Until 1923, there weren't any buildings where the former Sneiderman house is now, or where my son lives now. [21 Freedom - Sneiderman; 25 Freedom - Eddie McGrath] There was a house about right across from where Judy Oldfield lives now [28 Freedom Street]. It set facing the street about the same as the small house that is there now. At that time there was some kind of farm building that set kind of sideways, just about opposite the end of Oak Street. In those days Oak Street ended at Northrop Street; it didn't go through Northrop to Freedom. After they ran Oak over to Freedom, we always called that "the new road."
The older house on Freedom Street was occupied by Walter Durgin and his family. I'm not sure just what Walter Durgin did; he may have had something to do with being a caretaker for one of the Draper estates; he was also a constable or part-time police officer. [The 1927 town directory lists him as being a gardener for Clare Draper] They moved to South Hopedale [105 Greene Street] and the youngest boy, Lawrence, was in school about the same time we were. When we [Don and his twin brother, Dan] were about three or four years old, the Durgins had a billy goat which we were very scared of. He'd chase us up onto the porch and then pin us up against the wall of the house with his horns. Our mother would hear us hollering for help and would come out and drive him back across the street. She wasn't afraid of him.
The Sneidermans acquired the land at the corner [of Freedom and Williams] and I can remember seeing the house jacked up on some kind of logs, about half-way to where it sits now. I guess they also moved the farm building right up front next to the corner, to be the store. At first (I've see pictures of a larger barn, and I can see the foundation still today) it was managed by the oldest Sneiderman son, Nathan; the one they called "Snookie." They sold bottled cold soda, bread, Drake's cakes, Bushway ice cream and other foodstuffs. It was supposed to be a handy neighborhood store, and perhaps they visualized it as cutting into the Patrick's Store trade in downtown Hopedale. I guess the chain grocery stores in Milford weren't good for any Hopedale grocery store. I think Nathan had an old Model T delivery truck for a while. Before they came to Hopedale, I think the Sneidermans lived on West Pine Street in Milford. He was already in the rag and junk business and continued it in Hopedale, having a little junkyard behind the house. Sneiderman kept a horse and wagon behind the house somewhere for several years, and did quite well in the junk business, especially at the Hopedale dump during World War II. Later on, the crippled son, "Kivy," took care of the store. At one time the back room was used for a taxi stand office.
In about 1930, there were still about five milk wagons around Hopedale and Milford; Maple Farm and Walter Beal from Mendon, Dan Glennon, and Frank Rummo from Highland Street, Milford, and Tim Cronan from Eben Street, off Purchase Street in Milford. Dan Glennon seemed to wear out all the old milk wagons, and one he had was marked "Willowbrook Dairy, Geo. L. Taft, Mendon." That was the forerunner of Lowell's Dairy, and they plan to name the restaurant when they reopen it on Route 16, "Willowbrook."
Dan Glennon had a few customers on Inman Street and Soward Street; mostly Irish Catholic, I think. The 1938 hurricane blew down his barn; his best horse ate too much grain and died; he didn't peddle much longer after that; maybe a few months or a year. Walter Beal was the last horse and wagon man in the area. He delivered milk in Hopedale and part of Miford from 1907 to 1947. Don McGrath, June 2006.
Memories Menu Don's story of the early years of Sacred Heart Church Don's memories of milk wagons of Mendon, Hopedale and Milford. HOME