HOPEDALE, MASS. - In the small town of Hopedale, Massachusetts, population 5,966 (2018), stood the Draper Mill since the mid 1800s. A large industrial mill stood as center of town life for many years long after the industrial revolution era. In the historical sense, Hopedale will always be considered one of the mill towns that made up the Blackstone Valley region. But as of the later part of 2020 and throughout 2021, the mill is no longer standing. Mills of this grandiose stature are great for historical purposes, but after remaining vacant since the early 1980s, progress has taken over, time has come for this long vacant mill to be erased from living history. Enjoy this aerial flight around the Hopedale and the Draper Mill as it transitions through the demolition process, changing the landscape of this quaint small New England town forever. Hopedale was incorporated in 1886 when it separated from Milford. The quaint small town life of this once utopian town, circled around the Draper Mill. In 1967, ownership of the mill changed and the Draper Company was acquired by Rockwell International, ultimately closing down in 1980.
Some notable people who once called Hopedale home are Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, who at one time worked at the Draper Mill and comedian Dana Gould.
