The Boston Athletic Association building next to the Boston Marathon start line has a long history in town. PHOTO/JERRY SPAR

The current generation recognizes 1 Ash Street as the local home to the Boston Athletic Association, organizer of the Boston Marathon. But this building, located at the intersection with East Main Street, about 50 feet from the Boston Marathon start line, has a long and storied history.

In 1875, 1 Ash Street was constructed to be a four-room school. At the time, Hopkinton had four small schools.

There was Hayden Rowe School, a two-room school that became Grange Hall and now is the Hopkinton Historical Society building.

Next was a two-room school off Wood Street in Woodville that now houses the Woodville Rod & Gun Club.

Then there was a school at the corner of Pond Street and School Street. That building became a community center for the neighborhood before being razed in the 1960s.

Last was a two-room school in front of where the Center School building now stands, at 11 Ash Street. This building was razed when the larger Center School was constructed, around 1928.

After Center School was built, 1 Ash Street — which had two classrooms on the first floor and two on the second floor — was gutted to make one large space that became the town gymnasium. It was used to host all of the Hopkinton schools’ home basketball games.

In 1955, when I was in eighth grade, I played junior high school basketball there.

In 1956, the gym was closed, as all basketball games were played in the new Junior/Senior High School gym. Within a couple of years, the building at 1 Ash was sold, to be used as offices. An addition was built on the east side, the second floor was reinstalled, and the whole building was divided into office space.

In 1995, the Boston Athletic Association, organizer of the Boston Marathon, started leasing space the building. The following year, the BAA moved its local offices from the old Hopkinton High School building on Main Street to 1 Ash. In 2016, the BAA purchased the building. [Editor’s note: This has been updated to correct that the BAA leased rather than bought the building in 1995.]

In 2025, the whole building was renovated to make a marathon museum on the first floor, where the gym had been. While the renovation was underway, more of the old gym floor was discovered, mostly intact, after being covered over for about 70 years. There were plans to repair the court and use it for the museum floor.

In the last 150 years, the building has had many uses, and it remains a great-looking building. With the Boston Marathon starting line just steps away, there could not be a better use for it.