Volunteers are the HEART of our Organization
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Meet the Class of 2020 Certified CPR volunteers! On Monday, February 10, volunteers from the Blackstone Heritage Corridor Bikeway Ambassadors, Blackstone Valley Paddle Club, Blackstone Heritage Corridor Cemetery Conservation Ambassadors, and Blackstone River Watershed Council completed their CPR training. In addition, BHC staff and a Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park seasonal ranger were also certified. This same group also received First Aid training the week prior. Thank you to VIP Mark Dennen for donating his time to lead both certification classes.
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Discovering Snowtown - February 22
BHC Bikeway Ambassadors Planning Meeting - February 26
Paint Night - Maple Sugaring - March 5
Maple Sugar Days - March 7 and 8
Volunteer Skills Workshop - Fishing Counting - March 8
Volunteer Open House - March 18
Sky Dance of the Woodcocks - March 19 and 21
"Beautiful Blackstone Valley" Closing Reception - March 20
National Women's Rights Convention of 1850 - March 28
"Woonsocket's Forgotten Cemeteries" - March 29
National Take a Walk in the Park Day - March 30
BHC Trail Ambassadors 2020 Hike Schedule
These events, and more, can also be found on our
events page.
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More News Coming in March
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- Trash Responsibly: Listing of Spring Cleanups Around the Valley
- Blackstone Heritage Corridor Cemetery Conservation Ambassadors
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Enjoy a winter morning flyover above the Mumford River to the Linwood Mill, headquarters for the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
Video produced by Bob Evans, Blackstone Heritage Corridor Photography Ambassador.
Watch for more exciting video content coming soon as BHC's volunteer Photography Ambassadors hit the road with their drone cameras.
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Discovering Snowtown - February 22
"Revolution is in the Air" - Winter Lecture Series
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
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Discovering Snowtown
Part 2 of Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park's Winter Lecture Series "Revolution is in the Air"
Saturday, February 22
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Congdon Street Baptist Church
17 Congdon Street, Providence, RI
Most famous for the racial riot which occurred there in 1831, the Public Archaeology Laboratory will discuss artifacts found at the site that tell us more about the African-American community that lived there.
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Bikeway Ambassadors Planning Meeting - February 26
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Blackstone Heritage Corridor Bikeway Ambassadors
Planning Meeting
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Thursday, February 26
6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Blackstone Heritage Corridor office
670 Linwood Avenue, Whitinsville, MA
Do you have a passion for being on a bicycle? Would you like to get connected to BHC's Bikeway Ambassadors volunteer program and help lead weekly, guided rides along the different segments of the Blackstone River Bikeway and other trails in the National Heritage Corridor.
Join us as we plan the 2020 season and meet other volunteers with the same interest!
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Paint Night - Thursday, March 5
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Paint Night: Maple Sugaring
Thursday, March 5
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
DColorex: Art Lessons & Crafts for All
Alternatives' Whitin Mill
70 Douglas Road, Whitinsville, MA
Let’s get together and paint! Join Blackstone Heritage Corridor and Libia Goncalves of DColorex: Art Lessons & Crafts 4 All for a paint night to celebrate maple sugar season in the Blackstone River Valley!
Libia will provide all of the supplies along with guided instruction to paint her rendition of “First Snow Over the Maple Field.” A portion of the proceeds from paint night will benefit Blackstone Heritage Corridor.
Advance Ticket Purchase Required by Thursday, February 27.
Visit BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org/tickets or purchase at the BHC office.
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Maple Sugar Days - March 7 and 8
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Maple Sugar Days
Saturday, March 7 and
Sunday, March 8
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
River Bend Farm Visitor Center
Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park
287 Oak Street, Uxbridge, MA
The sweet tradition continues!
Learn how maple syrup is made as park staff and volunteers at River Bend Farm take visitors through a guided tour of the art and science of tapping maple trees, gathering sap, and producing maple syrup.
Free tours will be offered to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis at 11 a.m., Noon, 1 p.m., and 2 p.m., and last about 90 minutes. Tours include both indoor and outdoor elements.
Enjoy a free storytelling program for all ages presented by John Porcino (
now moved to Sunday
). Dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear for a short walk.
Maple Sugar Days is free and open to all ages. For more information, call 508-278-7604.
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Volunteer Skills Workshop - Fishing Counting - March 8
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Volunteer Skills Workshop: Fish C
ounting
Sunday, March 8
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Hunts Mills Fish Ladder
65 Hunts Mills Road
East Providence, RI
Get Ready For Spring – Volunteer Fish Counters Wanted!
The Ten Mile River Watershed Council (TMRWC) is gearing up for the 6
th
Annual Fish Count at the Hunts Mills fish ladder and is looking for volunteers to help count herring during the spawning season between late March and May.
The Ten Mile River has three fish ladders providing river access to herring and other anadromous fish which allow the fish access to upstream spawning locations. Volunteers will be asked to count fish passing through the ladder once a week for a period of 10 minutes at a time and will record the readings of water temperature and river height. This workshop will discuss fish counting procedures and how you can independently volunteer for the program.
The Hunt House Museum will be open and there will be a hike led by BHC Trail Ambassador Ernie Germani at 1:30 p.m. at the Hunts Mills property.
R
egistration is required. Contact Keith Gonsalves at Ten Mile River Watershed Council by March 1, 2020 at
Keith@tenmileriver.net
.
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Volunteer Open House - Wednesday March 18
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Volunteer Open House
Wednesday, March 18
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Blackstone Heritage Corridor Office
670 Linwood Avenue, Whitinsville, MA
Are you interested in volunteering? Have you been looking for an opportunity to get connected in your community throughout the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor? We would love to show you how through the
Volunteers-In Parks program.
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Birding the Blackstone - Sky Dance of the Woodcocks - March 19 and 21
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Sky Dance of the Woodcocks
Thursday, March 19
Saturday, March 21
6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
River Bend Farm Visitor Center
Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park
287 Oak Street, Uxbridge, MA
Around sunset in early spring, male woodcocks perform a “sky dance” to attract female woodcocks. Volunteers-In-Parks interpretive volunteers Paul and Beth Milke will lead a short walk down to the lower fields to listen for their distinctive beeping calls. Watch as the birds fly high in the air and then spiral down, landing near their takeoff spot. It’s a wonderful sight to see!
Space is limited.
Pre-registration required at
BlackstoneBirdsMA@gmail.com
.
Rain date for Thursday, March 19 will be Friday, March 20 and rain date for Saturday, March 21 will be Sunday, March 22.
This event is part of BHC’s Birding the Blackstone spring program. Please visit the events calendar at BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org for more information.
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"Beautiful Blackstone Valley" Closing Reception - March 20
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"Beautiful Blackstone Valley" Closing Reception
Friday, March 20
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Blackstone Heritage Corridor
670 Linwood Avenue, Whitinsville, MA
J
oin us at the closing reception of the "Beautiful Blackstone Valley" gallery show with artists from Blackstone Valley Art Association (BVAA).
Participating artists include
Participating artists include Bob Evans, Bonnie Frederico, Carol Frieswick, Libia Goncalves, James Hunt, Linda Nelson, Bob See, Lisa Shea, Beverly Tinklenberg, and Brandi Van Roo.
The gallery show includes photographs, oil paintings, watercolor, and mixed media. All artwork is for sale and a portion of the proceeds will be donated by the artists to Blackstone Heritage Corridor.
To inquire about the gallery space and future shows, contact Bonnie Combs at 508-234-4242 or bcombs@BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org.
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REVOLUTION IS IN THE AIR - Part 3 - March 28
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National Women's Rights Convention of 1850
Part 3 of Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park's Winter Lecture Series "Revolution is in the Air"
Saturday, March 28
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Blackstone Heritage Corridor Visitor Center at Worcester
3 Paul Clancy Way, Worcester, MA
This two day convention was the first national convention arguing for women's rights. Held in Worcester, MA at Mechanic's Hall, this convention demanded suffrage, property rights, admittance to higher education, and jobs in medicine, the ministry, and other professions.
Join representatives from the Worcester Women's History Project as they discuss this pivotal moment in the women's rights movement.
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'"Woonsocket's Forgotten Cemeteries" - March 29
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"Woonsocket's Forgotten Cemeteries"
Sunday, March 29
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
St. Ann Arts & Cultural Center
(in the Sacristy)
84 Cumberland Street, Woonsocket, RI
The Woonsocket Historical Society invites you to "Woonsocket’s Forgotten Cemeteries," presented by Greg Duhamel, local historian and cemetery conservator, who will speak about Woonsocket cemeteries that are often overlooked or hidden out of sight. Greg will be accompanied by Johnelle Bergeron, a cemetery survey expert. Both Greg and Johnelle are volunteers with Blackstone Heritage Corridor's Cemetery Conservation Ambassadors.
Free event. Refreshments will be served.
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National Take a Walk in the Park Day - March 30
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National Take a Walk in the Park Day
Monday, March 30
2:00 p.m.
Meet at the Capt. Wilbur Kelly House Transportation Museum
1075 Lower River Road, Lincoln, RI
Join a National Park Service Ranger for a leisurely walk through Blackstone River State Park in Lincoln, Rhode Island. We will walk about 1 1/2 miles round trip along a paved bike path.
The walk will begin at the Kelly House Transportation Museum, and will walk down to the Martin Street Bridge and back. Wear sturdy walking shoes, and dress appropriately for the weather. Walk begins at 2:00 p.m., and will last between 60 and 90 minutes.
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BHC Trail Ambassadors - 2020 Hike Schedule
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Thank you to Blackstone Heritage Corridor Trail Ambassador Ernie Germani for planning a series of hikes in 2020 throughout the Rhode Island communities of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. All hikes have been posted to
BHC's events page.
We will be adding to the hike schedule throughout the year with additional hikes being offered at area state parks led by rangers at the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, area land trust organizations, and more. Also watch for the spring bird walk schedule to be announced by the Blackstone Heritage Corridor Birding Ambassadors.
If you are interested in joining the Blackstone Heritage Corridor Trail Ambassador program and would like to explore the possibility of leading a hike, contact Suzanne Buchanan, BHC's volunteer Coordinator, at Volunteer@BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org or call 508-234-4242.
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Explore "Our Rugged Backyard" in a video created by Blackstone Heritage Corridor Photography Ambassador Bob Evans. Back in November, Bob attended a group hike led by Blackstone Heritage Corridor Trail Ambassador Ernie Germani at Cormier Woods in Uxbridge, MA, and used the footage for a national video contest. Keep your fingers crossed as we anxiously await hearing the results!
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Have you been to the
Blackstone Heritage Corridor Visitor Center
at Worcester yet?
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Blackstone Heritage Corridor Visitor Center at Worcester
3 Paul Clancy Way
Worcester, MA 01607
(508) 341-0741
Hours of Operation (Winter Schedule):
Monday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sundays: Noon to 4:00 p.m.
Have you been to the new Blackstone Heritage Corridor Visitor Center in Worcester? We invite you to come and discover this stunning new gateway to the City of Worcester and the Blackstone River Valley! Situated on the banks of the historic Blackstone River and Canal in a state-of-the-art, LEED Certified Silver building, the BHC Visitor Center provides an important connection to historical, cultural, recreational, and natural attractions.
The BHC Visitor Center provides links to the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, the Blackstone River Bikeway, Blackstone Gateway Park, and Worcester neighborhoods. Interactive exhibits explore Worcester’s “Enduring Legacy” of innovation and invention, immigration, ethnicity, cultural traditions, transportation and industrial history, changes to architecture and landscapes, as well as environmental sustainability.
This ideal location for field trips, our exhibits feature touch-screen technology and hands-on activities, giving you a personal experience as you make your way through the Valley’s history and cultural heritage and learn about the rise of industry in the Blackstone River Valley. Take your visit to the next level and try the GearHeads Scavenger Hunt, a great activity for children to help deepen their experience. The building and grounds have many “green” features and learn about important environmental considerations that were made for the site and the building, including bioremediation, solar, and more.
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The Blackstone Heritage Corridor Visitor Center also features outdoor exhibits, stunning views of the river and canal, access to the Blackstone River Bikeway, and outdoor seating for picnics.
Click here
to
learn more
about the Blackstone River Bikeway/Greenway and access the
Biking the Blackstone
trail map to enjoy more than 17 miles of completed paved trails between Worcester and Providence.
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Want more time outdoors? Extend your visit with a self-guided nature walk through the City of Worcester’s Blackstone Gateway Park, just steps away from the Visitor Center. The one-mile, round-trip walk features a walking trail over boardwalks and dirt trails with overlooks for spotting birds and other wildlife.
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Need a place for your group to meet for a workshop or activity? The BHC Visitor Center also features a meeting room that accommodates up to 80 people with audio system, projector and screen.
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