$9.5 Million Jazz Age ‘Scottish Castle’ Built by Massachusetts Royalty Hits the Market

A Jazz Age estate built by one of Massachusetts' most powerful industrial families has come to market in Hopedale, a former mill town about 35 miles southwest of Boston.

Known as The Ledges, the stone-and-brick manor holds 12 bedrooms across roughly 11,600 square feet, sits on more than 17 acres, and is listed for $9.5 million at 55 Adin Street. The property is represented by Nicole Willey and Robin Tamburrini of TEAM Metrowest.

The estate is steeped in local history. Eben Draper, who served as governor of Massachusetts from 1909 to 1911 and ran the Draper Corporation—once the country's largest maker of textile looms and the engine behind Hopedale's economy—built his original 1885 residence here.

After his death, the earlier home was razed and his son, Eben Draper Jr., built the current estate in its place during the 1920s, preserving the family's hold on the site.

This newer home was ambitious, even by the standards of the era. Listing materials describe the house as an exact replica of a Scottish castle, with portions dismantled in England, sent across the Atlantic and reconstructed on site. Some original New York City cobblestones were even worked into the rebuild.

Inside, the period detail survives largely intact. Ceilings on the main floor reach up to 20 feet, while the great hall runs 50 feet. There are imported English oak and flagstone, coffered ceilings, banks of leaded glass windows, a banquet-sized dining room and 14 fireplaces.

The floor plan is arranged in an unusual "cloverleaf" design. Quirks abound: a separate bar room, a hidden half-bath, a walk-in safe in the basement, a heated greenhouse-style cellar, a swoonworthy library, and a finished attic apartment with exposed brick, its own full bath and more leaded glass. The 1926 stove remains as well.

But the best part about this historic gem is that everything behind the walls is brand new. Electrical, plumbing, heating and central air have all been replaced. Original wood ceilings were restored and floors redone. All bathrooms were gutted and rebuilt in marble and tile. The kitchen was reconstructed around an oversized center island with dining and sitting areas, a Wolf range, Sub-Zero refrigeration and Fisher & Paykel dishwasher drawers.

The grounds run about a quarter-mile deep and carry their own inventory of amenities.

"The sweeping grounds include an inground pool, tennis court, gazebo and pond, creating a private estate designed for both gracious living and memorable entertaining," Willey says.

The town itself is home to the nearly 180-acre Hopedale Parklands, with trails around Hopedale Pond for hiking, biking and wildlife watching, plus a park with courts and ball fields. Routes 16 and 140 connect locally, with I-495 and the Massachusetts Turnpike nearby.

"Hopedale offers a distinctive balance of historic New England character, open space and regional connectivity," she says.

Willey also notes the address sits on what locals call Millionaire's Row, and sees a wide range of potential buyers for it.

"Someone who wants to live in an extraordinary home that can be passed on from generation to generation, a builder looking to develop the buildable lots on the property, or perhaps a corporation looking to host a retreat, or look into the possibilities like a Bed & Breakfast or Wedding Venue spot," she says.

According to the listing, the estate also comes with several lots that could be developed, cracking the door open for buyers interested in expanding.

"The Ledges is a place where historic architecture and exceptional craftsmanship meet in a truly extraordinary setting," she says. "You just don't find homes like this around this area."