Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is about 25 miles (40 km) west of Boston. The town is famous for two main things. It is the starting point of the Boston Marathon, a big race held every April. It is also where the company Dell EMC has its main offices.

In 2020, about 18,758 people lived in Hopkinton. The town also includes a smaller area called Woodville. Woodville became a special historic district in 2005.

History of Hopkinton

Hopkinton became an official town on December 13, 1715. It was named after an early settler named Edward Hopkins. He left a lot of money to Harvard University. The university used this money to buy 12,500 acres of land from the Native American people. They then named the area Hopkinton to honor him.

Early Industries and Changes

At first, farmers in Hopkinton grew a lot of grain. Later, they also started growing fruit and raising dairy cows. Farming was the main activity until the 1840s. Then, factories that made boots and shoes became very popular. By 1850, there were eleven shoe factories in Hopkinton.

However, these industries did not last. Fires in 1882 and factories moving to other places caused them to close.

Historic Places in Hopkinton

Hopkinton has many old buildings and areas that are important to its history. There are 215 properties listed in the State Register of Historic Places. Most of these, 187, are in the Cedar Swamp Archaeological District. This area is shared with Westborough. These properties are also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Hopkinton Center Historic District includes 23 properties. These are around the Town Common and on Main Street. This district was made bigger in 2000 to include the Town Hall. In 2001, it also included the Center School.

The Hopkinton Supply Company Building on Main Street is also listed. Old factory worker homes in the town center remind us of Hopkinton's past.

Woodville Village History

In 2005, Woodville village became a second historic district. It still looks like a unique village today. It shows how Hopkinton grew with industries in the mid-to-late 1800s. Woodville was once a center for making cotton cloth. It also had a big shoe factory.

In 1894, Boston took Lake Whitehall for its water supply. Factories along the lake had to close or move because they caused pollution. A fire in 1909 destroyed other remaining factories and buildings. Before that, in the 1700s, Woodville was mostly farmland. It had a grist mill on Whitehall Brook as early as 1714.

Ancient Discoveries and Local Legends

In the Miscoe-Warren-Whitehall Watersheds area, people have found large pits. Native Americans used to line these pits with bark. They stored corn in them during the winter months.

A long time ago, people believed that water from a large swamp near Pond Street had special healing powers. Because of this, the area became a resort. Visitors came by stagecoach to the Hopkinton Hotel. They wanted to try the mineral baths. You can still see where these baths were near the stream. There are also two beehive-shaped stone structures, about 6 feet (1.8 m) tall, in this area. No one knows for sure what they were used for.

Boston Marathon Start

Hopkinton gets worldwide attention every April. Since 1924, it has been the starting point of the annual Boston Marathon. The town is proud to welcome runners from all over the world. They gather in Hopkinton to begin the 26.2-mile (42.2 km) run to Boston. Hopkinton is also a sister city to Marathon, Greece.

Geography of Hopkinton

Hopkinton is in the southwestern part of Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It is about 17 miles (27 km) east of Worcester. It is also 26 miles (42 km) west of Boston.

Hopkinton shares borders with six other towns:

North: Southborough
Northeast: Ashland
Southeast: Holliston
South: Milford
Southwest: Upton
Northwest: Westborough

Most of these towns are in Worcester County, except for Ashland and Holliston.

Hopkinton village is in the center of town. It is where Main Street (Route 135) meets Cedar Street/Grove Street (Route 85). The Woodville neighborhood is in the western part of town, along Route 135. Hopkinton State Park is in the northern part of the town.

The town covers about 27.9 square miles (72.2 sq km). About 26.2 square miles (67.9 sq km) is land, and 1.6 square miles (4.1 sq km) is water. Important water bodies include Whitehall Reservoir and Hopkinton Reservoir. North Pond and Echo Lake are also notable. These water bodies flow into different rivers, like the Sudbury River, Mill River, and Charles River.

Climate in Hopkinton

Hopkinton has warm and humid summers. Daily high temperatures are usually in the 80s °F (27-32 °C). Sometimes, temperatures can reach the 90s °F (32-37 °C) between June and August. Winters are typical for areas inland from Boston. Snowfall averages around 45 inches (114 cm) each year, but this can change a lot.

The warmest month is July, with average temperatures from 65 °F (18 °C) to 84 °F (29 °C). January is the coldest month, with average temperatures from 20 °F (-7 °C) to 40 °F (4 °C).

Rainfall is spread out fairly evenly throughout the year. November is usually the wettest month.

Normal temperature in January (max/min average)	25.5 °F (−3.6 °C)
Normal temperature in July (max/min average)	74.5 °F (23.6 °C)
Normal annual precipitation	44.9 inches (1,140 mm)

Population and People

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1850	2,801	—
1860	4,340	+54.9%
1870	4,419	+1.8%
1880	4,601	+4.1%
1890	4,088	−11.1%
1900	2,623	−35.8%
1910	2,452	−6.5%
1920	2,289	−6.6%
1930	2,563	+12.0%
1940	2,697	+5.2%
1950	3,486	+29.3%
1960	4,932	+41.5%
1970	5,981	+21.3%
1980	7,114	+18.9%
1990	9,191	+29.2%
2000	13,346	+45.2%
2010	14,925	+11.8%
2020	18,758	+25.7%
2023	19,540	+4.2%
* = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.

Between 2010 and 2020, Hopkinton was one of the fastest-growing communities in the Greater Boston area.

In 2010, there were 14,925 people living in Hopkinton. About 48.1% of households had children under 18. Most households (70.5%) were married couples. The average household had about 3 people.

The population has a good mix of ages. About 33.6% of people were under 20 years old. The median age was 40.3 years.

Hopkinton Public Library

The Hopkinton Public Library started in 1867. It has been in the center of downtown since 1895. For many years, the library got money only from gifts. Now, the town government also helps pay for things like staff salaries and books.

The Young Men's Christian Association first set up the library. The current building was built in 1895 with money from local people. The second floor, which was once a lecture hall, is now a children's room. A special stained glass window in the reading room shows a fountain and an open book. It says, "The fountain of wisdom flows through books."

In 2010, the library became part of the town government. In 2016, the library moved to a temporary spot for renovations. The historic building reopened in October 2017 after a big update.

Education in Hopkinton

Hopkinton has a public school system for students from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade.

Kindergarten and first graders go to Marathon Elementary School.
Grades 2 and 3 attend Elmwood School.
Grades 4 and 5 attend Hopkins School.
Grades 6 through 8 attend Hopkinton Middle School.
Grades 9 through 12 attend Hopkinton High School.

There is also a preschool at Marathon Elementary School.

Since 2014, all kindergarten students can attend full-day kindergarten for free. The public schools do not teach foreign languages before Grade 7.

A new school, Marathon Elementary School, opened in 2018. It serves Preschool, Kindergarten, and Grade 1. It is located on Route 85.

The sports teams at Hopkinton High are called the Hopkinton Hillers. Their mascot is the Hiller "H". The school colors are green and white, with orange as a secondary color.

Economy and Business

Hopkinton is home to the main offices of Dell EMC. This company makes software and systems for managing and storing information. Dell EMC is very important to the town. It pays a lot in taxes and helps support the town's schools and fun activities.

On September 7, 2016, Dell and EMC joined together to become Dell EMC.

Transportation

Hopkinton is about 26 miles (42 km) west of Boston. Interstate Route 495 goes through the town. This highway connects Hopkinton to other towns and the airport.

Major Roads

Hopkinton has two major interstate highways and two state highways.

Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) runs east/west. It is the longest interstate highway in the United States.
Interstate 495 runs north/south.
State Route 135 runs east/west.
State Route 85 runs north/south.

These highways make it easy to travel to places like Boston and Worcester.

Public Transportation

Hopkinton does not have its own passenger or freight train service. However, the Southborough MBTA Station is very close. It is on the border of Hopkinton and Southborough. From this station, you can take a commuter train to Boston. The trip to Boston's Back Bay Station takes about 50 minutes.

You can also find train service to Boston and New York from nearby Framingham.

For bus service, Hopkinton is part of the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority. This group provides local bus service to several towns. You can also catch buses from Framingham to Worcester and Boston.

Air Travel

Logan International Airport in Boston is easy to reach from Framingham. A bus service called Logan Express takes people directly to the airport terminals.

Worcester Regional Airport is also nearby. It has scheduled flights and two runways.

Media

Newspapers and Online News

Hopkinton has two local newspapers: The Hopkinton Independent and The Hopkinton Crier. There are also three online news sites: HCAM, Hopkinton Patch, and HopNews. Larger newspapers like The Boston Globe and The MetroWest Daily News also serve the town.

Television

Hopkinton has a local TV network called HCAM. It has two channels:

HCAM-TV: This channel is available in most homes with cable TV. It shows family-friendly programs and local events. You can find it on Comcast channel 8 and Verizon channel 30.
HCAM-ED: This is a sister channel to HCAM-TV. It is on Comcast channel 96 and Verizon channel 31. The HCAM website also shares news and photos every day.

Fun Places to Visit

Hopkinton State Park: This park is on Route 85. It was created after the Hopkinton Reservoir was no longer used for drinking water. It's a great place for outdoor activities.
Whitehall State Park: Located on Route 135, this park was also created from a reservoir. It became a state park in 1947.

Awards and Recognition

Hopkinton has received several awards and recognitions:

2020: Hopkinton Public Schools were ranked #15 out of all 412 public school districts in Massachusetts.
2014: Hopkinton was named one of the '50 Safest Cities in Massachusetts'.
2009: Money magazine ranked Hopkinton as the 19th best place to live.

Culture

Since 1924, Hopkinton has been known worldwide as the starting point of the annual Boston Marathon. The Boston Athletic Association chose to move the start line here from Ashland, MA.

Sister City

Marathon, Greece

Places of Worship

Hopkinton has several places of worship for different faiths:

Community Covenant Church
Faith Community Church of Hopkinton
Islamic Masumeen Center
Korean Presbyterian Church
The Sanctuary at Woodville (formerly Woodville Baptist Church)
St John the Evangelist
St Paul's Episcopal Church
Vineyard Church of Hopkinton

Famous People from Hopkinton

Many interesting people have connections to Hopkinton:

Military Leaders

Michael Joseph Lenihan (1865–1958): A United States Army general during World War I.
Frank Merrill (1903–1955): A United States Army general during World War II.
Daniel Shays (1747–1825): A soldier and farmer who led Shays' Rebellion. A street in Hopkinton is named after him.

Religious Figures

Edward L. Hearn (1865–1945): The fifth Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus.
Levi Richards (1799–1876): A religious leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.
Willard Richards (1804–1854): Another religious leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.
Joseph Young (1797–1881): A missionary in the Latter Day Saint movement and brother of Brigham Young.

Sports Stars

Keegan Bradley (born 1986): A professional golfer.
George V. Brown (1880–1937): A sports organizer and the Boston Marathon's starter for 30 years. He is in the hockey hall of fame.
Walter A. Brown (1905–1964): The founder of the Boston Celtics basketball team. He is in both the basketball and hockey halls of fame.
Jon Curran (born 1987): A professional golfer.
Sean Farrell (born 2001): An ice hockey player.
Justin Harney (born 1977): An ice hockey player.
Toss Kelly (1862–1924): A professional baseball umpire.
Jane Welzel (1955-2014): A pioneering long-distance runner.
Josh Sokol (born 1997): A professional football player.

Other Notable People

Susannah Valentine Aldrich (1828–1905): An author and hymnwriter.
Richard Egan (1936–2009): The founder of EMC Corporation and a former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.
Richard Potter (1783–1835): A famous magician, hypnotist, and ventriloquist.

Historic Homes and Buildings

Historical Commission

Hopkinton has a historical commission. This group works to protect and develop the town's historical and archaeological sites. They do research and help with projects to preserve these important places.

National Register of Historic Places

Hopkinton has two properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

Cedar Swamp Archeological District: This area is restricted. It was listed on May 23, 1988.
Hopkinton Supply Company Building: Located at 26-28 Main Street. It was listed on March 10, 1983.

Hopkinton, Massachusetts facts for kids

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