Exterior view of an unidentified building, Hopedale, Mass.

Historical/Biographical Note

Historical/Biographical Note

The Larches was built by George Otis Draper (1867-1923) in the late nineteenth century. In its original state, it was a shingled Colonial Revival home featuring a distinctive castellated tower. In 1909, Draper sold the house to his aunt, Hannah Thwing (Draper) Osgood (1853-1929). Within a month of purchase, the house burned to the ground. Construction on the house began in 1909 and ended in 1911. Following the death of her husband in 1911, Hannah Osgood moved into the house with her daughter Fanny Colburn Osgood (1882-1929). The “new Larches” blended the original Colonial Revival style with the Craftsmen style. Following the death of Hannah and Fanny in 1929, Fanny’s twin Hannah Townshend and her husband Henry Hotchkiss Townshend Sr. (1874-1953) occupied the estate.