This balancing heart-shaped rock can be found along the Ten Mile River at the Hunt's Mills walking trail in East Providence, RI. Beginning in March, the East Providence Historical Society will host an open house at the Hunt House Museum on the second Sunday of each month and Trail Ambassador Ernie Germani will lead a walking tour along the trail. Stay tuned for more info!
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Corridor News - February 1, 2023 |
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In partnership with Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, we presented guided tours of Elder Ballou Cemetery and the Cumberlandite Site in Cumberland, RI. Ranger Allison provided some history about the historical cemetery, and Volunteers-In-Parks volunteer and geologist Mark Dennen provided info about Cumberlandite, Rhode Island's state rock. Stay tuned for future tours! Meanwhile, you can watch a video captured at the January 28 event.
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Skills Workshop: Maple Sugaring Training
Saturday, February 11
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
River Bend Farm
287 Oak Street, Uxbridge, MA
Learn the art of maple sugaring and prepare to volunteer for maple sugar days.
Many hands are needed to continue the tradition of Maple Sugar Days returning February 25 and 26th to Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State park.
Attend this volunteer training to learn the history of maple sugaring and enjoy a hands-on demonstration on how to tap a tree. You will get a tour of the sugar shack and receive training for visitor interpretation which you can use when volunteering for the 2023 Maple Sugar Days on February 25 and 26. RSVP at bit.ly/MapleSW23.
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Volunteer Opportunities!
There are many volunteering opportunities coming up over the next several months. Volunteers should check their Inboxes. If you'd like to get involved with our Volunteers-In-Parks program, reach out to Molly Cardoza, Director of Volunteer and Community Engagement, at mcardoza@BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org.
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Hike with North Smithfield Parks & Rec |
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Saturday Hikes at 9:30 a.m.
Join North Smithfield Parks and Recreation for guided hikes in February:
• Saturday, Feb. 4: Wunnashowatuckqut: Old Harkness Road, High Rocks Gorge. Park on Martha Road.
• Saturday, Feb. 18: Booth Pond, Pine Hill, Souza Farm. Meet at the Aldi parking lot at Dowling Village.
• Saturday, Feb. 25: Audubon Fort Wildlife Refuge: Meet at 1445 Providence Pike, North Smithfield.
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Monthly Heritage Walks With NSHA |
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The North Smithfield Heritage Association (NSHA) offers its next Heritage Hike on Saturday, February 11, at Woonsocket Reservoir #3. Sites include NS38 Oliver Smith Lot, Amasa Sweet Quarry, Great Wall, William Mowry Homestead, and Paine Homestead. Meet at the North Smithfield High School Tennis Courts on Grange Road. Learn more: https://fb.me/e/2xkkyVvp5.
The NSHA offers the Walks as a means to promote the town’s amazing multi-faced heritage.
Admission is free.
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Enjoy one of the highlights of North Smithfield Heritage Association's Heritage Walk in the Primrose section of town last Saturday! |
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Hike the Blackstone Canal with Ernie
Saturday, February 11
9 a.m.
Meet at the Route 295 Visitor Center on Route 295 North in Lincoln, RI.
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Excuse Me....Can You Please Put Some Bird Seed Out? |
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February 17 to 20
“Connect to Birds, to Nature, and with Each Other”
Get your binoculars ready! Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor and Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park invite you to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. This backyard birding event starts Friday, February 17, and ends on Monday, February 20, 2023.
There are multiple ways to share your bird sightings with us:
Learn more about this worldwide initiative and how to participate at BirdCount.org.
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Nature Exploration & Birding Walk
Saturday, February 18
10 am- 11 am
Hopedale Parklands, 4 Hopedale St., Hopedale, MA
Join the National Park Service and expert birder Dan Berard for a nature exploration walk of the Hopedale Parklands. During this walk, we will be contributing to the Great Backyard Bird Count's citizen science project as we explore the birds living in and visiting the Hopedale Parklands in February.
Dan has led Forbush Bird Club trips at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in May and Cape Ann/Gloucester in February. Dan is a founding member and past president of the Ocean State Bird Club.
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Nature Exploration Walk
Wednesday, February 22
10 am -11 am
Hopedale Parklands, 4 Hopedale St., Hopedale, MA
Join a park ranger for a walk in the woods! Meet at the entrance to the Hopedale Parklands near the old boathouse. During this leisurely walk, you may earn your Junior Birder badge. Get out and look for early signs of spring with us during school vacation! Family-friendly and open to all.
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Maple Sugar Days Return February 25 and 26 |
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Maple Sugar Days
Saturday, February 25
Sunday, February 26
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
River Bend Farm
287 Oak St., Uxbridge, MA
Maple Sugar Day will be self-guided through education stations this year. No reservations are required.
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Celebrate World Water Day - March 22 |
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EnviroScape Training Skills Workshop
Wednesday, March 22
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Blackstone Heritage Corridor
670 Linwood Ave., Whitinsville, MA
What is an EnviroScape?
The EnviroScape is an interactive tabletop teaching tool. Educators can demonstrate how pollutants affect a watershed. With food, sprinkles, and other "pollutants," the EnviroScape illustrates how fertilizers, pet waste, oils, and toxins can be introduced into our watershed.
Why learn how to use an EnviroScape?
We have many requests for this program, and on World Water Day, we want to build a cadre of knowledgeable volunteers so that the EnviroScape can visit elementary schools, public programs, and scout troops. No previous experience with science is necessary. VIP Julie Riendeau will be our trainer.
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Bark, Branches, and Buds - Winter Tree and Shrub ID Walk |
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Bark, Branches, and Buds - Winter Tree and Shrub ID Walk
Saturday, March 25
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Blackstone River State Park
1075 Lower River Rd., Lincoln, RI
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Have you ever wondered how to identify a tree in the winter? Come join us as Brian Maynard, URI Professor of Botany, shows us how to identify trees and shrubs without their leaves. During this program you will learn the basics of identification using what is visible in late winter.
This program will be approximately 1 mile of walking on a flat even path. No public restrooms will be available at this program.
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Blackstone Valley Home & Community Expo - March 25 |
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Historical Society & Museum Events |
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Friday, February 3
Grafton Historical Society hosts "First Friday Tea"
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
71 Main Street, South Grafton MA
Sunday, February 5
(Follow the link for other dates, including February 19 and March 5)
Sunday, February 12
Uxbridge Historical Society presents "Uxbridge: Crossroads of the Underground Railroad"
2:00 p.m.
North Main Street Church, Route 122, Uxbridge, MA
Saturday, February 18
Grafton Historical Society presents "Baseball Through the Years"
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Grafton Public Library, 35 Grafton Common, Grafton, MA
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Get Your Events on Our Calendar! |
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Share your events with us by listing them on the Blackstone Heritage Corridor's events page.
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Wade Institute & BHC Offer Workshop for Educators |
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RI & Slater Mill Featured in Quitfolk Magazine |
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Issue 25 - Rhode Island - Quiltfolk
Issue 25 | Rhode Island NOW Available 164 pages Advertisement free 100% money-back promise Printed in the USA Rhode Island is the country's smallest state, just 48 miles long and 37 miles wide. It was nicknamed the Ocean State in the 1970s...
Read more
www.quiltfolk.com
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Save 20% on Your Quitfolk Purchase |
In celebration of Issue 25 | Rhode Island, Quilfolk magazine is offering a special 20% discount on purchases on its website through March 31. Use Coupon Code SlaterMIllQF25.
Photo courtesy of Quiltfolk.
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Be a Voice for the Earth - Call for Poetry |
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News From Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park |
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Explore America's national parks from the comfort of home!
Every park has a story. During this virtual series, we’ll connect with people from across the country to talk about special places and complex stories at National Park Service sites. Join us to learn more about a place that might be close to home, or in a destination you dream of visiting. Each hour-long program includes a presentation and opportunities for questions and answers.
All Parked at Home programs are free and will be hosted on Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM (eastern) from March 2nd through April 13.
Thursday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m. EST
Parked at Home with Megan Kate Nelson
“The national parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.” - Wallace Stegner, 1983
In documentaries and popular media, National Park Service sites are often called America’s “best idea.” During this program, we will consider this argument with historian and author Megan Kate Nelson. Dr. Nelson is the author of several books, including Saving Yellowstone: Exploration and Preservation in Reconstruction America (2022). Learn about the origins of Yellowstone National Park and join us for a conversation on the history of public lands in the United States.
Thursday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. EST
Parked at Home: Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
How far have you traveled for work—or for a dream?
For centuries, people have moved to the Blackstone Valley for new opportunities. Some of the immigrants seeking a new life in the Valley first passed through Ellis Island Immigration Center. During this program, rangers from Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park will discuss this process with a ranger from the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. Learn how immigration has changed over the past century and hear stories of local individuals who first came to the United States at Ellis Island.
Learn more and register here:
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National Park Service Offering Slater Mill Classroom Visits in Rhode Island
Park rangers at Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park are offering 45-minute interactive classroom programs
from February to April 2023 that meet 3rd to 5th-grade Rhode Island Grade Span Expectations (GSEs) for Social Studies. Students will learn about the National Park Service, Slater Mill, and the Industrial Revolution and then participate in a culminating activity.
Fourth-grade students will also learn about the 4th-grade pass that gives them and their families free access to national parks and other national public lands. This is part of a pilot program for 3rd – 5th graders in Rhode Island that the park hopes to expand.
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Mark your calendars! On Sunday, February 5, Slater Mill will be featured on "Treasures Inside the Museum," a production of Rhode Island PBS. Tune in at 7 p.m. eastern.
From Rhode Island PBS: "Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI, is recognized as the birthplace of the industrial revolution. In this episode, learn more about the people who made the area what it was and how the machines changed the face of manufacturing everywhere. Plus, discover what makes some of the machines on exhibit so rare, and examine some of the artifacts from the 1890 Cotton Centennial." Learn more about Season 3 below.
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'Treasures Inside the Museum' Season 3
'Treasures Inside the Museum' Season 3 by Treasures Inside the Museum returns to WSBE Rhode Island PBS for its third season. Take private tours with exhibit curators and delve into the diverse collections of southern New England's museums with...
Read more
www.ripbs.org
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February is Black History Month
The Men Who Turned: African-Americans and the Slater Mill Story
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In many histories of Samuel Slater’s mill, there is a reference to a Black man providing power for Slater’s earliest machines. Two early records provide initial clues. In one record book, the newly arrived Slater was given money to pay a man named “Samuel Prime, for turning the wheel.”1 In October 1790, Slater received money for his investors to pay for hire of “the black man who turned [provided power] for him.”2
Read more here:
Painting by Robert Hale Ives Gammell of Samuel Slater showing the completed carding machine to Moses Brown. An unnamed African-American man kneels at Moses Brown's feet.
Courtesy of Old Slater Mill Association
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New Lifetime Pass!
Other free passes, including the Access Pass, are already available onsite.
Learn more here:
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Self-Guided Tours on the NPS Mobile App |
Do you plan on visiting Slater Mill or Slatersville? If so, check out Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park's new self-guided tours.
These audio tours are available on the NPS Mobile App. The Mobile App can be downloaded for Apple or Google phones. Once on the app, choose Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, then select self-guided tours.
More self-guided tours will soon be available for the Blackstone River State Park and Ashton, Whitinsville, and Hopedale.
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Do you enjoy learning about the history of the Blackstone River Valley? Subscribe to the park's YouTube page to see recordings of past programs, episodes of Along the Blackstone, and more.
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"Explore, Discover, Protect, and GO!"
The Junior Ranger motto is recited by children around the country, each taking an oath of their own to protect parks, continue to learn about parks, and share their own ranger story with friends and family. Here in the Blackstone River Valley, Junior Rangers are called GearHeads. What's a GearHead, you might ask?
GearHead (n.): a kid, powered by the gears in their brain, who explores nature, discovers history, protects the environment, and goes on adventures throughout the Blackstone River Valley.
Click through the GearHeads website and claim your Junior Ranger status today! Submit a completed activity, and we'll send you a Junior Ranger badge!
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Navigate & Explore the Blackstone River Valley
With Our Interactive Map!
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What Should Be On the Blackstone Bucket List? |
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Share Your Favorite Things to See and Do in the Blackstone Valley |
Help us update our Blackstone Bucket List by sharing your favorite experiences in the Blackstone River Valley. Click to take our survey! Your feedback is most appreciated!
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Blackstone Heritage Corridor, working with community partners, provides strong leadership to preserve, promote, and celebrate the Valley’s historic, natural and recreational resources for current and future generations. |
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Stay Connected With Us On Social Media! |
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670 Linwood Avenue, Whitinsville, MA 01588
(508) 234-4242
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