Downtown Walpole’s Industrial Origin
Former Kendall Mills, now Walpole Business Center
14 April 2024
Walpole was first settled in 1659 and officially established as a town in 1724 when a group of residents petitioned the Town of Dedham (of which Walpole was originally a part) for its independence. The origin of the Walpole Town Common (or Town Green as it is sometimes called) can be traced back to 1739 when the property was owned by one of the town’s sawmill owners and earliest settlers, Thomas Clap. He built a meeting house on this land that would be used for a variety of purposes including a place of worship. Upon his death, Clap willed the meeting house to the community as long as the town maintained and improved the property and did not build any new buildings. The nearby Neponset River was integral to the industrialization and growth of Walpole, but the origin of the town green ensured that this section of downtown was to remain green and open.
Anecdotal information about the history of Walpole states that the first tavern in Walpole was in downtown on West Street (originally called Wrentham Road) near the train station. It was called the Brass Ball Tavern and owned by Ezekiel Robbins who erected a stone marker in front. The marker still exists today, relocated in front of the Old Town Hall on Main Street. The engravement on the marker reads: “20 MILES TO BOSTON 1740”. The tavern survived for 80 years. Main Street was the first “highway” through Walpole, serving as the primary stagecoach route between Boston and Providence. No doubt the Brass Ball Tavern catered to those traveling this route and contributed to the growth of downtown.
Industries have been part of the make-up of downtown Walpole for several centuries. Factories and grist mills resided along the Neponset River. These industries produced an array of products and by-products including cotton, carpet, medical supplies, diapers and bandages. Many locals still refer to the large industrial site bounded by Elm Street, West Street, and the railroad tracks as the Kendall building. As the prominent tenant and the town’s primary employer from 1924 to 1972, the Kendall Company property was subsequently acquired by Colgate-Palmolive. The Neponset river actually flows through downtown under this complex.
Originally constructed in 1897 and expanded in 1951, the former industrial site is now called Walpole Station Business Center. The former industrial mill complex – now a mixed use site – comprises six interconnected multi-story buildings used for office, light industrial, life sciences, retail and storage. Today tenants include a retail brand innovation company (Thrasio), a wine supplier (VINOvations), and a nonprofit that provides free furniture and household goods for those in need (New Life Furniture). The complex is surrounded by the relatively new Union & West apartments (192 units) and the Liberty Station at Walpole Center apartment building (152 units) at Elm and East Streets. The residences are introducing an added vibrancy to the downtown area with the expectation of attracting new businesses to serve the public. This is already evidenced by the new and renovated shops, restaurants, and building space along and around Walpole’s main drag, with the anticipation of more to come.
