Ranger Walkabout

Join a Park Ranger and explore the Blackstone River Valley.

During the months of June, July, and August, park staff offer specialty tours at varying locations across the Blackstone River Watershed. These programs begin at 6:30 PM and are 60 minutes long.

Please wear comfortable footwear and bring water. Most tours are outside and often include walking on uneven surfaces on varying types of terrain with no access to bathroom facilities. Bug spray and sunscreen are also highly suggested.

---

June 6: An American First – Slatersville

Location: INDOORS at 101 Greene St.,Slatersville, RI

Start this year’s Walkabout season with us in Slatersville, Rhode Island. What drew a group of Providence investors—and a recent immigrant—to Smithfield? How did local craftspeople change a small farming town into the country’s first mill village? Learn about the early history of Slatersville and consider its significance as a company town.

June 13: The Mumford’s Marvels

Location: 50 Douglas Rd., Whitinsville, MA

Power and production were the name of the game at the Whitin Machine Works. Take a walk through this historic community and learn about the important inventions that changed the fabric of this village and the lives of countless workers around the world. Program begins in front of the ValleyCAST Heritage Gallery (Open Sky).

June 20: Pollinators and the Proletariat

Location: 1075 Lower River Rd., Lincoln, RI

Explore Blackstone River State Park in Lincoln, RI, during this special Pollinator Week program. Walk the historic towpath along the Blackstone Canal and learn about ongoing efforts to restore this post-industrial landscape. Check out the Kelly House Pollinator Garden and see how people and pollinators have made this place a “hive of industry.”

June 27: Boom and Bust in Blackstone

Location: Blackstone River Greenway Parking Area,  85Canal St., Blackstone, MA

Situated on the border of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, the town of Blackstone has long been a crossroads community. Hear how people have thrived during periods of industrial growth and the ways they have weathered periods of hardship. During this ranger-guided program, Walkabout participants will see how this well-preserved town provides a window into the 19th century.

July 11: Ups and Downs at the Millville Lock

Location: Blackstone River Greenway Parking Area,  1 Hope St, Millville, MA

Nearly two hundred years ago, laborers dug out the Blackstone Canal, making a new waterway from Providence to Worcester. During this walk, we’ll take a hike out to the Millville Lock, a remarkable remnant from the heyday of the canal. Tour will be led by a NPS ranger and staff from MA DCR. This Walkabout will include walking on the (paved) bikeway path as well as movement over uneven, wooded terrain. Please wear sturdy footwear and bring bug spray.

July 18: Living in Allen’s Town

Location: 23 Stillwater Rd., Smithfield, RI

Who was Zachariah Allen? What can his life story teach us about industry in Early America? Come with us to see Georgiaville, a quaint mill village in Smithfield, RI. Hear about Allen’s innovations and his role in developing local manufacturing through his own words.

July 25: Ambition and Accidents at Ashton

Location: 50 Front St., Cumberland, RI

What do you imagine when you think of a mill accident? Join a ranger for a walk around Ashton mill village and learn about the history of work and workplace hazards at the site. Then, follow the ranger to the Kelly barn, for a group activity. See for yourself how people recorded mill accidents and consider how these incidents may be similar to issues in modern workplaces.

August 1: In Pursuit of Providence

Location: 282 N. Main St., Providence, RI

Follow the journey of a Providence family, who for two generations, enjoyed a level of wealth, influence, and power that would have been denied them except for the profound legacy of Roger Williams. Learn more about the Hahns, their memorial, and their local legacy during this 1.5-mile walk led by a ranger. Program will begin and end at Roger Williams National Memorial and cover mostly flat terrain. There will be multiple street crossings at busy locations.

August 8: The Best and the Worsted – Harrisville

Location: 26 East Ave., Burrillville, RI

What did workers make inside the textile mills of Rhode Island? This walkabout will focus on the different products made in villages such as Harrisville in the 19th and 20th centuries. For some, it was the best of times, and for others, it was just another day at the Stillwater Worsted Company.

August 15: At Home in Hopedale

Location: 12 Hopedale St., Hopedale, MA

How do employers retain talented workers? In some company towns, housing served as an incentive and anchor. Explore the historic homes of Hopedale, MA, and chart the rise and fall of the Draper Company, which was once the largest producer of power looms in the United States.

August 22: Lonsdale Marsh – A Rehabilitation Story

Location: 121 John St., Lincoln, RI

During the 19th century, some workers moved from farms into factories. Others relocated to company towns to run factory farms. Learn about the evolution of Lonsdale, a place that has been home to both farmers and factory workers. See how the land in this mill village has undergone tremendous environmental changes and healed from some of the destructive forces of industry.

August 29: Labor Day Weekend Preview

Location: 67 Roosevelt Ave., Pawtucket, RI

Kick off your Labor Day Weekend at Old Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI! Tour a historic mill building (1793) to see how an industrial revolution began on the banks of the Blackstone River.