Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park

nspired by the success of the Erie Canal (begun in 1817) and spurred by the expansion of textile manufacturing along the Blackstone River in the early 19th century, the Blackstone Canal was built to link Central Massachusetts to the Atlantic via Providence, RI. Between 1828 and 1848, segments of the river were paralleled by the canal on which horse-drawn boats carried freight and passengers between Worcester and Providence. Initially highly successful, the canal was made obsolete by the completion of the railroad in 1847. Most of the canal structures are now gone, but the remains of lock chambers, dams, bridges, workers' housing, and a company store serve to remind us of the rich industrial history of the Blackstone River Valley.