The Google Earth view above shows the southern end of Hopedale,
    along Hartford Avenue, (upper part of the picture) and Mendon on the
    other side of the street. You can see the Mill River from near the
    upper left corner, and going over toward the middle and down to the
    red circle. I used a view from a few years ago, done at a time of year
    when the leaves were off the trees to give a better view of the river.
    The Albee mill, subject of the story on this page, was in the area within
    the red circle.

    Thanks to John Trainor for the first photo below. It shows the part of
    the Mill River where the Albee mill ground the corn of residents of this
    area for a few years, ending in 1675 when it was burned during King
    Philip's War. When settlers returned after the war, the mill was
    replaced with one built by Matthias Puffer.

    Above - The Mill River on the
    Hopedale side of Hartford Avenu.

    Below - The Mill River on the
    Mendon side of Hartford Avenue.

    Milford Daily News front pages and articles during the first ten days after the Pearl Harbor
    attack.

    Christmas in Early Hopedale    

    Vaudeville at Lake Nipmuc Park        Lake Nipmuc Park, 1908 - 2010      The Mendon Town
    Pound   

                                                          <><><><><><><><><><>

    The Subscriber offers for sale the valuable farm at the south end of Hopedale, on the main
    road from Mendon to Milford, known as the Stephen Cook place, containing about 45 acres,
    twenty-five of which are in a high state of cultivation, with nearly 500 young apple trees of
    several excellent varieties, set out three years ago last fall. Also 30 large apple trees, and
    sundry other kinds of fruit trees in good condition. There are also two dwelling houses and a
    barn, with good well of water on the premises. Eben'r D. Draper, Hopedale, Milford, Mass,
    The Practical Christian, April 1, 1858 (This ad refers to a farm along what is now Route 16.
    In saying "the south end of Hopedale," Mr. Draper was referring to the south end of what was
    the village of Hopedale in 1858.)

    I hereby certify that I am authorized to apply for and receive a War Ration Book Two for each
    person listed below who is a member of my family unit, or the other person of persons for
    whom I am acting whose War Ration Book One I have submitted to the Board: That the name
    of each person and number of his or her War Ration Book One are accurately listed below;
    That none of these persons is confined or resident in an institution, or is a member of the
    Armed Forces receiving subsistence in kind or eating in separate messes under an officer's
    command. Consumer Declaration, Processed Foods and Coffee, Office of Price
    Administration, 1943

                                                        <><><><><><><><><><>

    The mill on the Mill River in the article below was built near what became Hartford Avenue. It
    was on the north side of the road, and when built, was in Mendon. A bit over one-hundred
    years, later that side of the road became part of Milford, and a little over another hundred
    years after that, it became part of Hopedale. Here's a history of the mill written by Peter
    Hackett.

                                                       The Albee Corn Mill

    About the same time Joseph White's saw pit was rendering its invaluable service to the settlers
    in supplying the much needed boards and planks for their houses, including the first meeting
    house, another invaluable service to the settlers was taking form down on the stream by the
    "Country Road" we now know as Hartford Avenue. There Benjamin Alby (Albee) was building
    the first grist mill in this area. Before it was built, the settlers had to cart their corn to Medfield
    for grinding -- a great inconvenience.

    Ballou says the mill seat "was at the present (1880) the Lewis B. Gaskill place, aforetimes
    known as the Alvin Allen place. There on Mill River, just north of the highway, where the
    ancient dam still remains, the old Committee of Quinshepaug Plantation (Mendon) gave
    Benjamin Alby (Albee) a one acre mill-lot or "seat" in return for which he was to grind the
    settlers' corn. In the contract between the Committee and Alby which was made in Roxbury,
    1664, the writer finds no reference to a one acre mill seat. It does grant Alby twenty acres for a
    home lot. The first reference to this mill in the town records is September 10, 1672, at which
    time the town confirmed the contract and granted Alby fifty more acres for his encouragement
    to maintain the mill. In view of the contract, Ballou believed the mill was built soon after. The
    writer notes that Albee's name was not on the list of 1663-64. It first appears in Mendon
    records in June 1667 as a member of the first board of selectmen. The mill was probably built
    about that time, and after several years of operation, Albee was able to show the town that he
    had fulfilled his part of the contract, and the town should do likewise by granting him the fifty
    acres stipulated therein. This, no doubt is the reason for the record of September 10, 1672,
    when the town confirmed the contract, and because the mill was built and in operation, granted
    him the fifty acres.

    When the town was burned by the Indians during King Philip's War in 1676, Albee's mill and
    house suffered the same fate as all the other buildings.

    After the resettlement of the town, the same situation arose as before the Albee mill was built,
    when the people had to cart their corn to Medfield for grinding. To remedy the annoying
    situation, the town entered into an agreement in 1684 with Matthias Puffer to build a "Corne
    Mill" in some convenient place "for the town's use upon the same stream the former (Albee)
    mill stood upon..." He was to keep it in order for twenty years and provide a "Miller" for its
    operation to the satisfaction of the town. For his encouragement, he was to receive "fifteen
    pounds--ten pounds in current money of New England, and five in merchantable country pay."
    This mill, under a succession of owners, was a God-send to the Mendon housewives of long
    ago. An HIstorical Account of Mendon, Massachusetts, Peter Hackett, 1967. Thanks to
    John Trainor for finding this account of the Albee mill for me, after I had lost track of it.

    Lewis B. Gaskill, mentioned in the second paragraph as living on the old mill site, became a
    Hopedale selectman when the town was incorporated in 1886, and served in that capacity until
    his death in 1918. Click here to read more about him.

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