History of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, USA

Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Middlesex county. Branches of Charles and Mill rivers rise in this town, on which are manufacturing establishments. There are 3 cotton mills in Hopkinton, and manufactures of boots and shoes, ($152,300,) leather, ploughs, and straw bonnets: total value, the year ending April 1, 1837, $217,550. The town was incorporated in 1715. Population, 1830, 1,809; 1837, 2,166.

The mineral spring in this town has become celebrated. It contains carbonic acid, and carbonate of lime and iron. It is situated near White Hall pond which abounds in fine fish of various kinds. The Boston and Worcester rail road passes within 3 1/ 2 miles of it, at Westborough, and it is 7 miles from the Blackstone canal, at Northbridge. It is 30 miles W.S.W. from Boston, 14 E. by S. from Worcester, and 30 N. by W. from Providence, R.I. There is a large and convenient hotel at this place, at which visitors for health or pleasure are kindly entertained. A trip to Hopkinton springs is both...

The Indian name of this town was Quansigomog. The greater part of the town was purchased of the Indians with a fund left to Harvard College by Edward Hopkins, in honor of whom the town was named.

From Ponds in this town one or more sources of Concord, Charles, and Blackstone rivers all rise, though they run in such different directions. The chief factories are in the village of Unionville.

A mineral spring, near White Hall Pond, has some celebrity as a place of fashionable resort in the warm season.

Boots, shoes, and cotton goods are the chief manufactures.

Distance from Concord, 24 miles ; from Boston, 30.

The principal part of this town was purchased of the natives by Mr. Leverett, president of Harvard college: its Indian name was Quansigomog. A hill in the eastern part of the town was called by the natives Megonko. It was purchased for the purpose of perpetuating the legacy of Edward Hopkins, Esq. to Harvard college, and was called Hopkinton, in honor to his name. It was leased out by the president and trustees of the college to the first settlers. The settlement began about the year 1710 or 12, and was never interrupted; the town was incorporated in December, 1715.

Hopkinton is hilly, interspersed with small valleys, and well watered. There are two ponds in the westerly part of this town. From one, which is called White Hall Pond, issues one of the extreme branches of the Concord river, which empties itself into the Merrimac. From the other, called the North Pond, (although it lies nearly south of the first, about two miles distant,) issues one of the extreme branches of...

Hopkinton, a post-township of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, 25 miles W. S. W. from Boston. This township contains a mineral spring, which is a fashionable summer resort. Population, 2801.

MORE THAN HALF THE BUSINESS PORTION OF THE TOWN DESTROYED, INCLUDING THE TOWN HALL, BOOT FACTORY, AND A CHURCH - INCENDIARISM THE CAUSE - THE LOSS $350,000.

Hopkinton, Mass., April 4. - The most destructive fire that ever occurred in Hopkinton broke out at 8 A.M., commencing at the Town Hall and sweeping that building, occupied by P. W. SMITH, clothing, H. C. WILBURS & Co., groceries, and the telephone office. It also destroyed the boot factory of BRIDGES & Co., adjacent, the blocks occupied by the Post Office, and by A. A. SWEET, dry goods; the hotel and its barn, the Chapel Building, occupied by MISS LEONARD, millinery; the office of DR. O. C. WHITE, dentist; J. SHANKLE & Co., dry goods; B. E. DEWEY, drugs; the Congregational Church; L. H. WAKEFIELD'S house and barn, MAHON'S building, occupied by MAHON Brothers, dry goods and groceries; T. TOHER, billiard hall; N. L. PARKER, barber, and the residence of PATRICK McGOWEN and TIMOTHY CURRAN. The fire was probably of incendiary...

Hopkinton is situated on elevated land in the extreme southwesterly corner of Middlesex County, about 30 miles southwest of Boston by the Boston and Albany Railroad, which has a station at Southville on the northern line of the town. A branch of the New York and New England Railroad, connecting Milford and Ashland, has stations at the centre, and at Hayden Row, in the southerly part of the town. The other village is Woodville in the western part of the town; and all have post-offices.

In form, this town is an imperfect hexagon, with the longest axis east and west. It has Westborough, Southborough and Ashland on the north, the latter and Holliston on the east, the last, with Milford and Upton on the south; while Westborough and Upton also bound it on the west. The assessed area is 16,705 acres, which includes 4,655 acres of forest. The land is hilly, rough and rocky. The entire central portion of the town is much elevated; and the village of Hopkinton centre has a commanding and...

Hopkinton, a post-village in Hopkinton township, Middlesex co., Mass., on the New York & New England Railroad, about 28 miles W.S.W. of Boston, and 15 miles E.S.E. of Worcester. It has 3 churches, a national bank, a newspaper office, and manufactures of boots. Pop. of the township, 4503.