The Green Visitor Guide - Blackstone Valley Tourism Council

“The nineteenth century landscape of the
Blackstone Valley was shaped by the pockets
of industrial settlement that developed in
the agricultural region. The siting and
craftsmanship of the villages’ structures,
in combination with the quiet woods and
fields along the river banks, created a unique
landscape.” (Working Water: A guide to the
historic landscape of the Blackstone River Valley.
[Providence]: Rhode Island Parks
Association, 1987, p. 5).
For several decades, the Valley enjoyed
relative prosperity. Economic decisions in
the early 20th century, however, left the
region dependent on a single industry: textile
manufacturing. Over time, outdated plants
and machinery, labor troubles and climate
control caused the Valley’s resource
advantages to be lost to southern states
where capital and labor costs were lower.
Primary employment in the Valley shifted
away from textiles and for a time, there was
a period of profound dislocation and higher
unemployment in the Blackstone Valley.
The Blackstone Valley may be North
America’s first “Green” valley. From the
1600’s, when English settlers used raw
waterpower to grind corn, saw wood and
power the American Industrial Revolution, to
the present, where water turbines generate
electricity for some mills and homes, “Green”
energy has been a critical and common part
of the community. In Pawtucket, the Slater
Mill Historic Site demonstrates how waterpower
drove the machinery of industry.
-6-
Leave No Trace:
Outdoor skills and ethics as suggested by the
River Management Society
Pack what you want and bring it
back with you.
Appreciate historic structures and
artifacts.
Avoid introducing non-native species,
including live bait, by cleaning
equipment between trips.
Observe wildlife from a distance. Do
not follow or approach them.
Control pets or leave them at home.
Avoid wildlife during sensitive times:
mating, nesting, or when food is
scarce.
Respect other visitors and protect the
quality of their experience.
Let nature’s sounds prevail.
Practice and promote Leave No Trace
Outdoor Skills and Ethics policies.
For more information contact:
www.river-management.org