April 1.
Click on the flyer to go to a Facebook page about the reunion.

The sign near the town park at the corner of Dutcher and Freedom streets, shown in the old postcard view at the top, was moved the the corner of Adin and Dutcher long ago. At the top it says UPTON 4 1/2 MILES. The plaque at the bottom says the street was given to the town by William F. Draper.

April events in Hopedale history.

The first issue of The Practical Christian, the newspaper of the Hopedale Community, was published in Mendon in April 1840. The last was written in Hopedale in April 1860.

In writing about the establishment of the Hopedale Community, Adin Ballou wrote that the work was really underway by April 1842. Here, from his notes, is what he was doing on the first day of that month. He was the president of the Community, and refers to himself in the third person in the notes.

Friday, April 1 (1842) was spent by the President paying out money on contracts falling due to Cyrus Ballou $854.00 – $300.00 to complete payment on farm, which had been bought through him, and $554 for hay, cattle, etc.; to Hiram Hunt and Co. for goods from store; to Millens Taft for yoke of oxen, etc.; in all over $1,000.00. We have some confusion and many inconveniences, all of which we endure like good soldiers for the sake of the great good we propose and hope to accomplish. God blesses and sustains us for which all praise and thanksgiving be rendered to his holy name. History of the Hopedale Community

Thursday, April 7 (1842) The great pleasure was given us of entertaining for the first time Frederick Douglass, the famous fugitive slave, and of being more than entertained by his stirring words. He remained with us some days and did much during his stay to break into floating fragments much of the pro-slavery ice of Milford and vicinity. Memorable times those! Autobiography of Adin Ballou

After a bill for the incorporation of Hopedale passed in the Massachusetts State Senate, by a vote of 18 to 16,  it was signed by Gov. George D. Robinson and Hopedale became a town on April 7, 1886.

Words first in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in 1923.
Draper plant when the main office was on the west side of Hopedale Street.

Buildings of New England is a very impressive site. Click here to go to their Hopedale page. Click here to go to their home page, where you’ll see links to a large number of interesting buildings in the region.

The bridge in this photo, taken in 1905, shows what was called Rawson’s Bridge. It was replaced in 1928 with the fieldstone structure known as the Rustic Bridge. Click on the picture to go to a page of photos of Hopedale Pond bridges on four locations over the past 120 years.

Click on this map of Hopedale in 1890 to go to a larger version of it.

I’m too old to have gone to Memorial School, but I’ve heard of the famous black squares and yellow chairs outside the principal’s office. I thought of them a few days ago when I was at the Franklin history museum and saw the blue bench that once served the same purpose in the Metcalf School as the chairs and squares did in Hopedale.

Click on the Google Earth view above to read the latest update from Liz Reilly on the legal situation with the West Street case. It’s at the bottom of a long page.

Our next Friends of the Hopedale Library meeting is Wednesday, April 12th, at 6:30 pm. New members are always welcome! Look for our membership form in the May edition of the Hopedale Town Pages. Scroll DOWN for information on the Bancroft Memorial Library’s Strategic Plan Survey. You can also click HERE to access it.

Circling the Larches, looking for lunch - April 7.
Click on the headlines to read the articles.

The clubhouse, built at a cost of $20,000, was completed and opened in 1966. Click on the picture for more about the country club.

Dutcher Street
Flowering crab in my backyard - April 17.

I took these pictures while stopped over the Mystic River, waiting for the Alford Street bridge to go up and then go back down. You can see the Encore casino in the picture on the left. It’s partly blocked by the rising bridge in the middle picture, and completely blocked from view in the picture on the right.

Click above to go to a page with more questions and answers about the town’s financial situation.

  Hopedale Pond – April 26.

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Hopedale in April

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