The Hopkinton Historical Commission approved a motion Tuesday night to encourage the relocation of a proposed plaque honoring enslaved Hopkinton residents from the Town Common to the Hughes/Colella properties on Hayden Rowe Street.
“I think that’s a good location,” said commission chair Michael Roughan, leading off the discussion. “I think it would get more attention, more focus [there].”
Roughan cited an overabundance of signage on Town Common as one of the factors influencing his thoughts on relocating the sign.
“The Common is high profile, but I don’t know exactly where they would put it, and there’s so much other signage on the Town Common,” he said. “You’re diluting the message, I think.”
Linda Connelly of the Hopkinton Historical Commission has been working for the last 20 years to uncover the names and lives of African-American slaves from the town’s founding through the 1800s. She has a list of 32 enslaved persons known to have lived in town, backed with historical sources. These names would be featured on the proposed plaque, along with a message of remembrance.
The design for the plaque recently received approval from the Historic District Commission. During that meeting, questions regarding the location were brought up as well. Connelly has met with the Parks & Recreation Commission previously to discuss installing the plaque at the Common.
The Historical Commission initially was split on the relocation proposal. Member Eric Sonnett echoed Roughan’s sentiments, saying the Hughes/Colella property would “be a great place” for the sign.
Member Brian Colella spoke to the appropriateness of Hayden Rowe as a location for the plaque. According to historical research, the Hughes/Colella property was once home to Hayden Rowe Hall, a former church, firehouse and meetinghouse where anti-slavery activities took place.
Records also show that abolitionist Frederick Douglass spoke at Hayden Rowe Hall as part of a Massachusetts Antislavery Society event in 1842.
Member Scott Knous worried about the plaque losing its significance if placed amongst a number of other historical markers at the property.
“It feels a little bit like we’re dumping signage in an area,” said Knous.
The Hughes/Colella property is set to host additional historic markers that describe the importance of the land to subsistence farmers and the town’s shoemaking industry. These signs also would highlight the role of indigenous people in Hopkinton.
Roughan suggested the sign honoring Hopkinton’s enslaved residents could be placed near the parking area “as prominently as possible near where the hall was.” This would help it stand out from the other signage, he argued.
After further discussion, the commission voted to approve encouraging the sign be moved to the Hughes/Colella property. Roughan will draft a letter to Connelly and the Historical Society with the commission’s recommendations as an advisory body.
Commission to advocate for McFarland-Sanger House sale
The commission voted to allow Roughan to begin the process of advocating for the sale of the McFarland-Sanger House to the Select Board.
“We have had a request by an interested buyer,” Roughan informed the commission. He did not reveal the buyer’s name but indicated their interest was sufficient enough to begin pushing for the sale.
The McFarland-Sanger house is owned by the town and controlled by the Select Board. It reportedly is one of the oldest properties in town, and it has been difficult to sell due to significant infrastructural issues.
The Community Preservation Committee voted to end funding for the house in December, putting repair costs back to the town.
Commission members discussed the sale briefly, concerned about maintaining the historical significance of the building’s edifice.
“What I’m proposing — and I’ve already talked to the proposed buyer — is that we would set up a deed restriction,” said Roughan. This restriction would mirror one placed on 151 Hayden Rowe Street, he claimed.
Members voted unanimously to allow Roughan to initiate discussion of the sale with the Select Board.
As much as I appreciate Linda Connelly’s efforts here, a plaque just isn’t enough to recognize and commemorate the sacrifices these 32 human beings gave to aid in the development of this community and nation as a whole. I said it before and will say it again, if you’re going to honor a historical event or figures tied to it, do it at the highest level possible. I’m sure the Hoyt family are more than thrilled with the statute at the Center School and the descendents of the 32 slaves would be happy to know the efforts put forth against the unspeakable atrocities they faced were being honored with dignity. We’d do it for a runner. Let’s do better Hopkinton!
Might you have a suggestion for a more impactful project? I feel there is power in its subtlety, larger and more dominating would seem appropriate to me. The enslaved people were “invisible” and 275 years later we would like to acknowledge them by sharing their names with the community for now and well into the future. Because of dearth of records relating to them, unfortunately this is the best we can do in terms of personal information. It’s just making a simple point, these individuals did in fact exist in our town and we need to shed some light and begin a discussion about it.
I meant to say “not” appropriate if it were larger and dominating.
I attended the Historic District Commission where this was discussed and remember clearly the Chair saying that it was not the design they were voting on, rather it was the location. The Historic District Commission took a vote & agreed to its placement on the town common. There really is no reason to put in on the Hughes/Colella property, unless the message is “yes, enslaved people lived in Hopkinton, but look, later some of us organized to try & stop the practice.” There is a monument on the Common to those early colonists who settled the town, it would be a more accurate narrative to include the names of the enslaved many of whom were the “property” of the founders and who likely did the physical work.
This plaque belongs on our town common. No small plaque either. There’s room on the common for sure. This is part of our town’s history. Thank you Linda for your years of hard work.