About the Museum
In the center of the Hopkinton Village is a charming, Victorian house on the Village Green. The land upon which this house sits was deeded to Samuel Wilson from Roswell Hopkins himself, founder of the Town of Hopkinton, on January 20, 1817, and it was here that Samuel built his house and a small building which he used as a store. The property was later sold to Ebenezer Hurlburd and Zoraster Culver in 1827. In 1838 or 1839 Mr. Culver tore down the front house section, but the rear store portion was saved. This is where the Hopkinton Library is now located. Shortly thereafter, the current front section was built and it is here that the Hopkinton Museum welcomes people to visit and research the History of Hopkinton.
Through the next 150 years, the property was sold a number of times. One of the most noteworthy owners was Fred Leroy Trask, a butter and cheesemaker who ran the Lyd Brook Creamery in a small building which stood behind where Miller Farms Adirondack Market is today, and his wife, Hattie May Kimpton. Fred and Hattie, along with their children LeRoy and Ruth, lived on the property from the turn of the 20th Century up until 1946, with Fred being listed as the owner when Carlton Sanford’s History of Hopkinton was written in 1902. Therefore, the property has often been referred to as “The Trask House”.
After the property was sold by the Trasks, Charlie and Margaret Perry raised their family here. Charlie was a milk truck driver and Margaret was related to the very earliest settlers of Hopkinton. After the Perrys, it was owned by Gene Rawson and it was during this time that the building suffered a fire and had some remodeling, changing the layout a bit from the home’s earlier years.
Five views of the Trask House, ca. 1903, 1910-1920, 2017 and today.
In 2017, thanks to the efforts of the Town Supervisor, Sue Wood, and with support from the Board, the town was able to receive a grant in order to fix the foundation and return this historic landmark to its former glory. Along with help and additional funding from the Hopkinton Historical Group, the town was able to commence a construction project to repair and bolster the foundation, replace the rusted and worn tin roof, and add all new siding and trim around the home’s exterior to return the scheme of the house back to its original colors from the early 1900s and bring the home back to its former glory. Under the expert guidance and supervision of the Historical Group’s Town Liaison Greg Crump, Duane Black, the owner of Duane’s Construction out of North Lawrence, and his crew expertly handled these tasks, along with several projects around the building, resulting in the truly breath-taking sight that can now be enjoyed and appreciated right in the center of town.
About the Hopkinton Historical Group
In 1976, the Hopkinton Historical Group was formed under the guidance of Sarah Beecher Powers, the Town Historian. Since this time, the Group, along with support from the local communities, has held events such as the Annual Pancake Breakfast, Holly Berry Craft Sale, a Children’s Christmas Party, and countless others.
In 1985 the Hopkinton Historical Group and the Hopkinton Town Board bought what is now the Hopkinton Historical Museum with a grant from “America the Beautiful”. Over the last twenty years, the Group has made many “updates” to make the house as close to what an 1850 house might have been like as possible. The Museum currently includes exhibits on early home life, the local military history, and Sara’s Store (a general store exhibit) along with an early classroom and an extensive collection of items, heirlooms and other treasures connected to Hopkinton’s history.
Highlights include a tea set, furniture and other things which belonged to the town’s founder, Roswell Hopkins, and his family; a small steamer trunk brought to Hopkinton from Vermont in 1817 by the Chittenden Family; a Chickering Piano donated by Carol Cutter, some lovely old linen table cloths, and many other items too numerous to mention. The Hopkinton Historical Group and Museum is constantly adding to their collection and updating exhibits and displays.
The Museum is also the perfect place to go to research your family’s history and genealogy. You can explore local family history books, old ledgers, letters, manuscripts, family pictures and albums, and other items related to the history of Hopkinton, or simply ask a member of the Hopkinton Historical Group who would be happy to provide insight and advice on how to begin or further your family history research.
About the Newsletter
Cover page for the Fall 2017 Hopkinton Newsletter.
Since 2005, the Hopkinton Historical Group has also published a newsletter entitled, Hopkinton: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. The newsletter is published twice each year, in the Spring and Fall, and consists entirely of anecdotes, stories, pictures, reports and other items detailing various portions of the history of Hopkinton, all contributed by Hopkinton residents and their descendants.
If you would like to contribute to an upcoming newsletter, purchase a current or past issue, or become a member of our mailing list, please contact:
Dale Burnett, Editor
315-328-4653
daleburnett1@yahoo.com
Additionally, you can find our newsletters available for sale at the following local businesses:
- Elliott’s Farm and Home Supply/Winthrop Agway Winthrop, NY
- Lamphere’s Market Hopkinton, NY
- Twin Pines/Lucas Motor Sports Nicholville, NY
- Any Olde Thing Antiques Fort Jackson, NY
- Mallard Bay Enterprises Lake Ozonia, NY
- Parishville Town Clerk’s Office Parishville, NY
- Hopkinton Town Clerk’s Office Hopkinton, NY
Upcoming Events
This year, the Hopkinton Historical Group is looking to include a couple of really exciting events and opportunities:
- HHG Annual Pancake Breakfast (Saturday, April 7, 2018 from 8 AM to 12 PM at the Hopkinton Town Hall): This is one of the Hopkinton Historical Group’s longest running and most beloved events, dating back to the Group’s founding in the 1970s. Each year, we offer warm, freshly made pancakes, delicious sausage, hot coffee, milk, orange juice and/or tea, all for only $7 for adults (13 and older) and $5 for children ages 5-12! Plus, anyone over 90 or under 5 eats for free! Not to mention that we’ll also have some local maple producers on hand to share some of their fresh products as well. If you’re looking for an excellent meal with a great price that’s accompanied by some wonderful hometown service and conversation, look no further!
- Hopkinton-Fort Jackson Cemetery Tour (Saturday, June 16, 2018 at 2PM at the HFJ Cemetery): Local Hopkinton history buffs will give a tour of the Hopkinton-Fort Jackson Cemetery, featuring insights, facts and stories about the cemetery’s residents which include the town’s founder and early pioneers as well as veterans and other interesting and significant characters from our community’s history. Additionally, guidance on finding any relatives of yours that may be interred in the cemetery will be provided.
- Genealogy Open House (Saturday, July 21, 2018 from 12 PM to 3 PM at the Museum): Whether you are a seasoned family history veteran looking to break down a few brick walls, a beginner looking for a place to start or anywhere in between, this event is for you! Local genealogy experts will provide insights and advice into family history research as well as tips on organization and display. Additionally, researchers will personally comb through the extensive records and resources housed at the Museum along with online resources such as genealogy websites, cemetery transcriptions, local newspaper archives, and many more.
- Holly Berry Craft Sale (Saturday, November 17, 2018 from 10 AM to 3 PM at the Hopkinton Town Hall): This annual favorite features all kinds of local vendors, homemade crafts, baked goods, maple syrup products and much, much more! Plus, we’ll be selling some delicious homemade soups, sandwiches and pies to enjoy while you shop as well! With all of these great artisans and vendors, it’s the perfect place to get a head start on your Christmas Shopping! If you or someone you know sells local handmade crafts and goods and would like to reserve a table, send us a message! Otherwise, we hope to see you all there.
How to Join
Would you like to join the Hopkinton Historical Group? Simply stop by one of our meetings! We meet in the Museum the first Tuesday of each month, excepting January. Anyone and everyone is welcome! Dues are only $5 for the year and, no matter what your forte is, whether you enjoy local/family history, cooking, organization, cleaning, decorating, or whether you just want to spend some time with a friendly group of people and have some great conversation, this group is for you!
Hours of Operation
Our 2018 Summer Hours of Operation are currently TBA, but look for us to post them around late April or early May!
Contact Us
If you would like to hear more about what we do and how we do it, would like to become a member or get involved in some other way, would like to schedule a visit, have an inquiry about local history or genealogy, would like to contribute to one of our family history projects, or would like to make a donation, we want to hear from you! For this or any other information contact:
Michael G. Draper, President
Email (preferred): hopkintonhistoricalgroup@gmail.com
Phone: 315-769-5695