The Chapel-Hopedale-Freedom-Dutcher Block

    The second picture on this page shows the building erected in the 1840s
    by the Hopedale Community, to be used as both a school and a chapel. It
    was on what is now Hopedale Street, between Freedom and Chapel. In
    later years it was converted into a store (in the basement, facing Hopedale
    Street) and two apartments.

    The Community school/chapel, the Chapel Street School and two duplexes
    on the block were razed in the 1950s. A little of the Dutcher Street School
    can be seen at the left side of the Chapel Street School in the third picture.

    The sepia pictures were labeled "Political Rally." There's no more
    information on this rally, although some sources have mentioned that such
    events would sometimes be held near the corner of Hopedale and Chapel
    streets when the workers left the shop at lunchtime.

    The bottom picture shows all that remains on the block - the former
    Dutcher Street School, now the Uncommon Place condominiums.

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    Interesting facts on this 1910 Sanborn insurance map include that
    the grammar school, later known as the Dutcher Street School, had
    gas lights, while the sub-grammar school, or Chapel Street School,
    didn't have any lights. A 1931 map shows that it still didn't have
    lights. While the Draper Main Office is shown, it includes a note
    indicating that it had not been completed by that time.


    The pictures above are evidently of a political rally that were sometimes held at the corner
    of Hopedale and Chapel street when the Draper workers left the shop and office at noon.

    The chapel, school and library of the Hopedale Community. After the Community days,
    it was converted into two apartments, and a store was operated out of there also.

The Chapel Street School

    Chapel Street School was in use through the 1954-55 school year, but
    was closed when Memorial School opened for the 1955-56 school
    year. Some of the houses William Whitney referred to in the 1964
    article above can be seen in the birdseye view at the top of this page.

    Note the second paragraph in the article on the left. It seems to
    have been a common assumption that the buildings mentioned
    had been heated by Draper Corporation from the time they were
    built. From this you can see that didn't happen before 1938.

    Thanks to Art Sanderson for the two photos of the demolition of his childhood home at
    the corner of Hopedale and Freedom streets. Thanks to Debbie (Grillo) Robbins for the
    "Centennial paper" with the picture of the Chapel Street School classroom.