HISTORY OF HOPKINTON
The first settlers in Hopkinton were probably Rev. John Eliot and a band of praying Indians in 1660.Edward Hopkins, a colonial governor of Connecticut, left a legacy to Harvard College. The trustees of the legacy purchased this land from Indians in 1710. The Tenants leased the land for one penny an acre. Eventually the land was given to the original tenants. Hopkinton originally contained 25,000 acres bounded by Sudbury, Sherborn, Mendon, Sutton, and Westborough. In 1735 4,000 acres were set aside to form part of Upton. In 1846, a part was taken to form part of Ashland. The Town was incorporated on December 13, 1715. The first town meeting took place on March 24, 1724 with thirty voters present, in the Price Mansion House (Which is now the Price-Valentine Manor House). The Annual Town Meeting is now held in the high school auditorium with an average of approximately 300 voters attending each year. During the 1800’s Hopkinton became a leading shoe manufacturing town. But, several serious fires occurred in 1876, 1882, and 1900 which destroyed many factories and Hopkinton then declined as an industrial town. Hopkinton is now a residential town. With the building of Interstate Route 495 in 1967, various new industries have located in and around South Street area. Hopkinton is a hilly and rocky scenic town with several lakes nestled in. Lakes such as Echo Lake, Lake Maspenock, Lake Whitehall, and the Hopkinton Reservoir. Several rivers are credited to start in Hopkinton which are the Blackstone, Charles, Concord Rivers.
Once a year Hopkinton gains national attention in April. Since 1924 the Boston Athletic Association’s Marathon has started in Hopkinton. Thousands of runners from all over the world gather on Main Street to begin their 26 mile run to Boston.
Each Year on July 4th, the Horribles Parade route goes around and through the center of town. This tradition was started many years ago by the McIntyre family, formerly from Pleasant Street. It’s purpose is to poke fun at government (whether local or not), political parties, town services, the times (historic or present), or even what ever has been the most controversial topic of the year, the committee will name as the theme. After all, It’s all in fun anyway and everyone enjoys the day’s events.
A SHORT CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF HOPKINTON
1669 - John Eliot established a band of praying Indians at Magunco Hill
1710 - First settlement of Hopkinton
1712 - Abner Bixby born. Earliest recorded birth in Hopkinton
1715 - December 13th - Town of Hopkinton incorporated
1724 - First Town government established
1726 - Town Meeting House established. Congregational Church
1735 - 4,000 acres taken from Hopkinton to form part of Upton
1743 - First town schoolhouse
1745 - Episcopal Church established by Roger Price
1747 - Captain Daniel Shays, leader of Shays’ Rebellion, born
1751 - Sir Harry Frankland built his home in Hopkinton
1763 - John Young, father of Brigham Young, born
1808 - Second mill to make cotton cloth in U.S. located in Woodville
1816 - Hopkinton Mineral Springs discovered
1818 - First Post Office - Abraham Harrison - Postmaster
1820 - Joseph Walker began to using pegs to fasten soles to shoes
1826 - Central Turnpike built (Area of West Main St.)
1834 - Boston to Worcester Railroad began service
1837 - Baptist Church in Woodville established
1841 - Woodville Post Office - Albert Wood, Postmaster
1846 - 2,500 acres of Hopkinton set aside to form part of Ashland
1846 - Whitehall Reservoir purchased and filled for the first time
1850 - Hopkinton was the largest boot and shoe manufacturer
1851 - First Catholic Church - St. Malachis on Cedar Street
1851 - First High School built on Hayden Rowe near Church Place
1867 - Fire destroys part of Hopkinton Center
1869 - William Claflin, native, was Governor of Massachusetts
1882 - Fire again destroys the center of Hopkinton
1889 - St. John the Evangelist Church dedicated
1890 - Hopkinton Public Library established
1892 - Soldier’s Monument built
1894 - High School built on Main Street
1894 - Hopkinton Reservoir built for $910,332
1895 - Electric car lines in operation from Framingham to Westborough (Rte 135)
1898 - St. Paul’s Episcopal Church dedicated (Main St.)
1900 - Fire again ravages Hopkinton center
1907 - Edison electric power in operation
1909 - Fire destroys the Reservoir House in Woodville
1915 - Hopkinton celebrates it’s 200th anniversary
1924 - Distance of B.A.A. marathon lengthened - starting line moved to Hopkinton
1926 - Sandy Island becomes a public park
1928 - Center School built on Ash St.
1931 - Doughboy Monument erected
1932 - Hopkinton “Stonethrowers” football team organized
1938 - Hurricane hits Hopkinton hard
1940 - Town buys Carrigan Park
1950 - Ten rooms added to Center School
1956 - Hopkinton Jr. Sr. High School opened
1964 - Elmwood School opens
1965 - Hopkinton celebrates it’s 250th anniversary
1967 - Library adds St. Paul’s. New Episcopal Church built on Wood St.
1973 - Keefe Vocational School opened
1994 - Middle School added to Jr. Sr. High School
1995 - Town purchases Terry’s Farm for schools and athletic fields
1998 - New Middle School Dedicated May 31st
Once a year Hopkinton gains national attention in April. Since 1924 the Boston Athletic Association’s Marathon has started in Hopkinton. Thousands of runners from all over the world gather on Main Street to begin their 26 mile run to Boston.
Each Year on July 4th, the Horribles Parade route goes around and through the center of town. This tradition was started many years ago by the McIntyre family, formerly from Pleasant Street. It’s purpose is to poke fun at government (whether local or not), political parties, town services, the times (historic or present), or even what ever has been the most controversial topic of the year, the committee will name as the theme. After all, It’s all in fun anyway and everyone enjoys the day’s events.
A SHORT CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF HOPKINTON
1669 - John Eliot established a band of praying Indians at Magunco Hill
1710 - First settlement of Hopkinton
1712 - Abner Bixby born. Earliest recorded birth in Hopkinton
1715 - December 13th - Town of Hopkinton incorporated
1724 - First Town government established
1726 - Town Meeting House established. Congregational Church
1735 - 4,000 acres taken from Hopkinton to form part of Upton
1743 - First town schoolhouse
1745 - Episcopal Church established by Roger Price
1747 - Captain Daniel Shays, leader of Shays’ Rebellion, born
1751 - Sir Harry Frankland built his home in Hopkinton
1763 - John Young, father of Brigham Young, born
1808 - Second mill to make cotton cloth in U.S. located in Woodville
1816 - Hopkinton Mineral Springs discovered
1818 - First Post Office - Abraham Harrison - Postmaster
1820 - Joseph Walker began to using pegs to fasten soles to shoes
1826 - Central Turnpike built (Area of West Main St.)
1834 - Boston to Worcester Railroad began service
1837 - Baptist Church in Woodville established
1841 - Woodville Post Office - Albert Wood, Postmaster
1846 - 2,500 acres of Hopkinton set aside to form part of Ashland
1846 - Whitehall Reservoir purchased and filled for the first time
1850 - Hopkinton was the largest boot and shoe manufacturer
1851 - First Catholic Church - St. Malachis on Cedar Street
1851 - First High School built on Hayden Rowe near Church Place
1867 - Fire destroys part of Hopkinton Center
1869 - William Claflin, native, was Governor of Massachusetts
1882 - Fire again destroys the center of Hopkinton
1889 - St. John the Evangelist Church dedicated
1890 - Hopkinton Public Library established
1892 - Soldier’s Monument built
1894 - High School built on Main Street
1894 - Hopkinton Reservoir built for $910,332
1895 - Electric car lines in operation from Framingham to Westborough (Rte 135)
1898 - St. Paul’s Episcopal Church dedicated (Main St.)
1900 - Fire again ravages Hopkinton center
1907 - Edison electric power in operation
1909 - Fire destroys the Reservoir House in Woodville
1915 - Hopkinton celebrates it’s 200th anniversary
1924 - Distance of B.A.A. marathon lengthened - starting line moved to Hopkinton
1926 - Sandy Island becomes a public park
1928 - Center School built on Ash St.
1931 - Doughboy Monument erected
1932 - Hopkinton “Stonethrowers” football team organized
1938 - Hurricane hits Hopkinton hard
1940 - Town buys Carrigan Park
1950 - Ten rooms added to Center School
1956 - Hopkinton Jr. Sr. High School opened
1964 - Elmwood School opens
1965 - Hopkinton celebrates it’s 250th anniversary
1967 - Library adds St. Paul’s. New Episcopal Church built on Wood St.
1973 - Keefe Vocational School opened
1994 - Middle School added to Jr. Sr. High School
1995 - Town purchases Terry’s Farm for schools and athletic fields
1998 - New Middle School Dedicated May 31st
About Whitehall Reservoir (Lake Whitehall)
Whitehall Reservoir offers excellent hiking, biking, and riding opportunities on the trail that winds all the way around the lake, but it is a good six-mile trek to do the whole thing. The main trail around the lake is approximately six miles long. It is currently open to hikers, horses, and non-motorized bikes. The trail is mainly a narrow walking trail so only a dedicated mountain biker should look to that route. Everyone still has to share the same trail though, so please remember to be courteous to your fellow travelers. More casual bikers, or anyone with a road bike should stick to the scenic roadways around the lake - Wood Street on the north edge by the boat ramp; Spring Street down the west edge; Pond Street across the southern end; and Winter Street back up along the east side of the lake. Also, there are no water fountains or trash containers around the lake, so bring lots of water, and maybe some snacks, but also remember to bring your own trash bag to pack out what you pack in.The best places to start a hike at the north end of the lake is at the boat launch off route 135 which has ample parking, or at Reed Park which is west of the dam on Highland Street (off of Winter or Exchange Streets off of route 135). It is a nice quiet park with a field and tennis courts tucked back in the woods.The best place to start a hike at the south end of the lake is near the little bridge where pond street crosses over the southernmost tip of the lake. There are only a few pull-offs here at which to park, however.
Whitehall Reservoir was created to supply Boston with fresh water. While it is no longer used for that purpose, it is still connected to the “the only reserve drinking water supply source for over two million residents of Eastern Massachusetts” via Whitehall Brook. Whitehall Reservoir’s role in what has since become known as the MDC is described in the following excerpt from “Sudbury Reservoir Watershed System, Public Access Plan Update 2002″from the Metropolitan District Commission Division of Watershed Management.
* Information provided by 'Friends of Lake Whitehall'
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Whitehall Reservoir was created to supply Boston with fresh water. While it is no longer used for that purpose, it is still connected to the “the only reserve drinking water supply source for over two million residents of Eastern Massachusetts” via Whitehall Brook. Whitehall Reservoir’s role in what has since become known as the MDC is described in the following excerpt from “Sudbury Reservoir Watershed System, Public Access Plan Update 2002″from the Metropolitan District Commission Division of Watershed Management.
* Information provided by 'Friends of Lake Whitehall'
Contact us: