The village of HOPKINTON (town pop. 2823), 32.6 m., is the administrative center of Hopkinton Township, which was taken from Westerly and incorporated in 1757. It was named in honor of Governor Stephen Hopkins, who presented the town with record books and a case to hold them. Hopkinton is chiefly an agricultural town, though several factories utilize the water-power of the Wood and Pawcatuck Rivers and their tributaries.

It was originally planned to have the governmental center to the south in the Tomaquag Valley, through which ran the highway between southern Connecticut and Newport, but a turnpike connecting New London and Providence was cut through Hopkinton City in 1815; the later introduction of railroad and steamboats further diverted travel to Hopkinton City, as the village was formerly called.

A sensation was produced in Hopkinton City about 1796 when news was circulated that a gentleman and lady from the Island would soon arrive on a visit in a chaise, a vehicle unknown here at the time. People flocked from far and near to see the wonder when it arrived, climbing into it, drawing it about, and asking all manner of questions concerning it. Fifty years later, Hopkinton City became a carriage and sleigh manufacturing center.

At one time an old woman lived here who, it was firmly believed, was a witch; legend said that she could ride a smooth-shod horse over ice at full speed. One day, when she came to the house of Thomas Porter to ask for work, one of the Porter children, Stephen, urged on by an older child who had heard the whispers about her, thrust an awl up through the old woman's chair; she did not move. After that no one doubted the tales of her supernatural powers. She finally died, and, when her daughter refused all assistance in preparing the body for the grave, the neighbors triumphantly supplied an explanation for the act. When one of the villagers had been shooting heath hens on the previous day, he had been unable to bring down one bird, though he had shot at it repeatedly; believing it to be bewitched he had substituted a silver button from his coat for a bullet. The bird had dropped, though he had been unable to find the body. This bird, said the villagers, was really Granny Mott, and the daughter did not dare allow them to see the body lest they know the truth.

The Abram Utter House (R), built in the early part of the 18th century, is a small one-and-a-half-story white frame house with a gable roof, dormer windows, stone chimney, and a one-story wing.

One of the first cabinet-makers in this town was Abram Utter, who plied his trade in the village until his death in 1815. Products of his craftsmanship, seen in many houses in Westerly, were fabricated in the old hat factory that was for many years one of the village's most important industries.

The Thurston House (L), called the Thurston Mansion House in old deeds, was built by General George Thurston about 1762, with a later addition that was used as a store. After the General died, the store was carried on by his son Jeremiah, Lieutenant-Governor of the State 1816-17; and the latter was succeeded as storekeeper by his son. Benjamin, Lieutenant-Governor 1837-38. The old house is now in possession of the heirs of Edwin R. Allen, Lieutenant-Governor 1894-97. It is a two-story gray frame structure with green trim, small window-panes, central brick chimney and gable roof, and the store end contains the old box stove formerly used for heating, an old safe, and the original iron rails around the counter.

Opposite the Thurston House (R) is the Site of the Spicer Tavern. Joseph Spicer, a saddler, established himself here about 1792 and built a shop on the site where a Shell gas station now stands. There were no horse-drawn wagons in the country towns of that early date, and most of the work done by Spicer consisted of bridle and pillion making. As the roads improved and horse-drawn vehicles became more numerous, harness making was added to his line. In 1806, he purchased the tavern, which became a popular gathering place, also served as a relay post on the New London to Providence turnpike, and sometimes more than 60 horses were stabled here. The old tavern was destroyed by fire in 1888.

The Second Hopkinton Seventh Day Baptist Church (L), at the southern edge of the village, is owned by a society organized in 1835. The Union Meeting-House, built about 1789 on a near-by site, was in 1826 or 1827 moved here and enlarged. The town aided in the transfer and the improvements on condition that it should have the use of the building for town meetings. The arrangement continued until i860, when the town built the present town hall across the street from the church.

Source: A Guide to the Smallest State, Federal Writers' Project, 1937, Transcribed by C. Anthony.