We enjoy learning about new places when we travel but we did not expect that we would be learning new things about places we have known for years.
Hopedale MA is a small town not too far from our old house. Rev. Adin Ballou founded it as a utopian community in 1842. In 1855 the Draper Brothers took over transforming Hopedale into a New England mill town. The mill made textile equipment that shipped around the world for over a century.
The mill closed in the late 70s leaving behind a massive, nearly empty building.
We noticed someone inside and stopped to talk. He said the place was for sale mentioning that someone in Texas owns it.
We noticed some antique equipment in the entry. Apparently there is a basement full of things that would likely make a great museum.
Hopedale is now a distant suburb of Boston. We enjoyed walking to the Town Common for breakfast and Christiano’s for pizza and subs. And there was a nearly 4 mile loop around the pond that started from our hosts comfortable patio.
