goat Hll Lock, Blackstone Canal, Uxbridge. We've paddled into the lock a few times, but this time we walked the canal tow path from Plummers Landing. |
May 21- Gypsy moth caterpillars on the maple tree in front of my house. So far a smear of Vaseline on tape is keeping them from getting up to the leaves. |
Thanks to Jim Tweed for showing me this neat little item. These gold (sorry, evidently I need a better camera to show the real color) medals were given to Hopedale servicemen who served during World War I at a welcome home banquet at the town hall in 1919. As you can see on the back view, this one was given to B.H.B. Draper. |
May 22 - Spindleville Pond |
Photos taken May 23. This happened a few days earlier. I could see it from my kayak on Sunday, May 21. Here's a bit about it from the Park Commission Facebook page.
We need help! Someone has been cutting trees in the Hopedale Parklands. All of these trees and more have been cut down.It actually looks worse in person. I am beyond words to explain this. I know there will be a reward offered for info, please report anything you have seen or know. |
May 29. They'd like to get to the leaves on my maple tree, and in some places the oak leaves are looking pretty ragged. |