History of the Valley

Over millions of years, magma cooled, oceans rose and fell, continents collided, and the glaciers slowly sculpted the distinctive geography of the Blackstone River Valley. Around 12,000 BP (Before Present), Paleo Indians arrived in the Blackstone Valley, the first humans to shape the landscape. They left evidence of the materials they used to harvest wildlife at documented sites in present-day Worcester, Uxbridge, Sutton, Hopedale, and other locations. By the Late Woodland Period, they were establishing settlements focused on agriculture. However, their impact on the landscape was minimal compared to that of the Europeans who followed.

Beginning with William Blackstone in 1635 and continuing for the next four centuries, humans molded the watershed, both for better and worse. Today, we celebrate the contributions of the region to the American Industrial Revolution as we also reclaim damaged waterways and habitats so current and future generations can enjoy the green space found in the Blackstone Heritage Corridor.

Reimagining Our Future

The Blackstone Heritage Corridor contains a wealth of fascinating stories and a broad range of cultural and recreational opportunities among its 25 cities and towns. But our decades-old signs and interpretive markers are suffering from years of use.

After four decades, it is critical to replace, update, unify, and add to signs, information panels, digital materials, and heritage center exhibits that provide access for visitors to engage in our stories and history. The corridor provides access to hundreds of opportunities and we must improve the tools to share this important information for all visitors with the help of a project director.

Our goals:

• Hire a temporary project director to manage the creation, production, and placement of signage, panels, and exhibits throughout the region. 
• Purchase new welcome signs that greet visitors at five key gateway locations. 
• Purchase new wayfinding signs that will easily guide visitors to museums, river, and multi-trail access points, trail heads and historic areas. 
• Create new wayside interpretive exhibits that will support self-guided tours and enrich the experience offered at various locations.
• Purchase new interpretive exhibits and signage at five larger historic sites that will integrate and enhance your experience.

Learn more about how you can support our Legacy Campaign here!