Residents of the Blackstone River Valley awoke to a blanket of snow over the spring landscape on the first day of National Park Week, Saturday, April 18.
Show us what it looks like where you are.
Send us pictures
and we'll make a special tribute video for National Park Week 2020.
Photo credit: Thank you to Carole Carnovale of Mendon, MA, who shared her bluebird picture with us taken on the morning of April 18.
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New Superintendent Named for
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
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National Park Service (NPS) Regional Director Gay Vietzke has named William “Eric” Breitkreutz as the new superintendent of Roger Williams National Memorial and the
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
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He will begin his new assignment in late May to early June.
“In managing both a brand-new park and an old favorite, Eric gets the best of both worlds,” said NPS Region 1 Director Gay Vietzke. “I know he will be able to encourage visitors to explore the Blackstone River Valley as well as the home of a great spiritual leader.”
“I am humbled by this appointment,” Breitkreutz stated, “as well as excited to return to my professional roots in developing partnerships between government and nonprofits. Having been part of the process for creating the Blackstone River Valley park’s Foundation Document, it is great now to be able to set this plan into action. I am further honored to work at Roger Williams, where freedom of religion is such an important interpretive theme and a significant part of Rhode Island’s, and our nation’s, history. I look forward to working with the many community partners and stakeholders at Blackstone River Valley and Roger Williams to enhance the visitor experience at both unique parks.”
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O
ver a 24-year career, Breitkreutz has served in management and executive director positions with historic preservation nonprofit and municipal government organizations in Indianapolis, Northern Virginia, Boston, and the Boston suburbs. Prior to joining the National Park Service in 2011, he worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a historic preservation specialist and acting federal preservation officer.
Breitkreutz holds a B.A. in History and American Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a M.S. in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania. He participated in the Foundation Document drafting sessions for Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park in 2018 and helped oversee the drafting of the Historic Structure Report for the Slater Mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island as part of his duties as Chief of Historic Structure Research and Documentation for Region 1 of the National Park Service
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Celebrate National Park Week - April 18 to 26
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Thank You Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park!
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Thank you to the staff of Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park for their continued support of the National Heritage Corridor!
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National Park Week
Junior Ranger Day - Saturday, April 18
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Explore, Discover, Protect, and GO!
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GearHead (n.): a kid, powered by the Gears in their brain; who explores nature, discovers history, protects the environment, and goes on adventures through 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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National Park Week
Volunteer Day - Sunday, April 19
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In celebration of National Park Week Volunteer Day 2020, enjoy a virtual appreciation for the volunteers with the Blackstone River Valley Volunteers-In-Parks program.
Special thanks to Bob Evans, BHC Photography Ambassador, for producing the video.
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National Park Week
Military Monday - April 20
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On Military Monday, we recognize the service and sacrifice of the U.S. active-duty military, veterans, and their families.
Today we give special recognition to the veterans who are volunteers with the Blackstone River Valley Volunteers-In-Parks program.
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Shown clockwise: Kathy Parlante, George Hadley, Paul Swack, Linda Primel, Joe Nadeau, Angelo Mirable, Paul Milke, Jim Plasse, Roy Henry, Bob Billington, and Linda Lestha.
Thank you for your service!
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National Park Week
Transportation Tuesday - April 21
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The Legacy of Transportation in the
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
On September 19, 1796, 222 years ago, President George Washington had a letter printed in Philadelphia’s largest newspaper, the American Daily Advertizer, addressed to the “PEOPLE of the United States.” Washington explained that he was not going to run for re-election and that they, the People, were to choose a new president. This highly radical part of our new and struggling democracy has become the standard for us today. But in President Washington’s letter, he also voiced concern that was shared by just about all the other founding fathers, how could this new republic create a national identity when we still saw ourselves as New Yorkers, Virginians, Vermonters, Carolinians and Bay Staters, but not as Americans. A significant reason behind our inability to create this national identity was our miserable transportation system. Our roads were so poor that it was almost impossible to communicate with different parts of the nation. How would it be possible to create an “American” national identity if we could not share our common experiences?
During the War of 1812, the British Blockade of the ports along the Atlantic coast prevented using ships to transport goods and merchandise. Transportation had to be on our roads. A horse-drawn wagon loaded with cotton cards (used for combing cotton fibers before spinning) took 75 days to travel from a Worcester manufacturer to a customer in Charleston, South Carolina.
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However, here in the Blackstone Valley, the Birthplace of America’s Journey to Industrialization, new thinking was taking hold. Innovation. New technology was creating new products. Throughout the valley, engineered landscapes of water power created opportunities for mills and factories to produce needed goods for the consumers of the new nation. The burning question was, very simply, how to get these new products to their markets, cheaply and efficiently.
In the beginning of the 1800s, the nation’s roads were of questionable value. Yet by the mid 1830’s railroads were moving people and goods at the amazing speed of 15 miles an hour. This incredible rapid evolution of our nation’s transportation system can be found here in the Blackstone Valley in the many artifacts imbedded in our landscape. From stone bridge abutments discovered as you paddle along the river, to the many elements of the Blackstone Canal you can pass by on your walks and drives throughout the valley to even the use of ancient Native American trails as part of our highway system, the Valley’s ingenuity helped propel America to realize Washington’s idea of creating a national identity, an American identity.
Today, these many artifacts created as we built a new nation are enjoyed by paddlers, photographers, hikers, strollers and even by commuters as an ardent reminder of our rich industrial heritage.
This essay was written by Chuck Arning, Public Historian, and former ranger with the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park. It appeared in Blackstone Heritage Corridor's 2019 transportation-themed calendar (see collage above). Spend some time with Ranger Chuck "Discovering the Blackstone Canal" in the video posted below.
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National Park Week
Earth Day - Wednesday, April 22
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2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! Here in the Blackstone Valley, just a couple years after the first Earth Day, a major undertaking was underway to clean the Blackstone River, then one of the most polluted and abused rivers in the country. They named it Operation Zap and it was the catalyst for the continued care and preservation of of our river.
In this virtual celebration of National Park Week, we invite you to watch an episode of "Along the Blackstone," narrated by Chuck Arning, former Ranger with Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park. BHC's volunteer coordinator, Suzanne Buchanan, is also in it!
Win a BHC car litter bag! While watching the video, find the answers to these questions and
send them to us
.
- Who were the two visionaries behind Operation Zap?
- What influenced the changing color of the river?
- What legislative event halted the illegal dumping?
- Where did the name ZAP come from?
If watching the video inspires you to take some action, by way of cleaning up some litter near you, we have provided some links to information for both children and adults.
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National Park Week
Throwback Thursday - April 23
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Follow us on Facebook and watch for a special
Throwback Thursday video on April 23.
Share your National Park memories on social media:
#National Park Week
#Throwback Thursday
#NationalParkWeek
Pictured here is BHC Executive Director Devon Kurtz
sporting a 1916 National Park Ranger uniform.
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National Park Week
Friendship Friday - April 24
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In celebration of "Friendship Friday" we invite you to share a story of a friend you've made through volunteering with the Volunteers-In-Parks program or through some events with the Blackstone Heritage Corridor or Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park!
If you are celebrating that friendship on social media, use the hashtags #Friendship Friday, #NPSFriends, #NationalParkWeek.
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National Park Week
Park Rx Day - Saturday, April 25
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One of the most popular ways to connect with nature in the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park is biking and walking along the Blackstone River Bikeway.
During this time of COVID-19, many natural spaces are closed to the public, however, the Blackstone River Bikeway does remain open. See notice below about repairs underway on the Rhode Island section.
Click
here
for a map of the bikeway.
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National Park Week
Bark Ranger Day - Sunday, April 26
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Blackstone River Valley's BARK Ranger Rocksie misses seeing everyone at the office and at BHC programs. In the meantime, her mom is keeping her busy with nature walks and they've been spotted cleaning up litter as they go. Rocksie's motto is to "Leave It Better Than You Find It" and she's pretty good at helping her mom to spot litter.
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Snap a Picture for BHC's 2021 Calendar Photo Contest!
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During this "down time" through COVID-19, consider going through your photos looking for "Historical Landmarks & Artifacts" in the Blackstone River Valley for the Blackstone Heritage Corridor Calendar Photo Contest.
Explore our website for ideas of places to visit to capture new photos. See link below for details and submit them electronically.
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Our thoughts and heartfelt thanks go out to all those who are working on the front lines during this pandemic.
From all of us at BHC, we wish you well and look forward to seeing you soon!
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