May 1, 2007 Hopedale History No. 83 The Golf Course Hopedale in April Bowling at the Community House The Blackstone Gorge on Patriots’ Day. The Historical Commission and the Friends of Historic Hopedale are continuing to work for the renovation of the Little Red Shop Museum. One step that will be taken this week is that the nine looms will be moved and put into storage until the job is done. We are hoping to form a group that will assist and advise in setting up a Hopedale museum in the shop when it’s ready. If you’re interested in being a member of the group, let me know. If you know someone else who you think would be good at this, please pass this information on to them. I’ve had several questions and comments about the problem with the high school cupola that I mentioned two weeks ago. At the meeting of selectmen on April 17, school superintendent Patricia Ruane discussed the problems and options being considered in dealing with the situation. I hope to be able to have a summary of the meeting on my Hopedale website in the next few days. ***************************** When I was a Boy Scout in the early fifties, I spent a weekend at a district camporee on the farmland, just south of the Westcott Mill on Mill Street. I recall someone mentioning that there were men on the other side of the field working to build a golf course. As we now know, that ambitious undertaking turned out to be a great success. Below is a Milford News article from the early days of the project. Enthusiasm High As Hopedale Residents Plan Golf Course HOPEDALE – Hopedale will have its own golf course and country club if the enthusiasm shown by a large body of civic-minded residents is a criterion. Despite wretched weather conditions, a gratifying turnout of 83 persons attended an open meeting at the Community House last night and discussed plans for the construction of a golf course at the Howard farm site in the Spindleville section. Following the session, temporary officers felt the outcome will depend chiefly on the free labor provided by residents in the construction. They expressed confidence in the matter of response. The 60-acre farm will be leased by the Draper Corporation. According to plans,, three holes will be constructed this year, three more the following year, and an additional three the next year. Charles Lowe, temporary chairman, outlined plans for the proposed course, aided by an aerial photograph that was projected on a screen. Construction plans were outlined by Arthur Fitzgerald, temporary vice-president. Member fees of $10 for founder members was announced, and members pledged 50 hours of work on the course. The meeting was opened by Arthur C. Young, who spoke on the need of a local course and then turned the session over to the temporary officers. Other temporary officers were Eldon Biggs, secretary, Edward Vitali, financial secretary, and Brackett Bessey, treasurer. An election of permanent officers will be held at the next meeting. This was the first big step in the organization of a Country Club here. Enthusiasm continues to run high and an equally large turnout is expected at the session sometime next week. Milford Daily News, April 17, year not given, but probably 1953. *********************** Terry Carlstrom, vice president or the Johnson Bus Lines, today was notified by the board of selectmen of Hopedale that busses of the firm will be allowed to operate on William (no s at the end back then), Northrop and Freedom streets in that town. The granting of the permit to route busses over these streets gives the bus company a second entry into Hopedale, and will be of great aid when Milford’s in-town service goes into effect. Busses will then be able to travel up Water Street and connect with the new Hopedale route. Milford Daily News, November 21, 1947. Recent deaths: James Kenney, 93, Peterborough, New Hampshire, April 13. Clara (Buza) D’Allessandro, 89, Sarasota, Florida, April 15. Anita (Harback) Leoncini, 89, Hopedale, April 16. Ezine Menu HOME . |
