Valley History

You have to look intently now to see traces of the Industrial Revolution in America. Today the Blackstone Valley resembles any typical semi-rural American suburb: plenty of farms and rolling hills, state forests and parks, shopping centers and attractions that many of the nearly 100,000 residents here have long taken for granted. If you look closely, you'll notice that apartment complex in Douglas was at one time a textile mill important to America's development. Look further and you'll see the shopping center in Uxbridge once operated as a grist mill along the banks of the Blackstone River and Canal- a major inland link between Worcester and Providence. The eleven towns in the Blackstone Valley share a unique and in many ways fascinating heritage.

Only in New England, and beginning right here in the Valley can we witness the unusual synthesis of Yankee (read: Protestant) industrialism and European (mostly Catholic) Immigration.

The Industrialists came for the water in the Blackstone River. Beginning in the the city of Worcester to the north and descending nearly 10 ft. per mile to Providence in the south presented ideal conditions for the generation of water power - the equivalent of gold in the late 1700's. Water cascading down into buckets on a circular frame created a "spinning wheel" that brought the gears of machinery to life. In those days, the demand for any kind of cloth created extraordinary investment opportunities in the textile industry. From Uxbridge and Whitinsville in the south to Millbury and Grafton in the north, mills rose brick by brick along the banks of the river and its tributaries. Because of the relatively small size and abundance of industry along its banks, the Blackstone had a well deserved reputation as the "hardest working" river in America". And it was!

With profit came more investment. The demand for labor exceeded the meager, mainly agrarian, populations of the Valley. By the early 1820's a mass migration had begun. Spurred by tall tales of relatives and textile company agent, countless immigrants flooded the area looking for jobs. With immigration came the need for expanded housing for the new hires. This led to the uniquely structured "Mill Village," first developed by Samuel Slater in the Rhode Island portion of the river in the 1790's. This model- it came to be known as the Rhode Island system, was duplicated all along the Blackstone and led to the formation of villages with the name of the mill owner. Thus in northern Rhode Island you will find Slatersville, in Massachusetts it's Wilkinsonville or Farnumsville and, of course, Whitinsville, former home of the Whitin Machine Works, at one time the leading producer of textile machinery in the world. And behind every village in the Valley you'll find a rich history. Most communities here have active historical societies sponsoring special events and programs each month. Whitinville, a village of the town of Northbridge, is perhaps the best example of a New England Mill Village. Named in honor of Colnel Paul C. Whitin (1767-1831), the founder of Whitin & Sons Mfg. Co., Whitinsville was built from one end of town to the other by "the company."

Most mill owners and their families have long been forgotten; but not the Whitins. Beginning in a one room Blacksmith shop in the late 1700's, in what was then known as South Northbridge, Mr. Whitin and descendents would build a manufacturing empire, dominating life in the Blackstone Valley for over one hundred fifty years. What's really amazing is how well thought of the Whitin family is, even today. Unlike many mill owners, the Whitins took responsibility for the thousands of families that left their native land to work in a Whitin owned property. "The company" provided amenities unheard of in neighboring villages, such as heating coal at company cost, free snowplowing, landscaping and property maintenance. The Whitins allowed any employee who heated their homes with wood access to their properties to cut down as many trees as needed, free of charge. They constructed the first reservoir in the area, creating Meadow Pond, (west off Main St.) which was the first system that pumped water directly into village homes.

Social life centered around the company owned village. A typical sight on weekends would be villagers sailing and fishing on the pond using equipment rented from the company provided facility. The Whitins built everything to support their expanding business operations. In all they would erect 1,000 buildings (2200 units) to house their growing workforce. The Town Hall, Schools, Monuments, Library, even the beautiful Whitin Community Center were all constructed due to Whitin family benevolence.

The architecture in Whitinsville is representative of some of the finest in 19th Century America. In 1905, the newly built high school was considered the finest constructed and equipped facility in the state. For a fascinating afternoon stop by the Northbridge Town Hall for a brochure of the walking tour of historic buildings - all in Whitinsville!

"People don't know what they're missing," says Jack Walker, local Realtor and lifelong resident. "When's the last time you've been to Purgatory Chasm?" referring to the nearby scenic state park and picnic area boasting some of the most incredible rock formations in New England. "The largest Zoo in New England (Southwick's Zoo in Mendon) is in our back yard, when's the last time you've visited?"

It's a good question.
Residents seem to take these and many other local treasures for granted. Walker continued, " The river and lakes are clean, there's no traffic, land is still cheap and available, but if I want to see a show in Boston I can be there in less than an hour! Where else are you going to find a place like the Blackstone Valley?"

He's right. The Blackstone Valley is uniquely situated in an axis between Worcester and Providence, Boston and Springfield - the top four central New England cities. Its rolling hills and abundant state forests and parks help maintain a rural ambiance to the Valley, its highways keep it easily accessible. (Rt. 146 runs North-South through the Valley connecting Worcester to Providence. The Massachusetts Turnpike, I-90, passes east to west, linking Boston, Worcester and points west.) Interestingly, while local residents are shopping for traditional tourist destinations, more and more people are discovering the Valley as a vacation alternative to crowded cities and beaches. According to the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce (BVCC) approximately 1.65 million visitors came and spent in excess of 18,000,000 dollars in 2001-2002. The focus of tourism development has been the John H. Chaffee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, established by the U.S. Congress in 1986 recognizing the region's "special place" in American history. The corridor, extending along the Blackstone River, is an affiliated area of the National Park Service.

Unlike traditional national parks, the federal government doesn't own any land within the corridor. Rather, a commission has been established to work in partnership with individuals, businesses, organizations and state and local governments to preserve the Valley's unique past and prepare for its future.

The commission has become a "virtual network" bringing together business and community leaders from across the Blackstone Valley, increasing cooperation and coordinating future plans. Working with an active Chamber of Commerce this has lent "regional" perspective to traditional economic development issues and leadership in developing the tourism industry. But many were skeptical; "Tourism in the Valley?" seemed a far-fetched proposition. State Senator Richard T. Moore remembers the difficulty in getting the original legislation passed: "The federal government was not interested in expanding open space and the National Park Service was officially opposing bills to expand their responsibilities, it took a lot of hard lobbying" he said, to win the designation. Now 16 years old, "The corridor continues to be a shining example of a successful federal-state-local and public-private partnership," Moore said. It's evident the climate of opinion is changing, as more and more residents of the Valley recognize, with a vision and determination, "dreams" still come true.

Another ambitious endeavor is the "Blackstone Valley Bikeway project,", an off-road bike trail traversing the entire Heritage Corridor from Worcester to Providence. When completed, this five-seven year project will serve as the recreational centerpiece of a two-state "linear park" along the Blackstone River. The Bikeway will link many of the Valley's natural and historic features, helping tell the story of the American Industrial Revolution. "The Bikeway will have an enormous impact on the area", says Gary Vaillancourt, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee and owner of Vaillancourt Folk Art in Sutton, MA. "Because the path will run along the river in so many locations it will expose our community to its most precious and under utilized resource. We're expecting well over 20,000 visitors will canoe, kayak, ride bikes and cross country ski through the valley and along the path. This expansion will lead to new business infrastructure developing in our underused mills, many new jobs and tax revenues but, more importantly, enhance the quality of life we all cherish. It's just exciting to imagine a recreational network from Worcester to Providence."

The Blackstone Valley is clearly a different place from what it was just a few decades ago. Initially, the transition from over reliance on the paternalism of mill owners to municipal self-sufficiency was slow and painful. All too often the villages were dependent on one or two very large employers. When those industries began moving south tax revenues plummeted and unemployment became high and persistent. Communities long dependent on the mills now had to plan and govern for themselves. For instance, Whitinsville never in its history had to plan for a new school or pay for its construction while Whitin Machine Works was still in operation- funds and leadership were always provided by "the company." This changed abruptly when the Whitin family sold the mill in 1966 and its operations moved south a decade later. But "the calamity that everyone expected never happened," says Spaulding Aldrich, reminiscing about the long anticipated demise of the industrial giant. Aldrich, past president of the Historical Society, holds the distinction as the "last Yankee" in Northbridge, having descended from the founders (1762) and still residing in town. "Thanks to strong local leadership, growth in state aid and a sustained housing boom we made the transition easier than many believe" he said.

Gradually local communities emerged from the past with determination. The Blackstone River reclamation project begun in the 1960's and 70's was a major success. Where once only chemicals and discarded appliances littered the landscape, today the river is remarkably clean, with canoe rentals and kayak races now a common attraction.

Most of the old mills have been renovated. The former Whitin Machine Works, dormant for two decades, is now fully occupied, having been replaced with 26 different businesses providing employment for over 2,000 local residents. That project, completed in 1989, could not have been accomplished without local leadership and effective lobbying for federal assistance. Local communities have engaged, recognizing the need to expand the tax base and attract new business and investment. This has led to "economic opportunity" areas in Northbridge, tax increment financing in Uxbridge, and a myriad of other enticing proposals from area municipalities. The Valley has become attractive for companies to expand and relocate. "We know we're in a horse race," says Northbridge selectman Robert Mellor, reflecting on the need to be competitive with other communities. "We need to keep looking forward, pressing our advantages and attract new business as best we can. We don't win every time, but we're always approachable when a business is considering our location and will need a break."

The peaceful quality of life here, is still, by and large, a well-guarded secret, having largely been over shadowed by Worcester, it's "big brother" to the north- but word is getting out. Land values and housing prices are growing but are still 25-30% less than around Boston. Many are choosing that quality- housing, better and safer schools, open land - the Valley offers while still commuting to the city for work. For all of the planning and development, "we're still a series of bedroom communities" says Marty Green, executive director of the six-person staff of the Chamber of Commerce, reflecting the primary concern of improving the schools and planning future land use. The mills may be quiet now, the grinding and pounding of gears long since gone the way of the 70 and 80 hour work week. But the heritage lives on, living and breathing in the visionary plans of residents and community leaders, intent on preserving a place in American history while planning a better future. The dreams live- even those that flow from an ancient Industrial landscape.