What's
A Corridor?
The watershed area extends from north of Worcester, Massachusetts south to Providence, Rhode Island. The 46-mile long Blackstone River, named an American Heritage River in 1998, is the focal point and main artery of the region. Why is the Blackstone River Valley such a special place? The region is distinguished by outstanding resources: natural, cultural and historical. Beginning in the 18th century, the Blackstone Valley provided the setting for a remarkable transformation from farm to factory - a local story that became the model for a national phenomenon: the American Industrial Revolution. America's first textile mill could have been built along practically any river on the eastern seaboard. However, in 1790, the forces of capital, ingenuity, mechanical know-how and skilled labor came together at Pawtucket, Rhode Island where the Blackstone River provided the power that kicked off America's drive to industrialization at the Slater Mill.
Work is the core theme of the history of the Blackstone River Valley. The Blackstone Valley is a chronicle of innovation and creativity as well as the transformation of peoples and landscapes brought about by the effort of genius and hard work. Each of the workers - farmers, mill workers, bankers, canal diggers, machinists, union organizers - has a story that adds to the tapestry. The thread that ties all of the stories together is the Blackstone River, a shallow, rocky, twisting stream that flows from Worcester to Providence and on out into the Narragansett Bay. The river attracted people here as a source of drinking water, food, and, eventually, energy. Today it attracts people as a source of recreation and inspiration.
organizations to protect
not only the sites and resources of the Blackstone Valley, but to maintain
the spirit of innovation and ingenuity that makes this a special place.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||