Situated at the heart of the Blackstone Valley, Hopedale – like many of its neighboring villages – was at one time occupied almost entirely by mill workers and their families. Typical of 19th-century mill towns, the village’s public buildings were designed to foster a shared sense of civic pride and unity, as reflected in their proximity to the mill and their stylistic cohesiveness. Bancroft Memorial Library is among the most striking buildings in Hopedale. Built in 1896 with funds donated by one of the local mill’s high-ranking managers, it is church-like in plan, standing testament to the community’s shared emphasis on learning and heritage.

 

In 2019, the Town of Hopedale engaged our firm to prepare a comprehensive assessment of the library’s building envelope, with specific concerns about the aging slate roof. With the report in hand, we assisted the Town in acquiring a generous grant from the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund, which has partially funded the recently completed roof replacement project wherein selective areas of deficient slate were be replaced. Additionally, all copper flashings, gutters, and downspouts were replaced with carefully fabricated reproductions.