James Hunt: The Draper Factory Demolition

Imagine watching the demolition of the headquarters of the Apple Corporation at some point in the distant future.  A corporation that thoroughly dominated its industry and influenced the world has come to the end of its life. The Draper Corporation, headquartered in one million square feet of space in Hopedale, Massachusetts was once the largest manufacturer of powered cotton looms in the world. The machines built here played an integral role in the industrial revolution, a revolution which began in the Blackstone Valley of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It continued to operate until the mid-20^th century, eventually giving way to competition from newer technologies.The Draper Corporation was, at one time, a center of innovation, an employer of thousands and a generator of wealth for some. 

The industrial revolution, essentially powered by a tremendous boom in textile manufacturing, of course had a tortured history.The production of its most important raw material, cotton, relied at first on enslaved and then oppressed labor in the American south.The Blackstone River became known as the most polluted river in the U.S.The decline of the textile industry in the Blackstone Valley left significant and ongoing social impacts in its wake.

The factory had not been in use for nearly 50 years. The roof was rotting. The structure itself was heavily contaminated, particularly by asbestos. Repurposing of the building was essentially impossible. Demolition of the Draper factory took over a year, beginning during the pandemic, the clean-up is still going on today. The factory had stood in the middle of Hopedale for over 150 years. The images here were taken on frequent trips to the site, typically over construction fences, during that year.It was a compelling process to witness. It leaves a very large empty space in the center of the Town.

– James Hunt