Photo from the Town Report for 1921.
Some of these occupations that wouldn’t show up in Hopedale now. Over the following 20 years, many of the names on this list were there every year. During that same time, the name Draper is never there. I suppose they figured they had more important things to do with their time than serve on jury duty. Women’s names don’t appear on the juror lists until 1951. The ten women there that year were all listed as housewives.
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Twenty-five years ago – October 1996 – At least sixty-six people become sick and one baby dies as a result of drinking apple juice infected with E. coli.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gains 40.62 to close at 6,010.00, the Dow’s first close above 6,000.
The New York Yankees defeat the Atlanta Braves to win their first World Series in 18 years.
Fifty years ago – October 1971 – Walt Disney World opens in Orlando, Florida.
Greenpeace is founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The total number of American troops still in Vietnam drops to a record low of 196,700 (the lowest since January 1966). Operation Jefferson Glenn, the last major combat engagement in the Vietnam War by U.S. forces, ended after 33 days
The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as a 27th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, 354 to 23, and the legislation moved on to the U.S. Senate.
One hundred years ago – October 1921 – The World Series is first broadcast on the radio, by Newark, New Jersey, station WJZ, Pittsburgh station KDKA, and a group of other commercial and amateur stations throughout the eastern United States.
Centre College‘s football team, led by quarterback Bo McMillin, defeats Harvard University 6–0, to break Harvard’s five-year winning streak. For decades afterward, this is called “football’s upset of the century.”
News items above are from Wikipedia. For Hopedale news from 25, 50 and 100 years ago, see below this text box.
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The New Town Grows and Prospers
By Peter Hackett
Edited by Richard Moore
Continued from last month
October 1960
It was a period of business expansion (referring to the years after the first sale of the automatic loom in 1894) and the Draper shops were prospering. And as they did, more workers were necessary. This means more houses had to be built, and more houses meant an expanding village. In 1896, ten years after the incorporation of the town, the several shops were combined to form the Draper Company. It was about this time and shortly after 1900 that most of the new houses were built, along Dutcher Street and across the river in the new development, Bancroft Park. These houses were of several different designs so intermixed so as to avoid the usual “company house” appearance. They were large, commodious, and specially well built and won for Draper Company a number of medals of honor at World Fairs here at home and abroad in the years 1903-4. In all social and civic affairs, the Draper Company was always a liberal supporter. Under the fostering care of the Drapers, the town continued to be a model town just as it had been a model village under Rev. Adin Ballou and his Community.
After World War I, the “White City” houses were built, and after World War II, the Hammond Road houses. Neither of these two groups quite matched the elegance and commodiousness of the Dutcher Street and Bancroft Park houses. While the latter were mostly two tenement houses with upstairs and attics, the White City and Hammond Road houses were single family houses with rooms all on one floor. We must not forget the brick houses of the “Heights.” These had more of a “company” house appearance, but were well built and comfortable never-the-less. The rents in all these houses were substantially below the prevailing rates in private housing, the chief inducement for the encouragement of workers to settle in town, particularly before the advent of the automobile.
The rapid increase in automobile ownership by the people at large after World War II nullified the primary purpose of the company house. People could live in the towns around and travel in their automobiles to work in Hopedale. This change in the pattern of the labor market together with the low rents and the continual cost of keeping so many tenements in good repair, were undoubtedly factors in the company’s decision to sell its houses. The sale went into effect in 1955, and in a year or so most of the houses were sold. Before considering what effect, this major change may have on the town, I would like to review the other important changes which have marked the growth of Hopedale.
1.The first Important period in the Hopedale story is from 1842 to 1856. The village of Hopedale, in the town of Milford, was founded and named by the Hopedale Community in 1842 under the distinguished leadership of the Rev. Adin Ballou. It was an experiment in social reform, founded on the principles of Practical Christianity and socialized industry. It was impractical and went into bankruptcy in 1856, During that period the village was controlled by the Hopedale Community.
2. The second period, 1856 to 1886, saw the village come under the control of the brothers Ebenezer Draper and George Draper to whom the Community went bankrupt. In an official and legal sense, the village still came under the control of Milford.
3 From 1886 on, the village became and is the incorporated town of Hopedale and is largely under the control of the Draper Corporation, which supplies the industrial and economic life of the town. When the “shop” sold its houses, it initiated a change in the life and character of the town which might well prove to have far reaching effects. This brings to mind a somewhat similar change which took place almost a hundred years ago. From 1842 to 1856 the village was in complete control of the Community. None but the members of the Community were allowed to reside within its borders. There were a few exceptions, but even these had he necessary permission of the Community. Following the bankruptcy of 1856, the Community lost control of the village to the Draper brothers. As the shops prospered, more houses were built and more people came to live in Hopedale, so that soon there were more who were not members of the Community than those who were. The only church at the time was still in control of the Community, and everyone (non-Community members as well as members) were asked and expected to support it. Out of this confusion the Hopedale Parish was born, October 27, 1868. This was the last act of the Hopedale Community in regular meetings assembled.
Click here to go to the complete version of Hackett’s history of Hopedale HOME
Hopedale News – October 1996
Hopedale News – October 1971
Hopedale in October 1921
