June-July - BlackstoneDaily

Six Sure Winners To Enjoy This Summer
Recreation Abounds
Arts in the Valley
Give & You Shall Receive
Norby Ready for Cruizin’
Fighting for Right
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Page 2
Valley Artists & Artisans
A Dialogue by Kari Kline
When artists meet, like most craftspeople, they talk a different language.
Artists speak heart to heart, eye-toeye, disregarding cultural, age barriers
and perhaps least important of all,
state boundaries.
It is the hope of this column that it
will become a dialogue between artist
groups, and artists as individuals,
whatever their discipline. It is the
fondest wish of the editors of
Journeys that this dialogue will broaden vision and ignite creative fires, and
touch hearts and souls. It is envisioned that this column will begin a
sincere dialogue that broaches time
and distance, to bring together the
artists of Southern New England in a
new, exciting venture as a group, with
collective power and push, and most
of all, promise.
For this first column, we went to
Worcester, the place where the
Blackstone River originates. The river
was the source of power for the early
Industrialists. But for artists, the
Blackstone River is inspirational for
its beauty, nourishment and effervescent life-giving support. Today the
river still inspires both artists and naturalists to do more to preserve its
ever-flowing beauty. The River has
never known any boundaries between
states or political aspirations. So this
column will take a tip from the River
and cross man-made boundaries as it
hopefully will serve as a force for
unification.
An old mill city built at the beginning of what has become known as
the Blackstone Valley Corridor,
Worcester became important during
the industrial age, and now has many
old mills standing vacant in its midst.
36 Harlow Street, the address of one
such mill building, the Sprinkler
Factory, is abuzz with artists. Today it
is still the home of the Worcester Arts
Group (though they will be moving
soon to Quinsigamond Community
Center), the Blackstone Print Studio
and Fireworks, a group of twelve
ceramists, plus other individual artists
and a theater group upstairs.
Artist Nina Fletcher who maintains
a print studio in the Old Sprinkler
Factory feels there’s definitely been
an increase in profile and visibility in
the arts during the last five years. Ms.
Fletcher talked about the proposed
arts district that was recently redrawn
by the Mayor.
“You don’t have to have an arts district,” she feels. “Artists scattered
throughout the city are fine with me.
Kristen Kieffer in her studio at Fire Works Gallery in Worcester
“The city has been slow to really
put their money where their mouth
is,” she added. “Artists need a benevolent government or a benevolent
landlord. Artists can’t pay high rent.
Worcester has lots of buildings and
lots of space. It takes a landlord with
some vision to put something together. Everyone complains that there’s no
umbrella organization. Everyone
dreams of an arts district. But somebody has to anti up.”
Another area of town that is
becoming affiliated with artists is
Quinsigamond Village, on the south-
east of town.
Pastel and monoprint artist Kathy
Murray maintains a work space at
One Ekman Street in the Village. She
says her building is 101 years old,
and formerly the home of the Swedish
religious group called the Vasa
Society. Building owner, Mike
Keating, originally offered free studio
space to instructors at the Worcester
Art Museum, of which Ms. Murray is
one. There are now five
instructor/artists with studios in
continued on page 10
Upton’s Hidden Treasure
by Craig Weinfuss
"You know, I've fished the Swift,
Fife Brook, the Westfield and the
Farmington - all the major trout
streams in Western Mass, but I really
wish there was a stream to fish in my
local area," I said to Jim Bender, the
owner of The Lower Forty fly shop in
Worcester.
"Where abouts is home?" Jim asked.
"Upton, Mass. - a small town most
people haven't heard of."
"Have you tried the West?"
"The West - is that by me?"
"The West? It's in Upton."
The West River humbly meanders
through some of Upton's last surviving woodlands. It can be accessed
from West River Street and the bridge
on Pleasant Street near Nipmuc High
School. It is stocked by the
Massachusetts Wildlife and Fisheries
Department with approximately 400
trout at 9 different locations along the
river including the Pleasant St., West
Hill River Dam, Glenn Ave and
Warren Brook bridges. Jeff LeClaire,
owner of Fin and Feather Sports in
Upton center, also stocks 10 tagged
rainbow trout in conjunction with
MassWildlife's Tag's N Trout program. If you catch one of these special trout, LeClaire offers a range of
fishing related prizes. Although the
West isn't stocked as much as other
renowned Mass rivers such as the
Swift, trout certainly are caught with
patience and persistence. I've met
many fishermen who journey all the
way from Worcester just to fish these
secluded waters.
Johnny Martin, an Uptonite since
Johnny Martin and his fine catch
1941, reminisces back to the days
when he caught upwards of 10 trout
in a single outing on the West; yet, in
those days, he was also hunting bobcat in his back yard and proudly
showed me the pictures to prove it.
"Times have changed," says Johnny,
"The increase of housing developments puts a heavy strain on the river.
Upton used to be one of the best
Danny Powell and Johnny Martin in 1972
game towns before entering the
Boston area - not so any more."
Although times have changed, an outing to the West is a great way to
unwind after a busy day. It brings you
back to the pastoral Upton with
woods surrounding you on all sides
and waterfalls trickling through old
continued on page 13
Page 3
Calendar of Events
June
4- US Civil War Re-Enactment -401-726-0597 -Re-enactment of battles
between Union and Confederate troops during the US Civil War (1861-1865).
Includes living history interpretations, soldier camps and field hospital.
Saturday, 11 am-4 pm, Sunday, 11 am-2 pm. Chase Farm Park, Great Road
Historical District at Hearthside House, Lincoln, R.I.
5 -Early American Trades and Crafts Fair 1-4 p.m.
The entire family will
enjoy costumed interpreters who demonstrate early American trades, including blacksmithing, tinsmithing, spinning, weaving, basket making, pottery
making, shoemaking and clockmaking. Period lawn games and hands on
activities for children will also be available. Free. Willard Clock House
Museum, Willard Street, North Grafton. 508-839-3500
10- Gallery Stroll in Uxbridge. Fridays 6-8 p.m. Whimsical and serious art
and treasures. Over ten shops. www.booksandchocolate.com/stroll/
15-18 Expedition 2005 - 401-762-0250 John H. Chafee Blackstone River
Valley National Heritage Corridor. Expedition 2005 is a four day paddling
and bicycling journey through the Blackstone River Valley from Worcester,
MA to Providence, RI. The public is invited to participate in several public
events and activities during the Expedition. www.expedition05.com
18 - Rivers Day at Central Falls Landing 10-noon followed by 1st
Annual Rivers Sing on the Blackstone from 12:00 noon to dusk at the
Slater Mill Historic Site, and along Roosevelt Avenue, between Main and
Exchange Streets, in downtown Pawtucket. The inaugural event, highlighted
with more than 80 musical performances along the Blackstone River, a Grand
Sing-A-Free and open to the public. More info, check TourBlackstone.com
18 - Sidewalk Sale in Charming Downtown Pascoag, Valley wide Yard
Sales, Food, Bargains, Face Painting & More organized by your local
Downtown Pascoag & Neighborhood Association. 9 - 3 Saturday More Info,
401-568-2939 Rain Date: June 25th
18 - Valley Friendship Tour, 20th Anniversary 8AM – 1PM in
Whitinsville, MA and Third Annual Health and Wellness Fair. Contact Elaine
K. at (508) 234-0853 or www.altrntvs.org/Events/ValleyTour2005/valleytour05.html
19 -The Blackstone Valley Community Concert Band will be performing
the 3rd Annual Father's Day Concert at Riverbend Farm on Sunday, June
19th at 3:30 PM. Free outdoor concert featuring Broadway show tunes,
patriotic songs, concert marches, Gershwin favorites as songs from the 1930's
and 40's. Oak St., Uxbridge, MA.
22- Hopedale Summer Concert Series 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM, 508-478-0929
Hopedale Cultural Council presents series of FREE summertime music concerts. Every Wed - August 3, 2005. Hopedale Town Park, Dutchess Street.
July
1 - 10:00 AM
- 1:00 PM Neighborhood Nature at Elm Park
Contact: Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary 508-753-6087
bmbrook@massaudubon.org Crafts, stories, and nature walks. Ages 4+
2-30 1:00 PM
- 4:00 PM Historic Great Road Open House
401-726-0597 “Travel Three Hundred Years in Three Miles.” 1810
Hearthside house (2nd Saturday), the 1687 Eleazer Arnold House (4th
Saturday), the 1694 Valentine Whitman House (first Saturday), the 1704
Friends Meeting House (3rd Saturday), the 1870 William Hannaway
Blacksmith Shop, as well as the Wilbur Kelly House in Quinnville.
The Kelly House is open 7 days a week from May through October, and
the Hannaway Shop is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. – noon for
demonstrations and classes. While there is no charge for the tours, donations are strongly encouraged. Lincoln, R.I. Call for details.
4 Ancient & Horribles Parade Town of Glocester 401-568-6206
Annual holiday parade featuring local residents who dress up in unique
and unusual costumes reflecting current events and contemporary
issues.Call for more details. Chepachet village, Route 44, Glocester, RI.
9 Third Annual Celtic Festival - Come celebrate Celtic Traditions and
music on a beautiful farm hillside. All day event, many new children’s
games and activities. Food, nationally known musicians. Glengharry
Bhoys, much more. www.BlackstoneValley.org
9-10 "The Tragedy of Othello, the moor of Venice" by William
Shakespeare Directed by Marty BlackEagle-Carl, FREE - Bring a picnic,
dinner & a show at Whitin Community Center Park, 60 Main St,
Whitinsville (5:30 pm) Also 7/16,7/17,7/30,7/31 Marty@ 508-272-0111
10 (and every Sunday) Cruise along the Blackstone American Heritage
River aboard the 49-passenger river tour boat Explorer as it offers historic,
scenic and education tours. June through August enjoy the wonders of
nature on our "Wilderness Tour" leaving from Central Falls Landing, at
the corner of Medeira Ave. Public Tours Sunday at 1, 2, 3, 4pm.
Group/student tours daily. $7/adults, $6/seniors & children. 401-724-2200
10 Sunday Concerts Along the Canal - Enjoy weekly Sunday afternoon
music concerts at historic River Bend Farm, part of the Blackstone River
& Canal Heritage State Park. Overlooks panoramic span of Blackstone
American Heritage River. Oak Street, Uxbridge, MA. Free
27 7:05 PM
International Exhibition Baseball Game 401-724-7300
info@pawsox.com Special game between Team USA and Team Italy. The
historic game will be the finale of a Friendship Series with Italy. McCoy
Stadium.Pawtucket, RI
25 Taft Church Family Fair- 9am to 1pm. There will be games, prizes, hot
dogs, cotton candy and more. Taft Methodist, S. Main Street, Uxbridge, MA.
Many more local events at www.BlackstoneDaily.com
Many more local events at www.BlackstoneDaily.com
Page 4
Polish Traditions and Festivities Enliven First Night of Expedition 05
by Ellen Onorato
Heel and toe and away we go! Get
ready for the Polish festivities celebrating the first night of the
Blackstone Expedition 2005 on June
15th. Showcasing the Polish cullture
still very much alive in South
Grafton, the party is open to the public and sure to be a blast! With Polish
band, plenty of kielbasa, golabkis,
Polish beer and dancing, this is sure
to get you smiling - and hopping with
the fast chasses of the Polka - perhaps
even the beloved Beer Barrel Polka!
Though we might hear names with
more "celebrity" attached, it is very
clear that such names as Kuras,
Stopyra, Klocek, Gardzina, Obara,
Kuczinski , Matuszek, Rawinski,
Wojnar, Huchowski, Wenc, Knapik,
Koziol and others have left a profound imprint upon the hearts of
many throughout the Blackstone
Valley. The Polish community began
their migration to South Grafton,
Northbridge, Uxbridge and throughout the French and Blackstone River
Valleys during the late 1800s and
early 1900s when Poland was divided
among Prussia, Russia and Austria.
The extreme poverty and lack of hope
for a decent future in the homeland
led many Poles to cross the ocean
looking to America for a more promising future.
At the same time, the Valley mills
were humming to capacity and in
need of more labor. South Grafton’s
mills - the Saunders Cotton Mill, the
Farnumsville Woolen Mill, and
Fisherville (burned down in 1999 but
is expected to have a bright future
rebuilt as a mixed use project) were
centers of small, cohesive villages -
each with their own post office, general store, varied services and mill
housing. Much of this housing is still
intact - from the mansion of mill
owner Harry Daw on Depot Street,
now renovated beautifully as a private
home, to the Essek Farnum house or
classic mill housing along English
Row or Orchard Street in South
Grafton.
One of the most significant community buildings in South Grafton for
nearly 70 years has been the Polish
National Home which continues to fill
an important role, both to the proud
Polish community as well to the
broader community. Most Grafton
teens have been to dances and often,
showers, private events of all types
are held at the PNH, as it is lovingly
called by some.
The commitment of its initial
founders, filled with a vision, hard
work and personal loans to erect this
Home by 1937, is a tribute to the lifelong spirit of the Polish community.
Their motto - to work hard and play
hard led to many memories over the
decades, many of which are wonderfully recalled in Stasia Obara
Rawinski's and Joe Kuras's book, A
History of the Polish American
Community of South Grafton, published in 1999. This historic look back
provides specific data for ancestry
researchers while offering insight into
the personalities and charming
moments that exemplified the humor,
sense of community and strong heart
and hands of generations of Polish
Americans. Authors Joe Kuras and
Stasia Rawinski are still active in the
community and their book is expected
to be on sale at the June 15th event.
It is possible to
witness the dedication
and commitment, the
cooperation and generous hearts and efforts
of this community still
operating Polish Halls
throughout Uxbridge,
Blackstone, Webster
and of course, in
South Grafton. As a
child growing up in the
1950s in Webster along
the French River, I will The Wisla Band used to play at South Grafton’s Polish National Home
forever cherish the charming
memories as we danced polkas
through the halls of the
Episcopal Church rectory’s
with our beloved Polish housekeeper as radio station WESO
blared the festive music. These
exuberant, happy traditions
were always well-received at
our staid, more formal English
household.
In addition, the historic
Fanumsville Fire Station,
The Emporer historic fire engine housed in South Grafton
located a short walk down the
again on Thursday a.m. for three
road, will be featuring its beautifully
more days of river kayaking and local
renovated 1852 fire engine, the
evening festivities. Check out
Emporer. This delightful, tiny fire
www.BlackstoneExpedition05.com for
house and its restored fire engine are
schedule.
a tribute to dedicated Grafton individuals giving of their time, money and
heart.
The first night celebration is open
to the public with officials speaking at
the Fisherville mill site in the afternoon followed by local Polish cultural
festivities starting at 6:30. About 40
officials, citizens and stakeholders
will be camping out on the grounds of
the Polish National Home on
Wednesday eve before starting out
Please support our advertisers. They support this publication and are the heart of
each community.
Page 5
A Short Blackstone Canal History: The
Significance of the Blackstone Canal to
America's Industrial Development
By Ranger Chuck Arning
The John H. Chafee Blackstone River
Valley National Heritage Corridor
tures readily approved the canal company's proposition. By 1827, 1,000
Irish workers, skilled canal builders,
were employed along the canal route,
cutting granite for locks, digging the
trench and building the tow path as the
canal's progress approached Worcester.
In many ways the construction and
operation of the Blackstone Canal in
early Fall of 1828 was a breakthrough
event. Not only did it revolutionize
transportation in the region, move significant amounts of goods up and down
the canal creating all kinds of entrepreneurial opportunities, but it also introduced the first major ethnic group to
the Blackstone Valley, the Irish. With
the arrival of the Canal, the creation of
the first Catholic Church outside of
Boston in the booming Village of
Worcester took place. With the arrival
of the Canal, the development of
Worcester literally took off with
increases in population, the building of
boat, the Lady Carrington, to arrive in
Worcester, sight unseen for he believed
that he could market his new purchases
by using the speed of the canal boats as
an indicator of freshness. So, in all
three newspapers, he placed ads highlighting in big bold letters,
With the signing of the Treaty of
Paris in 1783, where Great Britain
ceded all its North American Territory
with the exception of Canada to the
BY THE CANAL
fledging new nation, the United States
Nathan Heard has just purchased the
of America, the joy of its victory for
entire
Independence gave way to the nation's
Cargo of the
need to win an equally important war LADY CARRINGTON
the war for economic independence.
Consisting of SALT and GRAIN,
Not an easy task with much of the new
which he
nation's goods still coming from Great
Offers for sale on the most reasonable
Britain.
terms,
Of an equal challenge was the abiliby the quantity or otherwise.
ty to move goods from one part of the
country to another. The bulk of the
To the lady of the house, to the purnation's population lay within 50 miles
chaser of food products "BY THE
of the sea. Moving produce and materiCANAL" translated into "fresh".
al into the hinterlands from the nation's
Merchant Heard saw a new technology,
well populated seacoast was costly and
a new mode of transportation, the
exceedingly slow due to the lack of
Blackstone Canal, and enviroads and transportation routes.
sioned it as a profoundly new
In 1792, John Brown, ship
way to market his goods.
owner and entrepreneur, and a
Another example of the
true visionary, proposed the buildimpact of the Canal on the peoing of a canal from Providence,
ple of the Blackstone Valley is
Rhode Island through
the change in the way the local
Massachusetts, up through New
newspapers handled the coming
Hampshire and Vermont connectand going of the canal. The three
ing to the Connecticut River and
papers the National Aegis, the
finally into New York with the
Massachusetts Yeoman and the
great North (Hudson) River as its
Massachusetts Spy would, at the
destination. This canal would be
start of the canal era, early
able to move goods deep into the
October of 1828, list the arrival
center of the new country. While
of the canal boats and their conthe Rhode Island Legislation
tents in quite general terms. Salt
enthusiastically endorsed the conand Grain, Molasses, timber, etc.
cept, the Massachusetts State
By December of the same year,
Legislature, based in Boston, in
1828, each newspaper would
1796 saw the canal as an economRecreational use of the old canal seen today at River Bend Farm in Uxbridge have their own column dedicatic threat and defeated enabling
ed to reporting what arrived and
legislation. As the local paper
a downtown district around the canal,
what departed from the Port of
reported that if a canal were to connect
the building of adjacent mills that
Worcester. Some columns were called
the City of Providence with Worcester
would capitalize on the availability of
"Inland Navigation" or "Blackstone
in the central part of the state, "Boston
the new transportation route, and the
Canal Navigation" or even "Marine
would become nothing more than an
development of new products. True
Intelligence", but it was clear that what
insignificant fishing village."
entrepreneurial opportunities emerged
came up the canal and what went down
The canal concept lay dormant until
with the completion of the canal.
the canal was important to all. Here are
construction began on the first major
One good example of these "entrea few examples:
segment of the Erie Canal in 1817.
preneurial opportunities" is the story of
Blackstone Canal Navigation
With the entire nation witnessing the
Nathan Heard, a Worcester merchant
Friday, April 24
beginning of this highly successful
who saw the canal as a great way to
Arrived, Canal Boat, Rhode Island,
operation, the prospect of building the
market his goods. He bought the entire
continued on page 14
Blackstone Canal was, once again, rescontents of the first Blackstone Canal
urrected. This time both state legisla-
Personal Recollections of
Collecting Antiques by Nan Haven
I have always had a passion for
antiques. I have been a flea market and
yard sale junkie for over 40 years.
Every Saturday and Sunday, my kids
and I would travel throughout the state
to find garage sales and flea markets
from Grafton to Norton or Brimfield.
The collecting culminated in a move to
Upton in the mid-seventies and the
opening of our own shop, Boulder
Farm Antiques, located in the historic
Silo Barn.
Research has always been important. Staying ahead of trends in collect-
ing to know the subtle differences on
markings for pottery, porcelain or old
items or reproductions.
Due to Ebay or Roadshow Antiques,
people are more aware of what they
have now. I am now 79 years old and
continue to have a booth at Douglas
Flea Market but I still get to yard sales
and have some items posted on Ebay!
Two years ago, I bought a Moorcroft
vase for $2 and had it appraised at
Skinners Auction for $1000! That’s
what keeps me going....excited to find
another valuable antique treasure!
38th Annual Grafton
Antique Show and Sale
Saturday, June 18, 2005
On Grafton Common
Early admission at 9:00 a.m.: $10.00
General admission from 10:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m.: $5.00 This year’s show fea tures 50 exhibitors. Morning and lunch
refreshments will be available. Proceeds
benefit Willard House and the
Grafton Historical Soc.
Info, (508) 641-4584 or (508) 839-3500
Page 6
Give Unto Others
Destinations
Boys & Girls Clubs - BV Boys & Girls Club, 115 Canal St.,
Blackstone 508-883-6363; Woonsocket's Boys & Girls Club,
35 George St. 401-766-9242
Cumberland-Lincoln B&G's Club, 1 James McKee Way,
Cumberland 401-333-4850
Whitin Center, 60 Main Street, Whitinsville, 508-234-8184
www.ourgym.org The Hab - 374 West Street, Uxbridge,
508-278-9888. Sports and Recreation. www.thehab.com
YMCA/YWCA-4 Valente Dr, Westboro (508) 870-1320 / 75
Shore Drive, Worcester,(508) 852-6694
766 Main Street, Worcester, (508)755-6101
1 Salem Sq, Worcester, 01608 - (508) 791-3181
also Woonsocket, Pawtucket
Bowling - Church St., Whitinsville, candlepin bowl, pool
games, also Shrewsbury, Rte 9
A great farm experience while
learning how to plant, weed or
harvest vegetables is a joy itself,
but when coupled with the underlying gift of your time to do unto
others makes it that much more
inspiring. The Community Harvest
Project is a nonprofit, volunteer
farming organization based at the
Brigham Hill Community Farm in
North Grafton, MA and Elmwood
Farm in Hopkinton, MA. In 2003,
over 35,000 pounds of vegetables
were grown and distributed to 280
hunger relief organizations
throughout the County. 2004 volunteers donated even more tonnage of fresh vegetables, such as
tomatoes, broccoli, squash and
much more.
Give unto others seems to be
the credo which guides the volunteers at the Farm, particularly its
owners, Ken Crater and Peg
Ferraro who were inspired
by the late Bill and Rose
Abbott of Hopkinton’s
Elmwood Farm. Ken and
Peg are involved with a
broad cross-section of
endeavors - all of which
make the community and
region a richer place. They were
honored in 2004 as recipients of
the Heritage Corridor award for
their bold leadership and vision
which led to the collaborative purchase of 61A land known as
Hassanemessit, the historic place
where John Eliot established an
Indian Praying village over 350
years ago.The rare opportunity of
finding such fine mentors only
underscores the wonderful, helpful
environment and committed role
that the Brigham Hill Community
Barn plays in the Valley. College
students, families, elderly, or elementary students all love to come
Breezy Water Slides - 520 NW Main St., Douglas 888-8216222
Native Turtles Need Our Help
Broadmeadow Brook Audubon Society, 414 Massasoit
Road, Worcester, MA 01604 508-753-6087 400 acres of
marsh, fields, trails, vacation programs
by Jim Gass
My wife and I were taking an
afternoon hike at one of Mass
Audubon’s larger wildlife sanctuaries last fall, and a pleasant but
Higgins Armory, 100 Barber Avenue, Worcester, MA, 508otherwise uneventful walk was
853-6015 www.higgins.org
about to come to an end. Or so we
Skating - Inside -Hogan Rink- Auburn, Lake Ave Rinkthought.
Worcester, Outside - River Island Park , Market Square,
Rounding a corner on the return
Woonsocket Skiing - Ward Hill, 1000 Main Street
trail, we noticed a small but colorShrewsbury, MA 01545 508-842-6346 - Wachusett
Mountain, 499 Mountain Rd, Princeton, MA 01541 978-464- ful object slowly making its way
across the forest floor. It was an
2300
eastern box turtle, a species of torCraft Center -25 Sagamore Road,Worcester
toise that has become increasingly
508-753-8183 www.worcestercraftcenter.org
hard to find in southern New
Worcester Art Museum -55 Salisbury St., Worc.
England. It offered no resistance
www.worcesterart.org 508-799-4406
as I picked it up, not even withMuseum of Work & Culture, French culture, Market
drawing into its shell. Perhaps it
Square, Woonsocket - (401)769-WORK
was used to being handled by hikPowder Mill Ledges - Audubon. 12 Sanderson Road (Rt. 5),
ers over the years and had become
Smithfield, RI (401) 949-5454
tame (box turtles can live to be
100 years old or more). We took a
Zoo - Southwick’s,2 Southwick Street, Mendon, MA Open
minute to admire the subtle shades
April 508-883-9182 www.southwickszoo.com or
of orange and yellow on its shell,
Roger Williams Park Zoo -1000 Elmwood Avenue, Prov.,
www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org 401-785-3510
then placed it in the woods far off
Slater Mill -67 Roosevelt Ave, Pawtucket, 0 - (401) 725-8638 the trail. This beautiful reptile,
ambling unconcernedly through
www.slatermill.org - History
the woods, was one of the few
Children’s Museum - 100 South Street in Providence’s Jewelry
wild box turtles I had ever seen.
District. (401) 273-KIDS, www.childrenmuseum.org.
Another chance encounter with
Outdoors - Purgatory Chasm State Park
an even more rare species of turtle
Douglas State Park and Wallum Lake, Upton State Park,
happened when I least expected it.
Diamond Hill Reservation, Lincoln Park - go to
We were paddling our favorite
www.BlackstoneDaily.com for more info and lists
river in Rhode Island one July
Ecotarium, 222 Harrington Way, Worcester, MA 01604 ,
(508) 929-2700 www.ecotarium.org
afternoon, and as we turned a
bend in the river, noticed a medium-sized turtle sunning itself on
the riverbank. At first we thought
it was a young snapping turtle.
But upon closer inspection we
realized it was a wood turtle, an
older fellow, the second or third
one that I had ever seen. He was
half asleep. We took a few pictures, and then left him on the
warm mud to finish his nap.
Box and wood turtles are easy
to identify if you are lucky
enough to find one. Box turtles
have a highly domed upper shell
(or carapace) about 4-6 inches
long, shaped something like a helmet. The bottom shell (plastron) is
essentially flat and hinged at both
ends, allowing the turtle to close
up tightly like a box, the unique
trait that gives this species its
name. The color of a box turtle’s
carapace is variable, but it is usually dark brown to black with yellow or orange blotches. The plastron can be olive, yellow, or
orange.
Wood turtles are generally larger than box turtles. Their carapace
is about 5-10 inches long, and is
varying shades of brown. It’s also
more sculpted, having highly
ridged plates called “scutes” that
to the farm and help out! Come
join the friendly volunteers committed to “food for the needy”
being grown on the 11 beautiful
acres in North Grafton, surrounded by a new barn and learning
center also used by many community groups.
People interested in volunteering at either of the Community
Harvest Project farms in North
Grafton or Hopkinton may contact
Volunteer Coordinator Ken Dion
at the farm hotline, (508) 8397402 Ext. 1. More information is
available on the web at www.community-harvest.org.
Box Turtle
(on left)
and Wood
Turtle
(Below)
resemble little pyramids. The plastron is yellow with black markings. Unlike a box turtle, a wood
turtle’s neck and lower forelimbs
are bright orange. As with all turtles, the males of both species can
be identified by their concave
plastrons.
Box turtles are strictly terrestrial. They are found in open woodlands, fields, or meadows, but
often turn up near water, especially in hot weather. Their home
range is very small, generally 150750 feet in diameter, and they
won’t move much beyond it
except to breed. Having said this,
relocating or moving a box turtle
can kill it, as these slow-moving
animals may attempt to cross a
busy road in an effort to return
home. After the first hard frost,
continued on page 12
Page 7
Sure Winners For All To Enjoy
Purgatory Chasm is a great family spot for
picnicking, playground fun or rock climbing. It is
easily accessible off Rte 146 between Sutton and
Northbridge. A deep chasm about a 1/4 mile long
of cliffs reaching 70 feet high was created naturally about 14,000 years ago. For a full story by
writer Kara Howland, go to
www.BlackstoneDaily.com/purg.h
tm.
Lookout Rock, seen in the
front cover photo (with teens)
overlooks the winding River
Valley that changes dramatically
from season to season. A short
walk up from accessible gravel
parking to some overhanging
boulders is a great spot for quiet
solitude and scenic beauty.
Walking paths south to Goat Hill,
River Bend Farm or north to
Plummers Landing can keep you
absorbed for several hours.
Located with sign on scenic Old
Quaker Highway, Northbridge.
River Bend Farm on Oak
Street in Uxbridge has wonderful
events, including free Sunday summer concerts.This is a great place
to stroll or kayak along the Canal
or River or merely watch the birds,
and quite possibly a blue heron
while picnicking. This State Park
and Visitors Center is the renovated
Voss Dairy Farm with an upstairs
exhibit telling the story of farm to
factory history within the Valley.
The entire 1000 acres from picturesque Rice City Pond and the old
arch bridge along the canal to River
Bend and then south, along the
canal to Stanley Woolen Mill
exudes history in both scenic and
industrial form truly capturing the
Blackstone experience
Waters Farm in Sutton, pictured
on the front cover is another gor-
History and Recreation Intertwine in the Valley
Millville Lock, the only intact lock
left of the Blackstone Canal, has captured many hearts, particularly when
you fully understand the history which
brings to light the granite Canal, the
rusted Triad railroad towering above
the quiet woods whose bright hopes
were diminished with the Balkan War
and the sinking of the Titanic. Strolling
down this quiet path, one would hardly
realize its significance in days past. Go
online
http://www.blackstonedaily.com/millvillelock.htm or better yet, enjoy a
fascinating guided tour on these dates:
June 4 & 5 / July 2 & 3 / August 6 &
7 / September 3 & 4 / October 1 & 2
with a JHC National Heritage Corridor
Park volunteer. This free tour begins
at 2:00 PM and lasts about an hour and
half. Most of the trail is flat, but wear
sturdy walking shoes, bring water,
insect repellent and your camera.
Meet at the parking lot across from
St. John’s Church, Hope St., Millville,
MA. For more information about this
program from the Blackstone River
Valley NHC, please call 401-7620440.
Blackstone Gorge is very close by
and worth a visit, too! One of the
wildest parts of the Blackstone River,
usually with some rapids, it is shown
to the right in an abnormally dry state.
As you walk alongside, the cliffs rise
geous site. July 16th’s Mule and
Donkey Show is a family treat
while the views from the house are
just magnificent. Nearby, Whittier
Farms’ views and farmstand is a
perfect stop for bikers and boost for
agritourism. For a list of Farm
Stands and Farmers Market, go
to:www.BlackstoneDaily.com
to almost 100 feet over the river. It is
fascinating to find the marker dividing
the states of R.I./MA and the communities of Blackstone and Woonsocket.
Historically, as taxes in MA grew, the
mill moved a few hundred yards to be
built in more tax-friendly R.I. about a
century ago.
The Park is open sunrise to sunset
with easy parking. Follow Rte. 122
south through Millville into
Blackstone. Turn right on County
Road, following signs to the Gorge.
There is limited parking at the end of
the street; trails are left of Roaring
Dam. For more great sites/events, visit
www.BlackstoneDaily.com.
Incredible Events Range From Woonsocket’s
Cruizin’ to Grafton’s Authentic Indian Fair
CRUIZIN ON MAIN STREET
For a comprehensive event calendar, go to
www.BlackstoneDaily.com/calendarbd.htm
Woonsocket’s Main Street and
historic Market Square really
come alive every Wednedsay
evening from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
(6/1-8/17) as scores, and sometimes hundreds of classic and
custom cars cruise into town.
These beauties attract up to 3000
spectators each week. For fun,
raffles, music, prizes - contact
Norby 401-767-9282.
While in Woonsocket, don’t
miss the historic Museum of
Work & Culture, River Island
Park concerts or go back for an
unforgettable Sunday tour of St.
Ann’s little “Sistine Chapel” - a
mecca for art lovers with magnificent frescoes and stained
glass windows.401-767-3777.
www.BlackstoneDaily.com/ann.htm
HASSANAMISCO FAIR
The 52nd annual Nipmuc
Nation’s Native American
Indian Fair has been set by
Nipmuc Nation Chief
Natachaman Walter Vickers,
who will preside over the day’s
events on Sunday, July 31st
from 10-4 PM at the
Hassanamisco Nipmuc
Reservation, 80 Brigham Hill
Road in Grafton. This Native
American Fair features Indian
crafts, drumming, dances and
ceremonies and native vendors.
This 4 acre parcel is the only
land perpetually owned by
Native Americans in
Massachusetts.
For more details and get updates, go to
www.BlackstoneDaily.com/bhind.htm
and for a fascinating local Indian story
ww.blackstonedaily.com/mishoon.htm
We carry over 40,000 items
from more than 500 specialty
manufacturers and craftsmen.
mendongiftbarn.com
1-888-473-1820 Route 16, Mendon, MA
Gifts • Furniture • Accessories • Christmas
Page 8
Discover the Blackstone Rive
A 20 Mile Mall of Unique Sho
www.blackstonerivervalley.co
NEW MAP TO BE PLA
Women’s Handbags
& Accessories
Handbags for all occasions
from fun to formal.
Hours: Monday - Friday 10 - 6, Saturday 10 - 5
80 Worcester St. N. Grafton, MA 01536
508-839-7848
w
300 N. Main St. Uxb
Page 9
er Valley!
ops....
om
Key To Map Locations:
1 - Peggy's Place D7
1 - Grafton Inn
D7
1 - Grafton Country Store D7
1 - Tuscan Rose D7
2 - Carry It Off With Style D8
3 - Putnam House B&B B4
4 - National Gallery B4
5 - Keown's Orchards C5
6 - 1836 Antiques C6
7 - West End Creamery D4
8 - Victoria's Barn F5
9 - Blackstone Books - E4
10 - The Welcoming Lantern E4
11 - Emily Bs - Quit n Time E3
ACED BY PRINTER
www.emilybgifts.com
"Premium Beers" and Spirits
bridge, MA - 508-278-2705 - Sun - Sat 10:00am - 11:00pm
12 - Wild Bird Gardens E3
12 - Dimensional Hair E3
13 - Country Traditions
Candles F3
14 - Bernat Mills Complex F2
14 - Bittersweet Hollow F2
14 - The Artists Palette F2
14 - Frame Sense F2
14 - Gymnastics Place F2
14 - Through The
Looking Glass F2
15 - Uxbridge Ice Cream
& Pie Shop F2
16 - Books & Books F2
Have you seen the Blackstone River Valley?
You may have lived all your life
within the borders of the National
Park Area known as the Blackstone
River Valley Heritage Corridor, but
have you ever experienced firsthand all she has to offer; the rush
of the river, the beauty of a scenic
vista or perhaps a contemplative
walk along the banks of a renewed
and restored Blackstone Canal towpath?
On any given day the landscape
here is alive, and fascinating adventures wait. Canoeing or kayaking
on the river, walking tours through
historic mill villages, professional
baseball, pristine lakes, scenic
bikepaths are but a sample of the
many splendors awaiting you just
outside your door!
This Map is your guide to an
adventure we trust will take you out
of the "Aspahlt Jungle" of suburban
shopping malls and into a scenic,
delightful experience.
Consider the Blackstone River
Valley your personal 20-mile shopping mall, connected by state parks,
museums and any number of quiet
surprises. The combination of scenic diversions and small, unique
shops sprinkled throughout the
Valley offers an experience the big
boxes on the hill just can't match.
And once experienced, we’re sure
you’ll agree.
So take the tour! Experience the
all new Blackstone River Valley
perhaps you never knew existed.
Enjoy!
Page 10
Dialogue with Artists,
continued
the building. Bill Griffith, who taught
Mr. Keating, now has a studio in the
building. Master Printmaker, Kerry
Manahan, and painter, Randy LeSage,
make up the five artists who currently
share the space.
Ann McTigue, Director of Arts
Worcester, which is located in the Main
South area of town, keeps a very active
member and artists mailing list for people desiring to purchase artists work, as
well as grants, or artists just wanting to
connect with other artists. The Center
holds various workshops on how artists
can make it in the business world. In
the words of Ms. McTigue, “How to
grow as artists.”
“Art shapes life,” she adds.
Director since 1998, Ms. McTigue
says she’d like to see a lot more collaboration between cultural organizations.
Main South is the area that the City of
Worcester had designated as its cultural
center. Ms. McTigue says, “Main South
area is blighted, it is a repository of
vice. Lots of low income families live
here. Forty one percent don’t speak
English, so they don’t vote. There are
currently very few artists working in
Main South. Somebody has to support
the concept of a cultural district.
Somebody has to buy into the vision.
You get back what you give.”
Arts Worcester has its own 2,000
square foot gallery, which Ms. McTigue
says hosts new shows every six to eight
weeks, including both artist member
and non-members.
Established in 1856, the Worcester
Center for Crafts is the oldest school for
crafts in the country. Today the Center
holds classes in ceramics, wood, metals
and jewelry, weaving and fiber arts, and
photography, and also has a gallery and
retail shop. They also have visiting
artists’ workshops, and an artist-in-residence program. Ceramic sculptor,
Joseph Fastaia, is currently serving a
ten-month artist in residency program at
the Worcester Center for Arts and
Crafts.
He calls the program “fantastic” and
“great” and views the Craft Center as
invaluable, due to the available equip-
ment, time commitment and camaraderie with other artists.
He likes to sculpt what he calls “earth
moving vehicles”, which include dump
trucks, graders, road construction, and
any machines that literally are used to
move the earth. He says he likes to
study the relationship people have to
their landscape. “How we associate ourselves with places we know. How geology and humanity shapes us. He sees
trucks, in his work, as an extension of
human hands.
“Growing up in New England in a
rural suburban area, where there were
lots of hiking opportunities, railroad
tracks and grist mill foundations this
became ingrained into my mind. This
was my place identity. I used to think
about what lives were led by the people
who created these stonewalls for
instance. It’s a snapshot in time.”
“Its not everyone who would choose
this uncertain of a lifestyle,” he says. “I
find it’s something within me that needs
answering. Whenever I’ve worked for a
paycheck, I’ve been dissatisfied. I
always felt like there was something
else I should be doing.”
Although he feels there are lots of
really good artists working in and
around the mills in Worcester, he identifies the need for more awareness as the
most pertinent to the survival of the arts
in the area. He definitely feels there is a
need for some sort of public education
that could lead to a more keen awareness about the area arts.
“There aren’t any fine art galleries in
town (Worcester). We need more of
that,” he says. We need a venue, he
said, and people who could coordinate
that so that the public could experience
the wealth of talent that exists underground.
He refers to former Mayor Cianci’s
help for the arts in Providence, RI, as a
good example, and figures the members
of the city council and directors of
existing facilities and area colleges
could coordinate some city wide events.
Although the Worcester Center for the
Arts has a gallery, he feels that the general public does not really attend the
ART GALLERIES- Massachusetts
Worcester Art Museum / Rhode School of
Design Collection / Holy Cross' Bridges to Art /
LeCouture Design Art Gallery - Manchaug, MA /
Wild Bird Gardens Art Gallery - Linwood, MA/
Court Street Gallery, Uxbridge / Art Effects,
Uxbridge / Craft Center, Worcester
ART GALLERIES - Rhode Island
Ann Mary Brown Memorial Library, 21 Brown
St, Providence M-F 1-5 863-1994 / AS220, 115
Empire St., Providence M-Sat 12-5 401-8319327 / BankRI Galleries - One Turks Head, Prov
456-5152, Pitman St Branch, 137 Pitman St, Prov
/ Belleau Gallery - 540 South Water St, Prov TFri 11-5, Sat 12-4 401-456-0011
Bert Gallery - 540 South Water St, Prov 401-7512628 /Blackstone Art Gallery - 68 South Main St,
Market Square, Woonsocket, RI 356-0902
/Blackstone River Theatre - 549 Broad St,
Cumberland 725-9272 Foyer Exhibits
David Winton Bell Gallery - Brown University's
List art center, 64 College St., Prov M-F 11-4, SS 1-4, 401-863-2932
Gallery Agniel - 409 Pine St., 2nd fl., Prov 401272-1522 Daily 12-6
Gallery Insane - 7 Dike St, Prov 401-490-7202
Sat 10-4 and by Appt.
Gallery at City Hall, Kennedy Plaza, Prov 401751-2628 / Kari Kline Studio, Cumberland
Gallery 401 - 401 Elmgrove Ave, Prov M-F 9-5,
401-861-8800
shows. As an artist,
he says, if he were
to go to find a good
show, he’d head
either to the Rhode
Island School of
Design or the
Chelsea area of
New York City
right now.
But there are
Fire Works Gallery space (top) and wheel supplies below
good sites to be
seen in Worcester.
All the colleges in
Worcester, for
instance, have good
galleries, and this
includes Clark
University,
Quigsigamond
Community
College, Holy
Cross, and the
Worcester
Polytechnic School.
Additionally, the
Worcester Art
Museum has rotating exhibits, and
hosts classes. The
Worcester Public Library also displays
the work of local artists.
A visit to this city shows that change,
both artistic and geographic, is prevalent. The city of Worcester, is a mass of
construction, with new connectors, and
far-reaching proposals which include a
new Visitors’ Center and the Worcester
Historical Museum both moving into
the old Washburn & Moen wire-making
factory in Quigsigamond Village. Soon
the Blackstone River, today hidden
between industrial sites, will again
emerge and be visible to all. The City at
the beginning of the mighty Blackstone,
is clearly once again in flux, changing,
and reshaping its destiny. The river
itself, however, will still continue to
flow as it has for many, many decades
carrying with it memories of
humankind’s past, and hopes for the
future.
Gallery Z - 17 Amherst St, Prov, 4-1-454-8844 TFri 12-5
Get the Picture Gallery - 147 Resevoir Ave,
Lincoln M-F 9-6, Sat 10-5
Hegeman & Co Gallery - 361 South Main St,
Prov 401-831-6812
International Gallery for Heritage & Culture, 645
Elmwood, Prov 401-784-4620
JH Rowbottom Fine Art, 1590 Mendon Rd,
Cumberland 401-333-1109 Th-S
John Hay Library, 20 College St, Prov M-F 9-5
401-863-2146 Prov
More Listed Online at
www.BlackstoneDaily.com/arts.htm
Blackstone Daily & Journeys are creating an artists database for art shows/galleries/
events on the Valley’s premier site, www.BlackstoneDaily.com. Check it out!
Page 11
The Indian Ghost of Tar-kiln
by Thomas M. D'Agostino
Historic Blackstone Valley ranks
among the nation’s most important
places in the growth of our great
country. The region’s history is illustrious with great founders and inventors that helped shape the communities we live in today. When one mentions Blackstone Valley, it conjures up
images of factories and commerce
along the river named after the first
white settler to the area, Reverend
William Blackstone. They often tend
to shade from their mind the beautiful
scenic back roads, woodlands, and
farms that still command most of the
areas domain. There is another side of
the surrounding area that many leave
for dark nights when the dim light of
the lantern flame dances on the wall
and shadows pass silently along the
outer expanse of the room.
Yes, it is the ghosts of the Valley.
There are many tales and accounts of
haunted houses, graveyards, wooded
areas, and factories all ripe with history and restless spirits. One of the
most famous accounts is the story of
Hannah Franke and John Burke.
Back in the early nineteenth century, there lived an Indian maiden
named Hannah Franke who was a
housekeeper for Amasa E. Walmsley.
They lived in the Tar-Kiln section of
Burrillville, Rhode Island. At that
time Tar-Kiln was a very busy place
having four factories, a tannery, a
gristmill, a bank, and even the biggest
library and best schoolhouse in all
Burrillville. For a small back-wooded
area, Tar-Kiln boasted about two hundred people strong. This number hasn't really changed all that much over
the last two centuries.
A peddler from Vermont named
John Burke would wander through the
prosperous little hamlet selling his
wares to the townsfolk. That is when
he met Hannah Franke. He immediately fell in love with the Indian
maiden and a courtship followed. The
Walmsley brothers, being full-blooded
Indian themselves dissented the
mixed relationship and forbade
Hannah to see John Burke. At one
point they even forced him from their
property.
This did not deter the peddler, who
though infrequent to the area,
remained persistent in his conviction
giving her a token of his affection on
every visit. One of the gifts was a
beautiful shell necklace that Hannah
swore she would never remove from
her neck. Soon after, John Burke was
at Hannah’s door with a proposal of
marriage. Hannah graciously accepted
and the Walmsley brothers became
infuriated. They hid their anger from
the two for they had other plans that
were more evil than one could ever
imagine.
On September 18, 1831, the couple
made ready to leave for Vermont. The
Walmsley brothers gave them a small
celebration with much drink and merriment. The couple then left for Log
Road. When they got to the corner of
Log Road and Horse Head Trail, the
two brothers overtook them and brutally beat them. John Burke ran east
down the trail for a few hundred
yards but was caught and beheaded
with an ax. They then caught up to
Hannah who had run in the other
direction and shot her with a shotgun.
In the scuffle, her beloved necklace
was ripped from her neck and lost in
the woods. She crawled up against a
great pine tree where she was later
found by searchers.
The evil deed attracted national
attention and soon it was discovered
who had carried out such a terrible act
against the loving couple. The truth
came out when Mr. J.D. Nichols
coerced his housekeeper, a sister of
the Walmsleys, to come clean. Amasa
Walmsley was arrested for the murders. His brother died in a fall from
an oxcart before he could be brought
to justice. The couple was given a
proper burial by friends and neighbors
on the spot where they found the
Indian maiden. Two field stones were
shaped to resemble grave stones and
smoothed on one side. The stones still
sit to this day among the brush five
hundred feet west of Log Road across
from the WLKW towers on private
property.
On April 3, 1832, Amasa E.
Walmsley was sentenced by Chief
Justice Eddy to “be Hanged By The
Neck TILL YOU ARE DEAD! And
may God have mercy on your soul.”
On June 1, 1832, the sentence was
carried out near Fields Point in
Providence. It was the first hanging
carried out by the state of Rhode
Island.
Although the couple has long been
buried, it seems that
Hannah still does not
rest. Many of the local
swain have seen her
ghost roaming the
woods in search of her
lost love and necklace.
Residents say they have
witnessed her ghost during various hours of the
day and night. A few of
Horsehead Trail in Tarkiln as it exists today
the members at the
name was also never mentioned, was
Woonsocket Sportsman’s Club, which
the one who killed her with the shotis now located on Horse Head Trail
gun. He died before they were caught.
have attested to seeing the Indian
This would account for why he was
maiden’s spirit wandering around the
hanged for the murder of John Burke
woods near the trail as if in search of
only. It could also account for the
something. When they confront the
voice in the woods that seemed to say
apparition it vanishes before their
“My Justice.” Gives you something to
eyes.
think about.
Lifetime resident Beth Williams
If it was the spirit of Hannah
encountered the spirit several times
Franke I encountered that day, then I
while on the old trail. The first time it
am one of the many who have witscared the wits out of her and a
nessed the Indian ghost who is
cousin she was with. After that she
doomed to eternally roam the woods
got accustomed to the idea of the
of Tarkiln in search of her lost suitor
ghost and even dubbed her “The
and beloved necklace. She is now an
Indian Princess.” She would witness
embraced figure in the eyes of the
the wraith several more times while
locals who will on occasion watch for
residing in the area.
the Indian maiden wandering the
My wife and I have visited the area
woods in search for the two things
numerous times as we live in one of
that brought her happiness and tragithe historic homes of Tar-Kiln (now
cally, an early departure.
pronounced Tarkiln). Several times
we took voice recordings in the
The author, Thomas D’Agostino, is a
woods near the trail and even pictures
paranormal investigator and historibut unfortunately there was no evian who lives in the Tarkiln section.
dence of Hannah Franke’s ghost in
He has also written another fasciany of the recordings or photographs.
nating historical article on the disThe only uncanny experience I witappearance of the bones of William
nessed was while taking pictures in
Blackstone, first white pioneer of the
the woods. As I focused the camera a
Blackstone Valley who settled at
loud whisper came from directly
Study Hill, part of Cumberland, R.I.
behind me and I saw something move
For this true mystery, go online to
out of the corner of my eye. I spun
BlackstoneDaily.com/wm.htm
quickly but there was nothing there. It
was late afternoon and the woods are
sparse enough where there is no cover
for a person to hide so quickly. There
was no noise to the figure I thought I
saw. The whisper seemed to sound
like it said, “My Justice.” I later
thought it could have been the Indian
maiden saying, “My Necklace.” I was
not sure of the actual diction as it
happened so fast and left me briefly
taken aback. As I later researched the
records of the case I found that in the
1832 sentencing, Hannah’s name is
not mentioned. Perhaps it had come
out that the brother of Amasa, whose
Page 12
Potpourri
by Jane Keown Oliver
Spring is moving along nicely,
with its usual compliment of rain and
sunshine, frost warnings and windy
days. The greenhouses have filled up
with growing plants, and we have had
to empty them of hardier and larger
stock. On the nights of the frost
warnings, all the tender plants have to
be loaded onto trucks to keep them
safe from the burning of the cold air.
In the early morning, they are offloaded onto the plant tables, and we
keep a watch on the weather predictions to see if a repeat is needed for
the next night. On my wish-list: a
new hoop house.
It occurred to me that both
Mother's Day and Father's Day are
celebrated in the spring. Since new
life in the natural world comes in the
spring, it makes sense to honor the
scions of our families at that time of
year. Mother's Day weekend usually
coincides with the apple bloom, and I
always recall my mother's story of
visiting the farm on the first time on
May 10, 1941. Bloom was nearly
over, but Dad took her on a tour of
the Greening block, since this variety
is one of the latest to flower. She got
a similar ride on Mother's Day for the
next fifty-one years. [I guess the first
tour was a success!] Since the farm
became the focus of the rest of their
lives together, it was appropriate that
they spent their first time on the farm
together in the midst of the hopefulness of the apple blossoms. Without
the flowers, there would be no crop.
On my to-do list: drive up to the
Greenings and check out the bloom.
It has become our custom on
Father's Day to hold an annual Herb
Weekend at the farm. The herbs were
my addition to the product list, since I
have been growing them personally
for over twenty years now. I learned
to cook from my mother, and she
used many dried herbs to spice up her
dishes. I like to use fresh herbs
whenever possible, although I remember the days when I had herbs drying
in two of the upstairs bedrooms in the
farmhouse, making the place seem
close to the way I imagine heaven
will smell. I would crumble the dried
leaves and store them in mason jars in
a dark cupboard, allowing me to season all my winter dishes just like my
mother. Now we have access to fresh
herbs year-round in most supermarkets, so I haven't bothered to dry
herbs lately [notwithstanding the fact
that the "drying rooms" have reverted
to use as bedrooms by Artie and
Christine's lively children!] We have a
wide-variety of herbs for sale at the
farm, and I plant many kinds in the
field to sell as fresh bunches both at
the farm and at farmer's markets. I
experiment with new ones every year,
and some become favorites and a few
become "also ran's." This year I am
intrigued by a new cilantro from Viet
Nam....it grows for the entire season
and doesn't need constant replanting.
It is quite exotic-looking, having twotoned leaves in maroon and green.
Maybe this will become a new staple
in my annual herb garden. [It obviously won't overwinter in our climate,
coming as it does from southeast
Asia!]
As the summer progresses, the
work will increase. Planting will give
way to harvest, and everyone will be
busy making the most of the good
weather. It is interesting to note that
Grandparent's Day comes in
September [the autumn of life?], just
as the pace at the farm reaches the
hectic stage. We have more work and
fewer daylight hours, and it sometimes feels as if we won't be able to
get everything done on time. But
most things are accomplished before
the first fall frost.
But right now we are still concerned with the question of whether
or not we have seen the last spring
frost, and whether there has been
much damage in the orchard from the
frost last week. What with this and
Editor: Not the Author’s family photo but one that
recalls similar pastimes
that, we try to keep a high energy
level as we continue to prepare for the
new season. In the back of my mind,
I think of my parents, and how their
life on the farm gave me my life on
the farm. As I seed and transplant,
plant and pick, I remember riding in
the back of the ‘56 Ford pickup
[when it was still its original green
color] to go out to the Greening block
to view the apple blossoms. My
mother enjoyed seeing them every
year, and Dad enjoyed showing them
to her. We kids were along just for
the ride: now I guess Artie and I are
in the driver's seat. The view is still
grand, and the work is still worth it.
Despite the many herbal fragrances I
have added during the years, the potpourri of my life still smells strongly
of apple blossoms.
Now it's time to get back to the
greenhouse and see what sprouted
during the night. Time is flying, and
there's still a lot to be done.
Native Turtles, continued from page 6
adults burrow up to two feet into
loose soil, mud or stream bank to
hibernate. They re-emerge in early
spring.
Box turtles consume a variety of
food items. Younger turtles and hatchlings are primarily carnivorous, foraging for earthworms, slugs, snails, and
insect larvae. Adults are mostly vegetarian, feeding on leaves, grass, bugs,
berries, fruit, and fungi. Blackberries
and raspberries are box turtle
favorites.
Wood turtles were previously
thought to be entirely terrestrial, but
recent research suggests that slowmoving rivers and streams with sandy
bottoms are equally as important. In
fact, wood turtles are excellent swimmers. Often found basking on the
banks of these waterways, they also
sometimes wander through the woods
during the summer, perhaps accounting for the original idea that they
were terrestrial. In late fall they burrow into undercut banks of wooded
rivers to hibernate. Little is known
about this species’ home range.
Wood turtles are omnivorous.
Grass, moss, berries, fungi, insects,
worms, slugs, snails, fish and tadpoles
are taken depending on the season.
They will feed both in water and on
land.
Unfortunately, box and wood turtles are declining in southern New
England. In Rhode Island, they are
listed as “protected” (P) by the
Department of Environmental
Management’s Division of Fish and
Wildlife, which means that it is illegal
to possess one without a permit.
Wood turtles are also considered a
“species of interest” (SI), meaning
that although they are not listed as
State Endangered or State Threatened,
they occur in only ten or fewer sites
throughout the state.
In Massachusetts, both turtles are
listed as “species of special concern”
(SC). These are “native species which
have… suffered a decline that could
threaten the species if
allowed to continue
unchecked, or which occur
in such small numbers or
with such restricted distribution or specialized habitat requirements that they
could easily become
threatened within
Massachusetts.”
If we are not careful,
these beautiful and unique
creatures may disappear for good.
Slow moving and late to reach sexual
maturity, box and wood turtles are no
match for a busy highway or a housing development. Because they are
popular as pets, local turtle populations are being devastated or completely destroyed by collectors. It may
take centuries for their numbers to
recover. Clearly, we need to be more
aware of how our actions affect these,
and other, living things. As Ted
Andrews reminds us in his book
Animal Speak, “As the turtle cannot
separate itself from its shell, neither
can we separate what we do to the
Earth.”
So if you are lucky enough to
come across a box or wood turtle
slowly making its way through the
woods, admire it for a little while, and
then put it back in the wild -- where it
belongs.
James Gass is a teacher naturalist for
Mass Audubon. He can be reached at
jgass@massaudubon.org
Page 13
A Giant Among Us
In May, a fascinating tour of the
renovated Riverdale Mill in
Northbridge, MA allowed chemical
engineers and others an opportunity to
learn about the state-of-the-art manufacturing of wire-mesh products. This
tour was hosted by the WPI Venture
Forum and The Association of
Chemical Engineers and was free and
open to the public. According to the
WPI information sheet, "Riverdale
Mills employs a unique process design
minimizing waste and enhancing
worker safety. Riverdale Mills is the
recipient of the 1999 Governor 's Prize
for Toxic Use Reduction and the 2002
National Association of Manufacturers
Industrial Award of Merit (for workplace safety)."
Riverdale's 394,000 square foot
facility , employing about 95-100 and
running three shifts, is equipped with
high speed computerized wire drawing
equipment and CNC welding
machines. Their proprietary PVC
coating process, with the galvanized
after welding (GAW) process has led
the way to minimize air pollution and
liquid waste streams while producing a
stronger and more durable wire mesh
product. Ironically, Riverdale Mills
Fishing,
by Ellen Onorato
was slapped with an EPA enforcement
order in November of 1997 after
agents raided the plant. EPA agents
claimed that Riverdale Mills discharged acidic rinse water with a pH of
less than 5 into the town sewer system.
Owner Mr. James Knott, now in his
mid 70s though appearing to have the
energy of a much younger man, had
started his focused vision of creating a
better, lighter lobster trap (and other
mesh products) with this 150+ year old
neglected mill in 1979. Moving from
Wellesley, MA, he and his wife
worked tirelessly to renovate the troubled property along the 16 acre
millpond and Blackstone River dam on
Riverdale Street. If that was not
enough challenge, they also rehabbed
four dilapidated residential properties
nearby while building their wire mesh
business into a multi-million dollar
leader by revolutionizing the lobster
trap and aquaculture business and
more recently, providing prison wire.
For those unfamiliar with the details
of the EPA raid and Mr. James Knott,
it is clear that many don't recognize the
true "giant" of the man. Certainly, Mr.
Knott is highly recognized in many
circles internationally, but each and
every citizen owes a bit of
gratitude to the man, not only
for employing scores of Valley
residents and renovating (and
saving) a wonderful, historic
property - but for his six years
of tireless efforts and huge
costs to establish the truth.
Chatting with James Knott
and his wife only briefly, it
was clear from a few accounts
that he demands high standards - with loyalty and the
truth as being vital.
This EPA court case was
not an easy battle. The word
Plaque Outside of Office Entrance at Riverdale Mills
"environment" is emotionally
putting it behind. He chose, instead, to
charged as the impacts of actual, caredemand the truth and stop the unbriless deeds have public ramifications.
But Mr. Knott took on this battle as he dled actions that too often small business cannot battle alone.
has other major hurdles in his life. He
The truth finally triumphed, with
proved that the evidence submitted by
environmentalists even coming to
the EPA agents had been falsified and
Knott’s defense. It’s great to find the
he won after years of being falsely
truth, regardless of which side it’s on accused.
it seems too often the truth has all but
It was the battle for the truth to
disappeared! Thanks, Mr. Knott for
which we all owe Mr. Knott a grateful
your vision and your demand for the
nod. Recognizing that he had the
truth.
resources and contacts to pursue this
(http://www.riverdale.com/telegram8-15-04.htm)
fight, he also could have shrugged it
off more easily - paying the fine and
over. During the day, woolly buggers
work well by imitating the abundant
Cray fish seen darting from rock to
rock with a careful eye. As far as dry
flies, the white may fly pattern is a
favorite during this time of year.
Whether you are interested in fishing it day or night - now is the time!
Towards the middle of summer, the
fishing slows up because of rising
water temperature. Lake Wildwood's
top-flowing dam warms the water
quickly in the summer months which
makes trout survival difficult. You
may, however, find good summer
fishing in deeper holes with cooler
water.
Another section of the West worth
trying is the West Hill Dam area. Don
Arthur has caught some lovely brookies at the base of the dam on Humpys,
a pattern found at Fin and Feather
sports. According to Mr. Arthur, trout
can be caught below the dam because
this is a prime spot for both food and
increased oxygen levels. But if you
do fish the dam be careful because
there is a steep incline and the
embankment may be slippery.
If the West doesn't suit your needs
continued
stone wall ruins. This setting, free
from the all-too-common eye sores
of encroaching housing developments, provides an opportunity to
enjoy a tranquil environment while
also keeping an eye out for rises. So if
solitude is what you're after the West
will not disappoint you because it's
highly unlikely a fellow fisherman
will be crowding your hole.
The West offers all the major
hatches of a New England trout
stream and if you are a daring soul,
there is a magnificent night hatch of
hellgrammite that the trout go mad
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and you're up for a bit of a drive, the
Quinnapoxet (the Quinnie) flowing
from the bottom-fed dam of the
Wachusett Reservoir is a secluded
river that offers excellent trout fishing
throughout the entire season. The
Quinnie has all three major trout brown, brook and rainbow - and is
well stocked. If you go, drive three
miles up River Road in Oakham and
park next to the Quinnapoxet Falls
Farm Stables. After walking over a
bridge along the foot path keep your
eyes peeled
for an inconspicuous trail on your
left. There you'll find a secret rainbow
pool known only to my fishing partner, Mr. Jeff Wolf-Jeworski, and
myself.
Page 14
The Blackstone Canal,
from Smithfield,
With 95 casks of Lime to D.
Heywood, and
Trees for S. Salisbury.
Cleared, Canal Boat Rhode Island, for
Providence, with Cards for
Providence, and
Machinery for Ohio
Tuesday, April 28
Arrived, Canal Boat Washington, with
2 1/2 tons
Groceries, 50 bushels Corn, and 30
casks
Lime to Gardiner Paine; 1 ton Pig
Iron and 1 1/2
Ton Coal to Sumner Smith; 100
bushels Corn to Benjamin Porter;
3 tons Groceries to H. Perrin; 10 barrels Flour to F. Merrifield;
3 tons Groceries to Geo. Perrin & Co.
- in all 23 tons.
Cleared, Canal Boat Lincoln, Capt.
Brigham, with 2 boxes Books from C.
Harris; 14 barrels Apples from E.
Flagg; 1 1/2 tons furniture from the
Captain;
continued from page 5
1 box Cards from Wm. B. Earle; 4
boxes Cards from Chenery Hatch;
21 boxes Boots and Shoes from John
Hubbard;
6 tons Hay from Heard & Estabrook.
One final note that clearly indicates
the importance of the canal to the
region, again relates to the newspapers. In an editorial dated November
15, 1828, the Editors of the
Massachusetts Yeoman wrote due to
the development of the Blackstone
Canal, "the increasing intercourse
between this town and Providence
will probably induce many people,
especially businessmen, to take a
Providence newspaper. The Publishers
of the Yeoman are agents for the
Rhode Island American, a paper of
established reputation, and which we
can recommend, from long acquaintance with it, as an able and well
credited journal of extensive circulation. Subscriptions or Advertisements
for the American will be received at
this office and forwarded without
expense."
This business approach to connect-
ing these newly partnered economic
entities, Providence and Worcester,
via newspaper subscriptions so that
local businesses would know what
was happening in their partners community was as significant in 1828 as
it is today in 2005.
While it is true that the investors of
the Blackstone Canal suffered financial losses and that the Blackstone
Canal Company was litigated extensively over water issues with the mills
of the Blackstone Valley, these negatives are small in comparison to the
general benefit to the welfare of the
region. The growth of the American
Entrepreneurial Spirit can be seen
through these examples of small businesses seeing the vision of the canal
and using it to aid the growth and
development of their own concerns.
Finally, the most significant clear
indication of the success of the
Blackstone Canal was that within six
years of the inaugural trip of the Lady
Carrington to Worcester, Boston sponsored a railroad to Providence in 1834
and a railroad to Worcester in 1835.
The merchants of Boston also, quite
obviously, wanted a piece of the
lucrative business generated in the
center part of the state. The
Providence & Worcester Railroad,
still very much in existence today,
would use major sections of the
Canal's tow-path as the bed for its rail
as it replaced the "weak as water"
canal route with the "strong as steel"
railroad line to Providence in 1848.
The Albany & Western Railroad
would connect the harbor City of
Boston to the tremendously successful
Erie Canal Terminus in Albany and
all through the City of Worcester.
By 1850, Worcester would have 24
trains arriving and departing to all
corners of the Northeast. It would
grow from a tiny hamlet to a major
industrial city. It would be the center
of an American Renaissance in New
England with lyceums, literature, the
arts, reform movements and political
thought - all which can be attributed
to the development of the small, but
significant Blackstone Canal.
BlackstoneDaily.com is the Place to Be as Hub of Activity
A centralized website, with daily
news and events utilizing a collaborative approach where all stakeholders
(residents) can send non-commercial
news from throughout the Blackstone
Valley is an essential tool to heighten
awareness of events, issues and
regional news that need local attention or involvement.
There are hundreds of printable
pages on the site - from places to visit
to history to community development
or local events. An open invitation to
all non-profits to be listed by emailing
your non-profit withfull description
and contact info to
BlackstoneDaily@aol.com will truly
create a gateway for information
seekers to the Valley. Thousands and
thousands of monthly readers already
visit - shouldn’t you be?
Soon, a resource directory for all
businesses (at a slight charge) will be
available for easy and accessible
shopping and services. To sign up
and receive 6 months free, go to:
www.BlackstoneDaily.com/info.htm
This will allow small businesses to
compete affordably. As tourism
becomes a dominant part of our economy, it is critical to provide a platform affordably for the fine, hard
working businesses that make our
region unique.
Call 508-839-8885 or email
BlackstoneDaily@aol.com for info.
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bags/luggage have been lost on a trip. He also has a column on creating a
legal Trust and a will to protect your family and assets.
Go to: www.BlackstoneDaily.com/mp-hentz.htm
Published 6 times yearly along with
Daily News/Events posted online at:
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Writers: Carol Masiello / John LaPoint / Kari Kline / Craig Weinfuss / Jim Gass/ Jane Keown
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Page 15
EXPLORING THE BLACKSTONE RIVER: A GUIDE by Jeff Hickson
Blackstone MA to Woonsocket, R.I.
Start: Blackstone Gorge Trail Head,
County Road, Blackstone, MA
NW 42 degrees 00.930
W 071 degrees 33.188
Access: Public
End: River St, Woonsocket, R.I.
N 42 degrees 00.105
W 071 degrees 31.076
Access: Public at River Island Park,
Woonsocket
Length: 5.5 miles
Duration: 3-4 hours
Experience Level: Intermediate
Special Conditions: Caution: (3) difficult portages at dams, Caution
required before all!
GUIDE: (In Blackstone, look for
signs off Rte 122 for the Blackstone
Gorge. Follow signs to public parking
lot. Parking at head of the gorge)
This trip on the Blackstone is just
downright odd and interesting. It
combines fairly strenuous walking
portages, rural paddling and inner city
paddling. This wraps almost every
experience you can have on the
Blackstone into one trip. You start
your trip at the South side trail
entrance off of public parking at the
Blackstone Gorge in Blackstone, MA.
Be prepared for a strenuous 3/4
mile portage with gear through a gorgeous young hardwood forest. The
trail parallels the river on the east side
following a rising cliff till it peaks
about 150’ above the river. Pay attention and you will find a scenic overlook on the right. This overlook gives
you a perfect view of the rapids and
rocks that are causing you to portage.
Caution here as slipping rocks and
loose soil on the edge could cause a
fall. The rapids you are portaging
around are runnable at certain times
of the year.
In high spring waters or storm
flows, this is a nice Class III section
of rapids suitable for experienced
white water paddlers. For anyone else
or low flow conditions, you should
use this portage to save the bottom of
Photos by Michael Castagnaro
your boat and your ankles.
Stories abound regarding the use of
this area by Native Americans. One
story tells of the use of this cliff to
drive deer over during hunting.
Possible, but it is unconfirmed.
If you are down on the west side
of the river below the cliffs, you will
find circular depressions in the rock
which are bowl shaped and smooth.
Small pebbles are usually found in the
bottom of these depressions. Local
mythology would have you believe
that these are the remnants of food
preparation areas used by the Native
Americans. These depressions were
thought to be used to pound corn into
flour. Although an attractive local legend, the real truth is that they are
caused by small stones getting
trapped in a crevice of the rock.
Rising waters during high flows cause
these small stones to start swirling
about. Over hundreds and thousands
of years, they carve small bowl
shaped depressions. They look
smooth and manmade, but water is
powerful and patient creating these
bowls over time.
At the end of your long portage,
you reach a meadow. The river
entrance is immediately to your right
and about 150 yards away. Location:
N42 00.646 / W 071 degrees 33.103
This is a sheltered location, I sometimes come here just to picnic and
relax. This is a fairly easy entrance
into the river. Take the time to paddle
upstream a little and you will be
rewarded with scenic views of the
cliffs you just walked past. At this
point, paddle south. The paddling is
easy and relaxed. The scenery is
beautiful. Take note of the old
Tupperware mill on the left. The rise
and fall of this company and its presence in the Blackstone Valley affected
thousands. Continue paddling south
about two miles. You will see three
bridges close togther. Approach with
caution on the right side. Your exit
to the portage is located under the
third bridge at the right. Use extra
caution as you are approaching within
75-100 feet of a low head wall dam.
Location: N42 degrees 00.977 W
071 degrees 32.311
You DO NOT want to go over this
dam! This is a difficult portage
requiring you to lift your boat up and
over a set of steps and a 4 foot high
wall and then carry back down to the
river over another wall. It is not a
long portage (about 100 yards) , but it
does require physical strength and
caution.
You enter into the water below the
dam. There is a quick flow here with
a short section of Class II white water
with exposed rocks at low flow conditions. Use strength and ferry to mid
river position before starting downstream. The paddling of this section is
easy. The river changes its texture
here. You are starting to enter the
most developed areas of Woonsocket,
R.I. As you do so, more mills, factories and warehouses appear on the
side of the river. The river banks are
more cluttered and the river changes
its feel.
About two miles down from the
last portage, you have an alternative
exit at Cold Spring Park, located just
1/3 mile south of the MA & RI border
on Rte 122. This picturesque park is
located on the southbound side of Rte
122. drive down the long access road
to the river.
Continue just about 3/4 miles
downstream from this point to your
portage Location: N42 00.105 W 071
degrees 31.076. You will carry your
boats up and to the public parking at
the corner of River St. and S. Main in
Woonsocket, R.I. This is the end of
this trip.
Stop and enjoy the historic downtown and get a real wiener or fish and
chips. If you are continuing on
the river, cross over to River Island
Park. As always, PADDLE SAFE!
NOTE: This trip and its continuation to Manville Dam will be available as a guided tour on Sunday,
July 24, 2005. Call Jeff at Wild Bird Gardens - 508-234-0111. Space is limited, so reserve early!
Page 16
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