February 1, 2009
Hopedale History
No. 125
Mead’s Market
Hopedale in January The Parklands, January 21
Hopedale Pond and Parklands slideshow on YouTube – 57 photos, old and new.
Now and Then – The Draper Main Office
Our Gang – a 1936 kid’s parade in Hopedale
Dana Newcombe’s Hopedale memories, including Aerosmith and the 1972 plane crash.
Here it is - that kids at Hopedale pond, c.1960 picture again. Look at the one near the bottom of the page. Each kid is marked with a letter, so it's a little easier to match names with faces.. Maybe one of you from that era can come up with the last couple of names.
Hopedaleweather.org – Jay Appel’s weather site. All the information on Hopedale weather you could ask for.
Building the Model T - Very interesting. The link must be going around. I received it from both Norm Scholl and Dick Grady.
Hopedale statistics on city-data.com.
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Mead's Market
The Milford News article below, about the closing of Mead’s Market in the Town Hall in 1942, brings to mind some of the many changes in the building since then. The market was in the basement on the Depot Street side, which later became the police station and where the Friends of Elders Shop is now located. There was a dentist (Dr. Wentworth, and others before him) at the back of the first floor where the town clerk’s office is now, and Eddie Paradiso’s barbershop was where the assessor’s office is. The Town Common in the middle was called The Spa years ago. It was operated by Norm Handley, who also established Pop’s Popcorn, which is still in business on North Avenue in Mendon. The post office was on the left. Town meetings, high school basketball games, school plays put on to raise money for the annual senior class Washington trip, scout meetings, banquets and other events were held on the second floor.
HOPEDALE June 26 [1942] The closing of Mead’s Market has removed from town a business which was established in 1887 by John L. Mead of Milford. Shortly after the Town Hall building was dedicated on Oct. 25, 1887, the late George Draper suggested that Mr. Mead transfer his meat market from Main Street, Milford, where the Dwyer store now stands, to Hopedale.
At the same time, Fred E. Smith, now deceased, opened a grocery store in the Town Hall building where the post office is now located. The post office was at the time where the Town Hall Spa is at present, later taking over the present quarters after the grocery firm of Howes and Howes, successors to Mr. Smith went out of business.
John L. Mead enjoyed the patronage of a large number of people, who could be certain of fair dealing and superior merchandise. In the early days, he sent out a butcher cart, which was driven for many years by the late Fred Ballou of Milford. This cart was horse drawn and covered considerable territory in Mendon, South Milford and elsewhere. It meant early rising and late retiring hours for the drivers. Mr. Mead also conducted a slaughter house at the rear of his father’s house on Prospect Street, Milford. His late brother, Edward Mead, was also in the meat business. His sons, Fred and the late Roy, were associated with their father and many clerks were needed to take and fill the orders received by a team of order clerks and telephone. Always courteous and handling only the best grade of beef and other products, Mr. Mead’s success was certain and well deserved. At the time of his retirement a few years ago, his customers hoped it would be possible for his business to continue and real regret was expressed when notice of the closing was recently announced. Fred L. Mead, manager of the business, was engaged as clerk and manager for more that 50 years at the time of his retirement last week. Surely one of the town’s landmarks and one of its most reliable merchants has left our midst. Milford Daily News
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Recent deaths:
Catherine (Bliss) Ballou, 83, Mendon, January 20, 2009.
Gary J. Balian, 56, January 21, 2009.
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