Our good friend, David Stearns Godfrey, called and informed us of the triumphant success of
    Frederick Douglass last evening at his lecture in Milford Academy Hall. Great excitement; the
    "baser sort" active; people turned out numerously; but they were wonderfully overcome by his
    ingenuity and eloquence. The tide (which was turbulent against him at first) turned strongly in
    his favor. He lectured again this evening at Milford town-hall. Eleven from Hopedale to hear him.
    A glorious lecture to a full house. Adin Ballou, History of the Hopedale Community, p. 48. The
    event referred to in this paragraph took place in 1842. Click here to see more on abolitionism in
    Milford, Hopedale and Mendon.

    On a cold, windy February 8, 1927, I was born. Not in a hospital, two miles away in Milford, Massachusetts, like most of
    the townspeople. No. I came into the world at 121 Freedom Street, better known as the "Seven Sisters." This makes me
    proud in a sense because my birth certificate shows Hopedale as my birthplace. Click here to see who wrote this, and
    read the rest of his story.

    Here's a comment about the article sent by former Dutcher Street resident, now living in Connecticut, Billie Dowgiewicz.
    "Enjoying the articles on Life in Paradise.  He was so very interesting. His antics as a kid growing up in Hopedale were
    unbelievable. His poor Polish Mom only knew 50 English words in her time living  in Hopedale.  I jotted down notes of
    when I just laughed and laughed.  I shared a bit with Tom wondering if that man at Draper VP was no other than Victor
    Pepper himself?"

Hopedale in February

More photos will be added during the month.

Ezine for February 1 -
Hopedale in 1919, Part 3   

Ezine for mid-February -
Hopedale in 1919, Part 4   

Hopedale in February 2018

Hopedale in January 2019

HOME

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    Who are these all-stars from way back in
    1959? Click here to see names.

A recent ebay item. Hopedale Machine Company.

    This picture of Hopedale HIgh Coach Don Klocek is for sale on ebay this week (first week of
    February) along with others that include Dave Webster, Wendy Lioce, Chris Bianchi, Coach Larry
    Heron, Kevin Jobsky, Dave Consigli, Tim Mooradian, Jim Woolhiser, Shawn Atherton, Matt
    McNabb, John Swanson, Jason Bucell, Ellen Greene, Jason Potty, Kevin Barry, Cheryl Daudelin,
    and Coach Debbie Gorman.  There's also one with Coach Klocek and an unnamed player. I
    presume they're all Milford News photos.. There are seven pages of Hopedale items on ebay.
    The ones named here are scattered over the first three pages. I haven't looked beyond that yet.

    By the day after I posted the names above, most of the ones that had been on the first page of
    search results had moved to the second, and some were on the third page.

    And here's another Hopedale item on ebay that
    I hadn't seen before - a dance card from 1910.

Hopedale Pond on Groudnhog Day.

    Hopedale 9/16/85
    The tri-captains of the Hopedale varsity soccer team are, from left, Kevin Jobsky, Jim Woolhiser, and
    Dave Consgli.

    The G&U Railroad Upton yard now
    has some Ringling Brothers cars.

    The Park Street School was built about twelve years before
    the high school, but unlike the high school, the cupola is still
    there. The weather vane is missing a few letters though.
    Click here for more on the high school cupola.

    That  was a big story in Hopedale in February 1957. Did Hopedale
    win the Clark Tournament? Click here for the rest of the story.

    Ahh, I see I put that link on last February's page. Well, I'll leave it here
    too. There are probably a few people who didn't see it last year.

    There were a lot more choices years ago. Even though the Prohibition party only
    received one vote, the voters wanted Hopedale to remain a dry town. The same
    ballot included the question, "Shall licences be granted in this town for the sale of
    all alcoholic beverages (whiskey, rum, gin, malt beverages, wines and all other
    alcoholic beverages?" The vote was Yes 319, No 813, Blanks 368. Results for a
    vote on wine and beer only received a similar result. Click here to see when
    Hopedale "went wet."

    The proposal for Hopedale to separate from Milford was a very
    controversial matter when it was brought up in 1885. It passed the
    state senate by one vote and was signed by the governor in April
    1886. Obviously the caption to the map above was done by those
    opposed to the separation. Click here to see more of the story.

    That's niece Mary Eldridge (Elaine's sister's daughter) heading
    in for the Patriot's victory parade with the Lombardi trophy.
    Well, actually a beautiful wooden replica. Yes, all of it is wood.
    Even the football. It was made by Mary's husband, Gary.

    Remember when a few minutes of The Surrogates was
    filmed in Hopedale? Click here to see some more views
    of the site where it was done.

Thanks to Dick Grady for sending this.

Click here for more on Joe Perry and Aerosmith.   

    Signs of a bit of work going on at the
    Milford end of the G&U Railroad.

Topographic map drawn in 1953.

    Photo and caption from the Hopedale Historic
    Village National Register Nomination.
Feb 13, 1969

    G&U bridge over Hopedale Street shown
    after work was done on it recently.

Above - Hopedale Street

Below - Plain Street

February 18

Rosenfeld's - February 18

Sliding at the Country Club.