Hopkinton, Ma.

Hopkinton, Ma.

Also known as H-town, Hoe-town, and Hop-town by the local youths, Hopkinton is a quiet suburb about 20 minutes outside of Boston. Predominantly made up of affluent and middle class Caucasians, the population is recorded to be around 13,346.

Once a small farming community, Hopkinton still holds much of its rural charm. If you have any intention if visiting, you better have a friend that you can stay with because there’s not even a motel in this quaint, suburban town. Changes are slowly being made, however, such as the addition of a Dunkin’ Donuts® and a Subway® built off the sides of two rebellious gas stations. Other than that, the town officials try their best to preserve Hopkinton’s country feel.

As far as tourist attractions go, there is not much to gawk at. Generally, the inhabitants bustle about their daily routines with nothing particularly exciting happening except for the frequent flow of gossip that everyone passes on.

There are only two times of the year when the whole town comes out and mingles about on the common: once in September for “Pollyarts” and once in April for the Boston Marathon. Both are traditions that have been going on for decades.

Pollyarts is an annual craft show where various creative locals set up booths of homemade jewelry, quilts, snacks, etc. and sell them. The biggest hits at this festival are the bean bag table and the fresh honey stand. All the children beg their parents for a bean bag animal made from a pattern with their favorite sport or hobby on it. As for the adults, they all line up to get their share of the delicious honey. While their parents examine the various sized jars and bee wax candles, the kids can watch the honeybees busy at work in the portable hive that the town beekeeper has brought for the youngsters enjoyment.

After shopping, the town’s people can grab lunch at the hot dog stand or stroll over to get a treat at the van selling fried dough and cotton candy. Entertainment is provided by Patricia Brosnihan’s in-town dance studio. All the young stars line up on the small wooden stage to show off their new moves. This event may not be overly thrilling, but for Hopkintonians it’s a nice, relaxing get-together that everyone can look foreword to from year to year.

The other major town event in Hopkinton is far more stressful for the town’s people. Hopkinton is the start of the Boston Marathon – a difficult 26 mile race through the various suburbs leading up to Boston. For this occasion, many weeks of preparation must go in to making sure the small town is ready for the plethora of people that will soon be carelessly trampling around. The starting line has to be painted, tents need to be posted to protect the runners from harsh weather conditions, and facilities need to be provided so the runners can use the bathroom, if needed, before the race.

On marathon day the streets are crowded with newscasters, town volunteers, and runners from across the globe. Healthy food and beverage stands cover the common and the middle school lawn. The middle school, at this point, has been turned in to what is called “Marathon Village.” Here, shuttle busses come and go, bringing runners and spectators around town since the roads are closed to all other vehicles. After the race, the whole town pitches in to help remove the trash and discarded clothing from the street. The trash is promptly taken away and all the extra clothes are quickly shipped off to local charities and shelters. All in all, the Boston Marathon is a very big deal for Hopkinton and is a very fun experience for spectators and runners alike.

Click Here to see pictures of how Hopkinton has changed over the years