Hopkinton

History

The Town of Hopkinton was incorporated on December 13, 1715. Hopkinton was named for an early colonist of Connecticut, Edward Hopkins, who left a large sum of money to be invested in land in New England, the proceeds of which were to be used for the benefit of Harvard University. The trustees of Harvard purchased 12,500 acres of land from the Native American residents with money from the fund and incorporated the area, naming it in honor of its benefactor. Grain was the first production crop grown in the area, while fruit and dairy industries were developed later. Agriculture predominated until 1840 when the boot and shoe industries were introduced into the town. By 1850 eleven boot and shoe factories were established in Hopkinton. Fires in 1882 and the migration of those industries to other parts of the country eliminated these industries from Hopkinton. There are 215 Hopkinton properties listed in the State Register of Historic Places. The majority, 187, are located within the Cedar Swamp Archaeological District in Hopkinton and Westborough. The properties are also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Twenty-three properties are included within the Hopkinton Center Historic District, a local historic district which comprises properties around the Town Common, on East Main St. and the south side of Main St. The district was expanded in 2000 to include the Town Hall and in 2001 to include Center School. The Hopkinton Supply Company Building on Main St., located slightly west of the district, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Former factory worker housing in the center of town, contrasted against the more rural areas surrounding it, are visual reminders of Hopkinton's past. In 2005, the town established a second historic district…

Geography

Hopkinton is in the southwestern corner of Middlesex County in eastern Massachusetts, east of Worcester, west of Boston, and from New York City. It is bordered by six towns: *North = Southborough *Northeast = Ashland *Southeast = Holliston *South = Milford *Southwest = Upton *Northwest = Westborough All but Ashland and Holliston are in neighboring Worcester County. Hopkinton village is in the center of town, at the intersection of Main Street (Massachusetts Route 135) with Cedar Street/Grove Street (Massachusetts Route 85). The neighborhood of Woodville is in the western part of the town, along Route 135 at the north end of Whitehall Reservoir. Hopkinton State Park is in the northern part of the town, extending northeast into Ashland. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which are land and , or 5.85%, are water. Besides Whitehall Reservoir, notable water bodies include Hopkinton Reservoir in the north, in Hopkinton State Park, and North Pond and Echo Lake in the south. Whitehall Reservoir and Hopkinton Reservoir drain north to the Sudbury River, part of the Concord River watershed leading to the Merrimack River. North Pond, in the southwestern part of town, forms the headwaters of the Mill River, which flows south to join the Blackstone River in Rhode Island. Echo Lake, in the southeastern part of town, is at the headwaters of the Charles River, which flows east to Boston Harbor.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  37,127
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  36,141
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  33,720
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  33,200
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  32,654
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  28,061
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  27,782
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  27,140

Most recent

• M 3.6 — 2020-11-08
  10 km S of Bliss Corner, Massachusetts
• M 2.7 — 2018-02-15
  0 km SE of East Kingston, New Hampshire
• M 2.6 — 2015-01-13
  2 km E of Wauregan, Connecticut
• M 3.3 — 2015-01-12
  0 km NE of Wauregan, Connecticut
• M 2.5 — 2007-10-19
  2 km WSW of Littleton Common, Massachusetts
• M 2.5 — 2005-11-17
  4 km S of Plymouth, Massachusetts