March 1, 2007
    Hopedale History
    No. 79
    Hopedale Community Historical Society


    Thanks to Bill Creasia of Hope Street for the donation of a 1911 baseball (or base ball as they wrote it then)
    poster advertising a game between the Draper team and Whitinsville at the town park. Tickets, 25 cents.
    Ladies, 10 cents.   See it here. Thanks also to Richard and Patty Callery of Dutcher Street for the donation of
    Extra! The War Years, a book containing copies of Milford News stories from 1939 to 1945. These items will
    be kept at the Little Red Shop once the restoration job there has been completed. Ads have been published
    for bids on the project during the past week.  I’ll keep you updated on future developments.

    Pictures from the Historical Commission’s annual Hopedale Pond skating party.

    During and after the Crystal Ball, Tom McGovern was asked by quite a number of people if they could get a
    copy of the DVD he had made that was shown that night. It included both the Red Shop fund-raiser
    promotional program and several hundred old Hopedale pictures. He now has it ready, even bigger and
    better than it was at the ball. It has a musical background, some of it by the Fantasy Big Band, and pictures
    taken during the ball. If you were there, you’re probably on it. There are also pictures taken around the pond
    and Parklands and other parts of Hopedale in the last couple of years. The DVDs are $20 and can be
    purchased at the Bancroft Library or at Tom’s place of business, TWM Systems on Elm Street in Hopedale.
    (phone 508 478 6010)

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    As far as I know, Historical Commissions exist in all towns and cities in Massachusetts, but not all have
    historic societies. Hopedale had one, the Hopedale Community Historic Society, founded in 1957; it lasted
    until about ten years ago. The newspaper clippings of the fifties and sixties in the Bancroft Library indicate
    that for some years it must have been one of the most active organizations in town. Here is a condensed
    version of one of the Milford News articles.

                                                  Mortimer Dennett Is Elected
                                                 President of New Association

    HOPEDALE – After several weeks of inquiry and preparation by a small local group interested in the
    historical aspects of the community, the Hopedale Community Historical Society was formed this week.

           The response to a public invitation was enough to warrant the formation of the association, a group of
    20 originators stated.

           An election was held, and the following officers were seated; president, Mortimer C. Dennett; vice
    president, Mary M. Foster; secretary, Constance L. Clark; treasurer, Winfield S. Lapworth, and directors,
    Frances J. McQueen, Marjorie E. Henry and Gordon L. Norton.

           Mrs. Bates, president of the Hopkinton society, and Mrs. Strong, a past president and one of the
    founders, were present, and they contributed much valuable advice and assistance in getting this venture
    started. The Hopkinton society, they said, started with eight members, and in only six years has how a paid
    membership of over two hundred.

           Arrangements have been completed for affiliating the Society with Hopedale Community House, Inc.,
    which assures not only the very best in facilities for meetings and social affairs, but puts under it the solid
    foundation of an established institution. A dual membership will be required; one in the Community House,
    and one in the society. The adult fee is one dollar for each membership. Provision has been made so that
    non-residents may participate in the historical society membership. Persons now having membership in
    the Community House need only to pay the society dues.

           Another matter of great interest is the offer by Draper Corporation of a portion of the old Red Shop for
    some proper use in the Society’s activities as they may develop in the future. This is one of the few
    remaining original buildings in Hopedale, and its ancient atmosphere is a most appropriate setting for
    such exhibits as can be safely kept there, as well as being a point of interest for visitors.

           The first meeting of the Hopedale Community Historical Society is to be held in the Community House
    on Monday evening, April 22, at 7:30 o’clock. After disposing of business, two short papers will be
    presented, one by Miss Lucy Day on the subject of The Underground Railroad, which was one of the
    escape routes to Canada for fugitive slaves a century ago and had a station in Hopedale, and another by
    Charles Merrill on The Four Hopedales in America.

           Discussion will follow, and tape recordings will be made for later transcription. Light refreshments will
    be served after the meeting during and informal social half-hour.

           By presentation of papers, and especially by the discussion that follows them, many valuable facts will
    be brought to light and enrich knowledge of the reservoir of information that will some day be helpful to
    future students of local history. Milford Daily News, March 9, 1957.  Click here to read the complete article
    above (instead of the “digest” version given here, and two more news stories on the society. Those of you
    who were living in Hopedale in the fifties and after will see many familiar names.

                                                                                    **********

    Gone. They’re all gone. The street signs. The original street signs, that is. I’ve heard that because the
    Drapers thought they gave a cluttered appearance to the town, no street signs existed in Hopedale until the
    post office insisted on them. The signs that were put up were almost certainly cast in the foundry, made to
    last for centuries. Evidently the reason for their replacement is that state regulations on street signs weren’t
    met by the old ones in Hopedale. Knowing that there were only a few left, I took pictures on the one at the
    corner of Draper and Hopedale streets a couple of months ago. Last week when I went out to take a photo
    at the intersection of Hope and Cemetery, and another at the southern end of Bancroft Park, I found that the
    originals that I had seen there not long ago had been replaced. Back to Draper and Hopedale and I found
    that one replaced also. As far as I know, those were the last of them. I put the picture of the
    Hopedale/Draper sign at the top of the street and place name web page.

    When Susie Thwing was delivering the mail in the 1840s, she didn’t need street signs to help her get the
    job done. She would have known the names of the few streets without the help of any signs. In face, I
    suppose she knew the names of everyone in town. Click here to read Susie’s story from Hopedale
    Reminiscences.

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    Recent deaths:

    Eleanor Mae (Congdon) Allen, 90, February 13, HHS 1934. Eleanor was a member of the Hopedale
    Community Historical Society for many years.

    Richard B. Gannett, 62, Cambridge, February 19; son of the late John and Martha Gannett and brother of
    John D. Gannett, Jr. of Mendon.

    Nello F. Ripanti, 88, Marblehead, February 21, HHS 1936.

    Brian Weeks, 52, Milford, February 22; husband of Ellen (Clark) Weeks.

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