Hopedale History July 1, 2011 No. 183 The Parklands Hopedale in June Memorial School Field Day Photographer, hunter and fisherman – an interview with Arnold Nealley . Photos from a Draper Corporation report of 1961, showing more than two dozen employees, who are identified, and some children in front of Memorial School. For those of you interested in the early history of Hopedale, there’s a lot that should be of interest in Adin Ballou’s History of the Hopedale Community. In addition to Ballou’s memories, the recently published Blackstone Editions volume, edited by Lynn Gordon Hughes, contains twenty pages of names and information on the Community members, and over thirty pages of notes that shed much light on Hopedale in the era of Utopian communes. The book can be purchased at the Friends of Adin Ballou website. Recent deaths <><><><><><><><><><> The following is a shortened version of Hopper’s history of the Parklands. Click here to read the complete article. How Hopedale Parklands Evolved By Gordon E. Hopper According to the first annual report of the Park Commissioners in 1889, the inhabitants of the town had been interested in the subject of a park since the incorporation of the town. Although a committee had been appointed in 1890 to report on a suitable tract of land for use as a town park, nothing definite had developed by 1893. Committee members were Edward S. Stimson, Charles M. Day and George A. Draper. They secured the services of Warren Henry Manning, who, in 1891, recommended the taking of about 40 acres of land located between Freedom and Adin streets and about 20 acres in the vicinity of Hopedale Pond. (Manning was evidently regarded as the second most famous landscape architect of that era. Before establishing his own firm, he had worked with the No. 1 man in that business, Frederick Law Olmstead. To this day, much of what we see in the layout of the Town Park and Parklands is the result of Manning’s design.) No action was taken because the value of the land was such as to prevent consideration of its acquisition by the town. By 1899, the town had acquired 189 acres of land for the Park and Parklands. During 1900, the Draper Company drained the pond and workmen removed the unsightly projecting snags and tree limbs and blasted out several large boulders that were dangerous to boating activities. A rustic bridge was constructed at the so-called Second Bridge, allowing foot or team passage to the western side of Mill River. In 1901, the bridge was raised enough to allow boat clearance beneath it, and Maroney’s Grove, a tract of pine timber, was cleaned up in order to be used by picnic parties. A roadway was built starting at Hazel Street, passing over the new rustic bridge and through the woods as far as the Grafton and Upton Railroad line where trolley cars ran to Grafton and Upton. There were several springs nearby. By this time, the upper section of the Parklands had been cleared and made available for picnic parties, access being gained by way of Hazel Street. In addition to this, the electric cars would stop upon request at the Park Station shelter. The entire area was available by boats and a boat landing was built near the bridge. During 1905, a system of pathways was made on the eastern side of the pond from the bath house to the “second bridge,” so called, with a branch from Dutcher Street and connecting side path loops. Dry footing was provided for through the swamps and brooks and the whole region was available for hikers. Tree thinning continued and the wood was sold as it came available. Scores of people were now visiting the Parklands and the woods were filled with game birds and squirrels. Several deer had been sighted in 1905. Hundreds of skunks, foxes, muskrats and snakes were destroyed during the same year. A shelter and seats were built on Park property at the summit of Darling Hill in 1908. More than three miles of foot paths connect the bath house, the Park Shelter, Rawson’s Bridge and the street railway station. A good spring was located at the foot of a slope in the pine grove on the eastern side of the pond, and two more were found on the western side. In 1912, a large section of Darling Hill became accessible after trees had been thinned, underbrush cut, and new roads and footpaths put in. There were now six miles of roads and paths in the Parklands. The territory around the upper end of the pond and along the side of Darling Hill were being used more as people began to appreciate its beauties. New paths connecting “Rawson’s Bridge” with “Maroney’s Grove” and the big boulder in the “Texas” district with the “White Oak Spring” path were opened in 1914. Some of the older trails were widened, old culverts and water courses replaced, and some paths resurfaced and a number of seats were placed along the easterly side of the pond in 1915. Milford DailyNews, August 29, 1980. Warren Henry Manning photos of the park and Parklands taken in 1903. (While working on this story, I was surprised and happy to find these Manning pictures - 53 of them - from the Iowa State University Library on flickr. In addition to the Parklands, there are views of the HC&I icehouse, the Henry Patrick icehouse, the Draper shop, the town park, and houses along Dutcher and Northrop streets.) Pond, Park and Sports Menu A Walk Through the Parklands Hopedale Emails Menu HOME . |
