In April 2006, Tom Ragonese took his metal detector to the block along Hopedale Street where the Chapel Street School, and the original school and chapel of the Hopedale Community once stood. Among a number of other items, he found a coat button which tuned out to be from the uniform of a Union Army staff officer. It seems that there couldn’t have been many Army officers dropping in to the little village of Hopedale. General Draper is the only one who comes to mind. He came back to Hopedale for his wedding in 1862. He was a staff officer at the time. There’s no way we could ever be sure that the button was from his coat, but it seems that the possibility is quite high. Below are some items related to the button.
