Before Rev. Adin Ballou led the Practical Christians in Hopedale, he was the minister at the
    Unitarian Church in Mendon. Before he was in Mendon, he was at the Universalist Church in
    Milford. He left Milford due to a theological difference of opinion, and was hired in Mendon soon
    after, where he spent a decade until his arrival in Hopedale in 1842. Evidently at some point
    the Milford church decided to let bygones by bygones, because that's where this stained glass
    window, dedicated to him, is located.

Milford Daily News, 1927.

    There were more gas stations in Hopedale in 1939 than there
    are now. The Draper station is shown below. Here's more on it.

Hopedale in April

Hopedale history ezine for April 1 - Opinions on Separation, Part 1   

Ezine for April 15 - Opinions on Separation, Part 2   

Hopedale in April 2016

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    In 1934, the Draper plant along Hopedale and Freedom streets was changed from its appearance
    above to the look we're familiar with now. That, plus 40 years of neglect have given it its current look.

    The Practical Christian was printed in Mendon until the Community became
    established in Hopedale in 1842. It was published every two weeks from April
    1840 until April 1860. The Bancroft Library has a complete collection of them.

Freedom Street - from HIstory of Milford by Adin Ballou.

         Freedom Street

    Below - From the five-corner intersection
    to Dutcher Street

That should have been enough to maintain law and order.

    In 1911, Dorothy Draper, daughter of Gov.
    and Mrs. Eben S. Draper, and later
    mother of John and Bill Gannett, put an
    album of family photos together to give to
    her brother, Eben, Jr. Click here to see
    more of them.

Egg hunt - April 8

    Volunteer taking water samples from the Mill River below the Draper plant on April 4.
    This is a project of the Blackstone River Coalition. Click here for more about it.

    Blackstone Valley Coalition report on
    the Mill River in Hopedale for 2015.

    Yes, a manufacturing company on Northrop Street.
    Click here for more about the Roper shop.

    I put a list of jurors found in the Hopedale town report for 1950 on the March
    page, and mentioned that there were no women on these annual lists until
    1951. A couple of days ago while browsing through the 1946 town report I
    noticed that it included several ballot questions, including the one above.

    Blueprint for a Bancroft Park house. (The plan was probably also used on other streets also.) Click
    here for Now and Then, Bancroft Park, and here for a page of early photos of Bancroft Park houses.

Near the Marathon finish line. Thanks for the picture, DJ.

April 11.

Click here to see more Milford News photos from April 1971.

    The former Kmart plaza and future
    home of Stop & Shop in Milford.

The Boston Marathon in Natick. More

    Sent by my son, D.J. on April 19. "Pierre Boucher. A first cousin 11 times removed
    and a founder of Canada.  He died 300 years ago today." He's not my cousin,
    though, (Elaine's side of the family) which may be why I don't have hair like that.

    Memorial for four-year old Jonathan Loja on Water Street,
    Milford. Jonathan was killed there by a hit-and-run driver
    on April 16. Click here for a Milford News article.

    April 20 - My pear trees are loaded with flowers.
    So far they're doing much better than last year.

    Above - The Upper Charles Trail in Milford, just east of 495. - Right - The
    Upper Charles Trail in Holliston. The Holliston section is now complete
    into the trail in Milford. We got on at Beaver Street, between routes 16 and
    109, and walked for a half hour. After about 20 minutes we were on the
    Holliston section. Unlike Milford, it's not paved, but it's very good to walk on.

Town Park - April 24