Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.

Trails Club walk will cover history of area around Lake Maspenock

The original Old Town Road, which is located east of the current Old Town Road, can be identified by stone walls that mark its path.

A special guided trail tour organized by the Hopkinton Trails Club will explore the history of a historic, discontinued road in town.

On Saturday, Sept. 20, members of the Trails Club, guided by Hopkinton resident and researcher Dave Cormier, will walk along Old Town Road exploring multiple historic sites. “This ancient path on the hillside east of Lake Maspenock has stone walls, cellar holes and acres of forest,” the Trails Club website explains.

According to Cormier, the walk will take less than two hours. “I’ll hit a half dozen historical sites that I know about along the way and a few I’m not sure when they were built,” he stated in an email.

Areas Cormier noted he may discuss during the hike are Littlefield’s Saw Mill/Lead Pipe Factory, multiple farmsteads from the 18th and 19th centuries, a location known as The Wawbeek Club that operated from the 1920s until the 1950s, and some natural springs. Cormier has created a map through Google that lists other historic sites around Lake Maspenock and some information about them.

“The goal is to really just educate people about these historic places and the Lake Maspenock area in general,” Cormier stated.

Old Town Road is a significant part of Hopkinton’s history. According to an article Cormier wrote, it was the original roadway settlers used between the towns of Mendon and Hopkinton. It appears it was named Old Town Road in 1732 when what is now South Street was laid out parallel to it.

The land that Old Town Road sits on was zoned to “make it favorable for an influential corporate buyer to acquire the property” in 1999. The town voted to discontinue the road that same year.

As Cormier wrote in his 2021 article, “The entire eastern watershed of Lake Maspenock and all these historical sites and the road are owned by Texas-based Dell, which has not responded to inquiries about possible conservation.” He previously advocated to the Hopkinton Historical Commission to get support in preserving the land.

— NICK SCHOFIELD

Latest News

Nearby towns joined crews from the Hopkinton Fire Department to battle a two-alarm fire in a Hopkinton commercial building Sunday afternoon.

The School Committee on Thursday caught up on budgeting matters and approved a lease for central office space.

Superintendent Evan Bishop outlined his goals for his first year on the job during Thursday’s School Committee meeting.

The Hopkinton High School boys soccer team faced off against Holliston on Thursday, and we have photos.

Town meetings tonight include the Sustainable Green Committee (6), the Board of Health (6) and the Planning Board (7).

Photo of the Day

Rep. James Arena DeRosa (second from left) poses for a photo with members of the PolyArts subcommittee, including (from left) Jennifer Blake, Trish Kozub, Mary Pawela and Marie Smith. Rep. DeRosa presented the subcommittee a citation from the commonwealth recognizing the festival’s 50th anniversary.

PHOTO./JOHN CARDILLO