Hopedale is a village in Tazewell County that has a lot of history in its past. The first settler of Hopedale was Aaron Orendorff, in the fall of 1827. When he discovered the village, Orendorff first named it Osceola, but later found out that there was already a town in Illinois named Osceola, so the name was then changed to Hopedale. Aaron Orendorff’s youngest granddaughter, Lydia Orendorff, was the town’s first telephone operator and organized the “Hopedale Chapter of Eastern Star and was their first worthy matron.” Lydia Orendorff’s family still owns the original map of Hopedale to this day. Staying in the Orendorff family, Lydia’s uncle, Thomas Orendorff, was in charge of creating the town’s first ever post office in 1852, organizing the first ever bank of Hopedale, and even gave the town it's then 20-acre park. The Orendorff family was also in charge of adding a sawmill, a woolen mill, a lumber yard, a furniture store, and a public hall. The family not only discovered the village of Hopedale, but they also helped set the foundation for a successful small town. 

Fast forward to modern day Hopedale, and I would imagine that the Orendorff family is proud of what the village has become. The thriving small town had a population of 865 at the last census. In addition to a growing population, Hopedale is also home to many essential businesses in the community, including the Hopedale Medical Complex. Many of Hopedale’s citizens and even people in the surrounding area use the Hopedale Medical Complex because of it’s convenience. Hopedale also hosts a very popular 4th of July festival each year that has gained more and more attendees each year. The people of Hopedale have a town to be proud of and I think it’s safe to say that Aaron Orendorff would be impressed with Hopedale.