Gilded Age Mansion Built After Family Scandal Lists for $3.5M

The Crossways, a Gilded Age mansion constructed in 1914 at 105 Adin Street in Hopedale, Massachusetts, has been listed for sale at $3.5 million. This estate is situated on Adin Street, a road historically known as "Millionaire's Row" due to its association with prominent families who significantly influenced the town's development. The Crossways shares this notable street with The Ledges, a Jazz Age castle that was built for Eben S. Draper Jr. The current listing agent, Nicole Willey of TEAM Metrowest, highlighted that the mansion was formerly owned by B.H. Bristow Draper and Queena Sanford Draper, underscoring its direct connection to Hopedale's influential Draper family legacy. This legacy, however, was intertwined with a notable family drama. In 1907, B.H. Bristow Draper, the son of then-Lieutenant Governor Eben S. Draper and brother to Eben S. Draper Jr., reportedly abandoned his engagement to a Boston socialite to marry Queena, a New York chorus girl. This decision led to his father disowning him, prompting Bristow to take on demanding work in a Vermont cotton mill for 10-hour days. Reconciliation with his family reportedly occurred following the birth of a granddaughter, according to a 1909 newspaper account preserved by local historians. Bristow Draper later assumed a leadership role within Draper Corp., the town's major loom-manufacturing enterprise, ascending to the position of president in 1929 and leading the company until shortly before his death in 1944. Queena Draper passed away in 1949. The Mastroianni family acquired the residence in 1960, and public records indicate the property's last change of ownership was in 1984. The Crossways encompasses 10,269 square feet of living space, featuring 12 bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms, as detailed in the listing information. Willey described the estate's interior, noting that a grand foyer opens into a series of rooms designed for social gatherings. The architectural details include coffered ceilings, decorative moldings, and crystal chandeliers, establishing an elegant ambiance. A significant feature is the 39-foot cherrywood ballroom, presented as an exceptional space for hosting events. The property also includes a fully updated kitchen and retains original period detailing in its living room spaces, alongside a sunroom. The mansion's historical context is deeply rooted in the industrial and social history of Hopedale, with the Draper family's influence extending from manufacturing to civic leadership.