Pray's Wading

Ashton Dam

Quick Facts

Amenities

2 listed

Scenic View/Photo Spot, Wheelchair Accessible

The bridge that crosses the Blackstone River connecting Lincoln and Cumberland, RI is located over a section of the river that is called Pray's Wading. This spot has been a place where people and animals have been crossing the river for probably over a thousand years. The geology of the area created an easy, shallow spot to cross, making the original location of the Kelly Mill a logical place to choose, since people had been congregating there for years. From the bridge, looking up the river you can see the Ashton Dam. The dam was built around 1867 to support the Ashton Mill. Remnants of the original Kelly Dam are sometimes visible under the river a little further upstream from the Ashton Dam.