Blackstone River Valley

https://www.nps.gov/blrv/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackstone_River_Valley_National_Historical_Park Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park was created for the purpose of preserving, protecting, and interpreting the industrial heritage of the Blackstone River Valley and the urban, rural, and agricultural landscape of that region in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The Blackstone River Valley was the site of some of the earliest successful textile mills in the United States, and these mills contributed significantly to the earliest American Industrial Revolution. The subsequent construction of the Blackstone Canal, a few years after the successful completion of the Erie Canal, helped to sustain the region's industrial strength. The Blackstone River powered America's entry into the Age of Industry. The success of Samuel Slater's cotton spinning mill in Pawtucket, RI touched off a chain reaction that changed how people worked and where they lived. Learn how this revolution transformed the landscape of the Blackstone Valley and the United States. Old Slater Mill is open May - December, Thursday - Sunday from 10 AM - 4 PM. The park headquarters is located at the Wilkinson Mill in the Historic Slater Mill Complex in Pawtucket, RI. 67 Roosevelt Avenue Pawtucket, RI 02860 401-428-3816 Old Slater Mill Visitor Center The Visitor Contact Station at Old Slater Mill is open May - December and is closed January - April. The grounds are open from dawn to dusk. Restrooms and drinking water are available only when facilities are open. From I-95 North, take Exit 28 - Route 114 / School Street. Take a left onto Route 114. Go under the highway, straight through the next light and bear left onto Broadway. Bear right onto Main Street and take a right at the light onto Roosevelt Avenue. The parking lot is 500' up on the right. From I-95 South, take Exit 29 - US-1 / Downtown Pawtucket. Turn right onto Fountain Street. Take your first right onto Exchange Street. Turn left onto Roosevelt Avenue. The parking lot is a 1/4 mile down on the left. Slater Mill Site Slater Mill, Wilkinson Mill and Brown House at Blackstone River Valley NHP Slater Mill, Wilkinson Mill and Brown House at Blackstone River Valley NHP Slatersville Slatersville View of John Slater's home in Slatersville, RI Ashton Kelly House and canal Blackstone canal outside of the Wilbur Kelly House The Blackstone Canal and towpath along the Wilbur Kelly House in Ashton, RI Little Red Shop The Little Red Shop in Hopedale, MA The Little Red Shop in Hopedale, MA - the original home of the Draper Loom Corporation Wilkinson Mill interior Interior view of the Wilkinson Mill The machine shop inside the Wilkinson Mill Autumn in the Blackstone Valley Autumn in the Blackstone Valley Autumn in the Blackstone Valley Lowell, Story of an Industrial City: Early American Manufacturing The mounting conflict between the colonies and England in the 1760s and 1770s reinforced a growing conviction that Americans should be less dependent on their mother country for manufactures. Spinning bees and bounties encouraged the manufacture of homespun cloth as a substitute for English imports. Slater Mill by Elliot. HAER Photo, Library of Congress Collections Series: Lowell, Story of an Industrial City America's self-image is founded in part on the nation's rapid rise to industrial preeminence by World War I. While there is no single birthplace of industry, Lowell's planned textile mill city, in scale, technological innovation, and development of an urban working class, marked the beginning of the industrial transformation of America. Cover of the Lowell Handbook Blackstone River Valley, Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution Did you know you can visit the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution and see the first mills that sparked one of the greatest societal changes ever seen? Throughout the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the Industrial Revolution comes alive. River with short waterfall. Two mill buildings on far riverbank. Top 10 Tips for Visiting Blackstone River Valley NHP Want some tips and tricks on how to visit Blackstone River Valley NHP? This article will help you plan your own adventure to the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. Ranger talking with visitor around table with information Victory at Last? Parades and Pink Slips To recognize the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, three New England parks hosted the symposium “Victory at Last? Parades and Pink Slips.” Going in Circles: A Revolution Along the Blackstone Learn more about how the Blackstone River Valley NHP played an important role in the years following the American Revolution. To the Moon and Back: A Revolution in Transportation Transportation. It’s probably something most of us do not think much about. From cars, bikes, planes, and trains, most of us use some form of transportation to travel to work, school, appointments, and whatever else we do in life. Revolution. A term that can refer to a dramatic social or political change, or simply refer to a cyclical journey. In this article you will learn more about the Transportation Revolution in the Blackstone River Valley and its lasting legacies. Bicentennial Blues A lot can happen to a family business in 200 years. The Whitin Machine Works, based out of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, is a prime case study in the rise and fall of the age of American manufacturing. From a small forge in a rural area, the Fletcher and Whitin families created a veritable dynasty along the Mumford River. Starting with basic tools, heirs to this business made an industrial powerhouse. Parade walking down street with Whitin Machine Works in the background The Saylesville Massacre and American Tradition Protest is fundamentally American. People have expressed dissent through protests from the early years of the American Revolution. A legacy of American protest is still alive and well today. But how do we reckon with a protest that ends in violence? At Blackstone River Valley NHP, rangers have worked with community members to explore the complex legacies of violence that haunt local landscapes. This essay by Ranger Mark takes a closer look at a 1934 strike and its impact.