Do you know what this is a picture of? One clue: it's at Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark in Pawtucket, RI. To discover the answer, you can go on a free, guided tour Thursdays through Sundays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and visit with Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Rangers at Old Slater Mill Thursdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy special hours on Founders Day, Wednesday, August 25 with free, guided tours at 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. See the event flyer below.
Photo by Ellen Kawadler, BHC Photography Ambassador
|
|
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor |
|
In This Edition: - August 18, 2021
- Founders Day Celebration - Wednesday, August 25
- Plein Air Painting at Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark - August 25
- Blackstone River Valley VIP Programs Wins Hartzog Award
- VIP Spotlight - Abigail Epplett
- Accessible Cycling for Veterans - September 10, 17, 24
- Blackstone River Needs Assessment - Public Comment
- BHC Public Input Survey Results
|
|
Join Us to Celebrate Founders Day on August 25 |
|
Plein Air Painting at Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark |
|
Arts in the Parks: Plein Air Painting
at Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark District
Wednesday, August 25
3 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark
67 Roosevelt Avenue
Pawtucket, RI
Celebrate Founders Day at Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park!
Come paint with us outdoors! Enjoy painting in the media of your choice at Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark District with views of the 1793 Old Slater Mill, the 1810 Wilkinson Mill, the 1758 Sylvanus Brown House, the Blackstone River, and a garden.
This will be a non-instructional event. Pre-registration required.
|
|
Blackstone River Valley VIP Program Wins Hartzog Award |
|
I am so proud to share the news with you that the Blackstone River Valley Volunteers-In-Parks program is the 2020 Recipient of the Region 1 George and Helen Hartzog Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service in the Park Volunteer Program Award category. This distinguished award from the National Park Service recognizes the efforts of exceptional park volunteer program management. Region 1 includes 13 states, from Maine to Virginia.
As the VIP program coordinator, I can tell you that this is a tremendous honor to have our program recognized. This award reflects the tireless efforts of our volunteers and the creativity infused into the program highlighting the many diverse skills and interests our volunteers have.
Please join us at the Founders Day Celebration on August 25 at Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark for a volunteer awards ceremony at 6 p.m., and let's celebrate all that we have accomplished!
With gratitude,
Suzanne Buchanan
Volunteer Coordinator
|
|
Volunteer Spotlight - Abigail Epplett |
|
VIP Abigail Epplett Shares Her Experience
as a National Park Service Ranger
|
I am currently a GS-7 Seasonal Ranger at Big Thicket National Preserve. On a given day, I might be at the front desk of the visitor center, creating lesson plans about the history of the Big Thicket for the Texas public schools or guiding canoers down the local waterways. I also contribute to the Big Thicket social media posts. I won't say which posts are mine, but they do have Facebook (facebook.com/BigThicketNPS), Instagram (instagram.com/bigthicketnps), and Twitter (twitter.com/BigThicketNPS) pages that are worth a follow.
In some ways, Big Thicket is a lot like Blackstone River Valley! Both have important stories about refugees during the Civil War: while the Blackstone River Valley was an essential highway for the Underground Railroad, the Big Thicket was a haven for men who objected to being drafted into the Confederate army. Both have many waterways that were used for water-powered mills, suffered from pollution during the Industrial Revolution, and have been significantly cleaned up within the past few years thanks to collaborations between local people, non-profits, and the park service. Both have ample opportunities for hiking, biking, and boating. Both are places to meet really nice people!
If you want to learn more about the Big Thicket, visit their official NPS webpage, nps.gov/bith.
|
|
Accessible Cycling for Veterans
along the Woonasquatucket River Greenway
|
|
Blackstone River Needs Assessment - Public Comment |
|
You may submit comments by Friday, September 3rd at 5:00 p.m. Send them to Mike Gerel, NBEP Program Director, at mike.gerel@nbep.org.
|
|
News from Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park |
|
Old Slater Mill is Now Open for Free Tours! |
|
Discover the stories that the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution still tells us today.
Tours will be offered at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays.
All guided tours are free and open to the public.
The Visitor Contact Station at Slater Mill will remain open Thursdays through Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Wilkinson Mill and Sylvanus Brown House remain closed at this time. Visit the Park's calendar for the latest updates: nps.gov/blrv/planyourvisit/calendar.htm.
Address: 67 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI
Photo on the right: The model 1832 Spinning Frame in action at Old Slater Mill.
|
|
Two More Dates!
Thursdays: August 19 and 26
7:00 p.m.
Old Slater Mill
67 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI
This August, RI Music Hall of Famer Mark Cutler will be leading collaborative songwriting workshops on Thursday evenings at Old Slater Mill.
No musical talent or previous songwriting experience is necessary. Come on out and join people from all over the community as we create some new music and enjoy the beauty of the Blackstone River.
|
|
Shakespeare in the Park
August 19 - 22
August 26 - 29
September 2 - 5
8:00 p.m.
Free Admission!
Roger Williams National Memorial
282 North Main Street
Providence, RI
Bring a lawn chair, a blanket, and refreshments, and enjoy an amazing and entertaining evening under the stars with the stars of this show.
|
|
VOLUNTEER WITH BHC
AT A GREENWAY CHALLENGE TRANSITION SITE
|
|
Come and VOLUNTEER with us!
Looking for an exciting volunteer opportunity?
Volunteers will help with transitions from street bikes to trail run, trail run to paddle, and final paddle to run. Site jobs include timing, direction posts, crowd control, etc.
|
|
|
|
BHC Public Survey Results |
Thank you to all who participated in BHC's Public Input Survey this summer.
|
|
Become a GearHead Junior Ranger |
|
"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!
|
|
|
|
Make your own nature journal for your outdoor adventures!
Nature Notes is your own private collection of notes, thoughts, ideas, and drawings about what you observe outside.
You can organize and decorate your journal any way you would like.
Note: print double-sided and fold in half.
|
|
Navigate & Explore the Blackstone River Valley
with our Interactive Map!
|
|
670 Linwood Avenue, Whitinsville, MA 01588
(508) 234-4242
Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
