John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor

Float down Rhode Island's only national park in the Blackstone River Valley. This corridor, named after Sen. John H. Chafee, celebrates America's Industrial Revolution in the late 1700s.

Start in Worcester, Massachusetts and follow the river's 46 miles to Providence, Rhode Island. Along the way, you'll see quaint towns and historic sites that depict America's first attempt at modernization. Residents used the Blackstone River Valley to power water mills. Water turned huge wheels that moved machinery inside textile mills. The mills turned wool and cotton into yarn and fabric. These textiles were then exported to Europe.

This river valley brought America to the global stage. It started to move from an agrarian society to a mechanized one. Water wheels started a cavalcade of innovation that led to steam engines, coal-burning engines, and finally internal combustion.

If you don't feel like floating the river, highways connect these vibrant towns. Stop by Slater Mill in Pawtucket to see the birthplace of mechanization. Valley Falls offers a scenic stop on the river that combines an old mill run and gorgeous trees.

Campsites in the area let you enjoy nearby trails. An extensive road network and parks connect more than a dozen communities along the 46-mile heritage corridor.