Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, west of Boston. The town is notable as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, held annually on Patriots' Day each April, and as the headquarters for the Dell EMC corporation. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 18,758, a population growth rate faster than any other municipality in the commonwealth.
The U.S. Census recognizes the central village within the town as a census-designated place, with a population of 2,651 at the 2020 census. Hopkinton also includes the village of Woodville, which was established as a historic district in 2005.
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 in the village of Woodville. The Woodville Historic District Commission was formed the same year. Ninety-seven properties are included within this district. The village of Woodville has retained its distinctive village atmosphere and strong architectural connection to Hopkinton's industrial development and growth from the mid-to-late 19th century. The area was an early cotton clothmaking center and the site of a major shoe factory. When Boston seized Lake Whitehall for its water supply in 1894, the factories along its shores were closed or moved to other sites, as they were considered sources of pollution. Remaining factories and other buildings were destroyed in a fire in 1909. In the 18th century, it was an agricultural area with a few farms scattered north of the much smaller Lake Whitehall and its accompanying cedar swamp, and was the site of a grist mill on Whitehall Brook as early as 1714.
Within or near the Miscoe-Warren-Whitehall Watersheds ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern), remains of large pits have been found. The pits were lined with bark by the Native Americans and used to store corn over the winter months.
At one time, it was believed that the waters flowing from the large swamp south of Pond St., under Pond St. and into Lake Whitehall contained magical healing powers. As a result, the area quickly was built up as a resort area. Visitors came by stagecoach to the Hopkinton Hotel, which was located between Pond St. and the lake. The mineral baths and their powers lured the visitors to the area. The baths can still be viewed by the edge of the stream that drains from the swamp. Within the ACEC area are also two beehive shaped stone structures, about tall. Their origin and use are unknown.
Hopkinton gains national attention once a year in April as it hosts the start of the Boston Marathon, a role the town has enjoyed since 1924. The town takes pride in its hospitality as runners from all over the world gather in Hopkinton to begin the run to Boston. It is also a sister city of Marathon, Greece.
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.
Climate The climate in Hopkinton tends to be hot and humid during the summer, with daily high temperatures averaging in the 80s. Temperatures in the 90s are also known to occur between June and August as high-pressure air masses push in from the south. Winters are typical of areas inland and west of Boston. Snowfall averages around 45" but can vary tremendously from season to season.
The warmest month of the year is July, with an average minimum and maximum temperature of and respectively. The coldest month of the year is January, with an average minimum and maximum temperature of respectively.
Diurnal temperature variations tend to be fairly limited during summer, with a difference that can reach , and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of .
The annual average precipitation at Hopkinton is . Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is November, with an average rainfall of . Normal temperature in January (max/min average)Normal temperature in July (max/min average)Normal annual precipitationU.S.G.S., National Climatic Data Center (Framingham Station)
Demographics
According to an estimate by the UMass Donahue Institute, between the 2010 census and 2020 census, Hopkinton was the fastest-growing community in Greater Boston.
As of the census of 2010, there were 14,925 people, 4,957 households, and 3,978 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 5,128 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 93.1% White, 0.8% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 4.4% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.8% of the population.
There were 4,957 households, out of which 48.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.5% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.7% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.38.
Population was well-distributed by age, with 33.6% under the age of 20, 3.4% from 20 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 33.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.
As of 2000, the median income for a household in the town was $89,281, and the median income for a family was $102,550. Males had a median income of $71,207 versus $42,360 for females. The per capita income for the town was $41,469. About 1.3% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government Since its incorporation in 1715, Hopkinton has retained its original Open Town Meeting form of government. The town's day-to-day affairs had been directly overseen by an elected Board of Selectmen until 2007, when the Town's Charter Commission created a Town Manager position with more discretion, although the Town Manager still reports to the Board of Selectmen.
Annual Town Meeting Hopkinton's Annual Town Meeting begins on the first Saturday in May, hosted at the Hopkinton Middle School or High School. The meeting only begins when a quorum is formed, with 1% of registered Hopkinton voters in attendance. It continues on consecutive evenings, usually three nights in total, until all articles in the Town Meeting Warrant have been voted upon.
Warrant The Town Meeting Warrant is a document composed of the articles to be voted upon. Any elected or appointed board, committee, or town officer, or ten petitioning voters, may request that an article be included on the warrant. Each article to be voted upon is directed by the Select Board to an appropriate board or committee to hear and provide the original motion at Town Meeting. All articles which require expending of funds are directed to the Finance Committee; articles dealing with planning and zoning to the Planning Board; articles relating to by-laws to the By-Law Committee, and so forth.
Annual Town Election Hopkinton Annual Town Election is held on the third Monday in May. Polls are open 7:00am–8:00pm. All Hopkinton precincts vote at the Hopkinton Middle School.
County government Massachusetts has 14 counties which were regional administrative districts before the Revolutionary War.League of Women Voters In 1997, the county governments of Middlesex, Berkshire, Essex, Hampden and Worcester were abolished. Many of their functions were turned over to state agencies.
Its county seats are Cambridge and Lowell.
+ County government: Middlesex County Clerk of Courts: Michael A. Sullivan (D) District Attorney: Marian T. Ryan (D) Register of Deeds: Maria C. Curtatone (D) Register of Probate: Tara E. DeCristofaro (D) County Sheriff: Peter Koutoujian (D) State government State Representative(s): James Arena-DeRosa (D) State Senator(s): Karen E. Spilka (D) Governor's Councilor(s): Vacant Federal government U.S. Representative(s): Jim McGovern(D-2nd District) U.S. Senators: Elizabeth Warren (D), Ed Markey (D)
Library The Hopkinton Public Library was founded in 1867. It has been located in the heart of downtown, just steps away from the Town Common, since 1895. Until 1955, bequests were the only source of funding for the library. Since that time, the town government has been appropriating public funds for employee salaries, cost of cleaning the Library, utilities and assistance with the purchase of books. The library is now funded through various sources that include the Town Government, The McGovern Trust Fund, Annual State Aid and Friends of the Library.