Hopkinton Dam
by Mrs. Ralph Golec
A recent change to come to Hopkinton, at least as far as its outward appearance is concerned, was occasioned by the building of the Hopkinton-Everett Reservoir. The 1936 flood and the 1938 hurricane had more or less broken down local opposition. The State Senate gave approval to its construction in 1957, ground was broken September 26, 1959, it was dedicated October 3 of that year, and the first Project Manager of the Dam, Ralph Golec from Bellows Fall, Vermont, took charge in January of 1963.
The two dams themselves changed the countryside, but the biggest upset came with the new roads made necessary. Parts of State Route 127 were hard to fin at times, Changes in Routes 202 & 9 necessitated the building of overhead bridges and exits. Route 89, General Frank D. Merrill Highway, the new Throughway was constructed during this period of upheaval.
In 1962 came the "final pour," the last road construction, Hopkinton to Henniker on Routes 202 & 9, was dedicated September 1962, and we are now settling down to acceptance of modern innovation.
Mrs. Ralph Golec
Author's Note: Information for the above was taken from Hopkinton, New Hampshire: 1765-1965.
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LOC Subject Headings
Dams -- New Hampshire -- Hopkinton -- Pictorial works
Dams -- New Hampshire -- Contoocook-- Pictorial works
Reservoirs -- New Hampshire -- Hopkinton -- Pictorial works
Reservoirs -- New Hampshire -- Contoocook-- Pictorial works
Warner River -- New Hampshire -- Pictorial works
Flood Control -- New Hampshire -- Hopkinton
Flood Control -- New Hampshire -- Contoocook
