Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park: Difference between revisions
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File:BlackstoneCanalLockUxbridgeMA 083.jpg|View of a lock on the Blackstone Canal at the Blackstone River and Canal State Park in Uxbridge |
File:BlackstoneCanalLockUxbridgeMA 083.jpg|View of a lock on the Blackstone Canal at the Blackstone River and Canal State Park in Uxbridge |
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Image:River Bend Farm Exihibit RBFarmexhibits-007.jpg|Exhibit of 19th century farm implements at River Bend Farm |
Image:River Bend Farm Exihibit RBFarmexhibits-007.jpg|Exhibit of 19th century farm implements at River Bend Farm |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
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*[http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/blst.htm Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park] |
*[http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/blst.htm Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park] |
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Revision as of 22:10, 22 November 2009
The Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park is a part of the State Park system of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).[1] This 1,000-acre (4.0 km2) park "recalls the role of canals in transporting raw materials and manufactured goods between emerging industrial centers." [1] The Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park at Uxbridge, MA, is the midpoint of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor of the National Park System.[1] The Blackstone River and Valley is the where the industrial revolution was born in America.
History
The Blackstone Canal
Transportation of goods from the upper Blackstone Valley was a growing concern by 1818. Teamsters drove huge wagons of textile goods to Woonsocket and to Worcester.[2] This need gave way to an inland waterway, the Blackstone Canal(1828).[2][3][4] The 45-mile (72 km) canal connected Worcester to Providence, the closest port.[2] The canal was built by imported Irish laborers, who worked on the Erie Canal, and settled here. It was completed in 1828. The canal was a simple ditch alongside the Blackstone River with a dirt tow path for boats to be pulled by horses.[3] A granite lock stands at Goat Hill and Uxbridge was the overnight stopping point. The canal connected inland Worcester, mills on the Blackstone, and Providence where thousands of tons of textiles could be exported all over the world. But, by 1832, the Boston and Worcester Railroad began to carry freight to Boston and the role for the canal diminished.[2][3] In 1847, the Providence and Worcester Railroad opened and completely replaced the canal for transportation. The transformation of transportation from horse drawn teams, to canal barges, to railroads was complete.
Features
There are interpretive services at the Park.[1] There are trails that recreate the trails that the Nipmuc, the Native American people of central Massachusetts, used. The River Bend Farm Visitor Center provides a convenient gateway to canoeing, fishing, trails, and snowmobiling or cross country skiing access.[1] National Park Service rangers explain the local history at the River Bend Farm Visitors Center.[1] Nearby Goat Hill provides scenic views and views of remnants of the canal locks and towpaths which can be found here.[1]
Nearby attractions
The area includes Rice City and Goat Hill.[1] There is an abundance of wildlife available for viewing in this Park.[1] The State Park works closely in conjunction with the nearby National Park Service.[1]
See also
Photos
-
Canoes on the Blackstone Canal -
View of a lock on the Blackstone Canal at the Blackstone River and Canal State Park in Uxbridge -
Exhibit of 19th century farm implements at River Bend Farm -
Goat Hill Hill Trail
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j ""Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation/Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park". Mass.gov. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
- ^ a b c d Marvin, Rev. Abijah Perkins (1879). History of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Embracing a Comprehensive History of the County from its earliest beginnings to the present time; Vol. lI. Boston, MA: CF Jewitt and Company. pp. 421–436.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b c "History of the Canal, The Blackstone Canal: A Brief Overview of Its Historical Significance". Worcester Historical Museum. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
- ^ "Stone Arch Bridge across Blackstone Canal in Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park. Uxbridge, Massachusetts, October 10, 2004". Asgreev Photos. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
External links
- Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park
- Trail map
- Official NPS site
- Legislative History of National Corridor
- Blackstone Valley Institute (planning resources)
- Blackstone River Valley Corridor Keepers (preservation group)
- Highway of Commerce: The Blackstone Canal, Worcester Historical Museum, 2005
- Historic American Building Survey
