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Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
Commission Project Reports
Cover of Blackstone Canal preservation study

Project Reports
Many of the partnership projects that the Hertiage Corridor Commission is involved in lead to the creation of a report or study. These reports cover varying topics and their focus can range from region-wide to site specific. Below are a number of the reports created by the Heritage Corridor Commission in recent years. Please feel free to download any of them. 

 

Millbury Dam Removal Study
An often forgotten 1830 granite dam built to provide water power for a satinette mill is emerging as the model for how to study the impacts of removing a dam on a heavily industrialized river. A broad-based coalition ranging from Riverways, a division of Fish & Game; Mass Audubon, National Grid, Coastal America, a corporate wetlands philanthropy, and the Corridor Commisson is partnering a feasibility study to examine the complete or partial removal of this very early Millbury Dam.

Click here for a copy of the report
(PDF: 8.8 MB/ 177 pages)

Blackstone Canal Preservation Study
Focused on the approximately 28 miles of the Blackstone Canal in Massachusetts, this study identifies and maps Canal-related resources in eight communities. In addition, the Study includes recommendations for the protection, stabilization, rehabilitation and interpretation of particularly significant and intact segments of the Canal. A survey of the canal in Rhode Island is currently underway.

Click here for a copy of the Executive Summary
(PDF: 1.5 MB/ 10 pages)

Click here to see recommendations for five key segments of the canal.
(PDF: 347 kb/ 2 pages)

Design Review Manual
A Guide for the Blackstone River Valley
Many communities in the Blackstone Valley are growing at rapid rates and face the challenge of ensuring that new development is compatible with the established character of their historic villages and neighborhoods. The Design Review Manual A Guide for the Blackstone River Valley provides Valley communities with general information on how design review works, and how to begin a local design review process.

Click here to download a copy of the Design Review Manual.
(PDF: 887 kb/ 31 pages)

 
Moffett Mill Interpretive Plan cover

Moffet Mill Interpretive Plan
The Moffet Mill is a c. 1810 machine shop recently restored and stabilized by the RI Department of Transportation using Federal Highway funds. The Heritage Corridor Commission is working with the Town of Lincoln and the Slater Mill to re-install the original machinery and other artifacts into the Moffet Mill so that the public can see it looked like in its heyday.

Click here to see the Interpretive Plan, which highlights the Moffet Mill’s rich story, along with plans for the mill’s future.
(PDF: 1.73 MB/ 32 pages)

The Future of the Red Shop
At the request of the Hopedale Historical Commission, Corridor Commission staff conducted a workshop in December of 2002 to discuss the future of the Red Shop in Hopedale, MA. Built in 1843, the Shop is the oldest building associated with the Draper plant operations in the community of Hopedale. The workshop was designed to consider future uses for the shop and to begin to identify goals for the operation and long term sustainability of the facility.

 Click here for the Red Shop report
(PDF: 859 kb/ 19 pages)

Trail / Greenway Vision Report
The Blackstone Valley Trail & Greenway Vision Report outlines a vision for trail and greenway development for years to come. This report should help municipalities and state agencies prioritize their planning, development and land acquisition strategies in an efficient and cost effective manner.

Complete Trail/Greenway Report
(PDF: 24.3 MB/ 71 pages)

Trail/ GreenwayExecutive Summary (PDF: 5 MB/ 3 pages)

For other recent Heritage Corridor Commission reports please visit the following pages:

The Next Ten Years, for our Ten Year Plan

The Future of the Heritage Corridor for our Sustainabilty Study

Blackstone Valley Natural Resources for our Natural Resource Inventory

 

John Slater House, Slatersville, RI  

Did You Know?
After opening America's first successful textile mill, Samuel Slater also helped establish America's first mill village. Slatersville, in North Smithfield, RI, began operations in 1807. His brother John Slater, who lived in the white house seen here, ran the village for almost 40 years.

Last Updated: March 16, 2009 at 09:42 EST