Blackstone Valley

Blackstone Valley
Region of Massachusetts
A view of the Blackstone River in the Blackstone Valley of Massachusetts
A view of the Blackstone River in the Blackstone Valley of Massachusetts
Country  United States
State  Massachusetts
Blackstone Valley
The Blackstone Valley in Massachusetts and Rhode Island
The Blackstone Valley in Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Location  Massachusetts
 Rhode Island
Long-axis direction Northwest-Southeast
Geology
Type River
Geography
Population centers Worcester, Massachusetts, Providence, Rhode Island
Watercourses Blackstone River
A typical summer view in the Blackstone Valley near Uxbridge, Massachusetts

The Blackstone Valley or Blackstone River Valley is a region of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It was a major factor in the American Industrial Revolution. It makes up part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.

Economy

The Blackstone Valley has a varied economic base and is positioned to compete with the MetroWest region and the Greater Boston area for new economic development. A recent report commissioned by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce provided evidence that the region has growth in the manufacturing, education, healthcare, and professional, scientific, and technical sectors. The valley is also accessible to highways and rail, cost competitive, and an educated workforce. Thirteen major colleges and universities are situated within thirty minutes of the Blackstone Valley, including Brown University, Bryant University, Johnson & Wales University, and Providence College in Rhode Island; along with Clark University, Assumption College, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Worcester State University in Massachusetts.

The primary highway through the region is Worcester–Providence Turnpike, which follows Massachusetts Route 146 and Rhode Island Route 146. The route was gradually upgraded mostly to freeway conditions, though two short sections (near the border of Lincoln and North Smithfield in Rhode Island and in Sutton, Massachusetts) still have at-grade intersections. Improvements to this important transportation corridor have provided an economic boon to the region.[1]

Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce

The Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce is the local chamber of commerce for Worcester county and many of the cities and towns in the Blackstone Valley. The chamber represents the business needs of over 450 businesses and thousands of employees in the area.[2]

Membership in the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce also includes membership in the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.[3]

In the Summer of 2012, the chamber teamed up with State Senator Michael Moore, the Central Massachusetts Center for Business and Enterprise (CMCBE), and the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC), and others, in an effort is to extend lines of credit to small businesses for expansion and to help hire new employees.[4]

Blackstone River

Blackstone Canal

The Blackstone Canal was a waterway linking Worcester, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island and Narragansett Bay through the Blackstone Valley via a series of locks and canals between 1828 and 1848.

The canal is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

National Heritage Corridor

The John H. Chaffee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor follows the Blackstone Valley from Worcester to Providence, Rhode Island. The corridor follows the course of the Industrial Revolution in America from its origin at the Slater Mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island as it first spread north along the valley to Worcester, Massachusetts, and then to the rest of the nation.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cote, Edd (7 August 2012). "Road To Revival: Blackstone Valley Towns Continue To Reap Benefits Of Route 146". Worcester Business Journal. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  2. ↑ "Business Directory Search". Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  3. ↑ "Affiliate Partner Chambers". Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
  4. ↑ Koczwara, Kevin (2012-07-12). "Senator Michael Moore and BVCC team up for small businesses". The Millbury Sutton Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2015-04-09.
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