Ranger Walkabouts

Ranger Walkabout at Old Slater Mill

Hendrickson

Join a Park Ranger and explore the Blackstone River Valley.

During the months of June, July, and August, park staff offer specialty tours at varying locations across the Blackstone River Watershed. These programs begin at 6:30 PM and are 60-minutes long.

Please wear comfortable footwear and bring water. Most tours are outside and often include walking on uneven surfaces on varying types of terrain with no access to bathroom facilities. Bug spray and sunscreen are also highly suggested.

Please Note: There will be no Walkabouts on June 19 and July 3.
 

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June 5 – Manufacturing History in Hopedale 

Location: 12 Hopedale St., Hopedale, MA 

Hopedale has been home to many different types of workers. Hear about the various occupations that have pushed or pulled people towards Hopedale during this guided ranger tour. Meet in front of the Little Red Shop Museum.  

June 12 – Indigenous History in Grafton 

Location: 30 Grafton Common, Grafton, MA  

Take a walk around Grafton with a park ranger and local expert Bruce Curliss. Together, we’ll explore the long Indigenous history of Grafton and how different lifeways have collided along the Grafton common.  

June 26 – Patriots of Northbridge 

Location: 850 Hill St, Northbridge, MA 

Northbridge is a town of villages. During this walkabout, we will explore Northbridge Center Cemetery and learn about the soldiers who fought in the War for Independence. This tour will focus on the development of the area prior to the age of industry.  

July 10 – Making a Mill Village 

Location: 9 Main Street, Sutton, MA 

How have people harnessed waterpower through the ages? Take a leisurely walk with a ranger in Manchaug, a small but mighty mill village, and learn about the local uses of waterpower. See an extensive mill complex and learn about the workings of a millpond. Meet in the public parking lot of Manchaug Mills, Inc.  

July 17 – Timothy Bigelow's War

Location: 140 Lincoln St, Worcester, MA 

When Timothy Bigelow exchanged his blacksmith’s hammer for a musket during our War for Independence, this zealous patriot could not foresee the unfortunate turn his life would take as a result of his military service. Join the Timothy Bigelow Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a park ranger for a tour of their historic chapter house and see artifacts related to Timothy Bigelow.  

July 24 – Arnold Mills

Location: 690 Nate Whipple Hwy, Cumberland, RI 

Unlike many places in the Blackstone Valley which preserve the legacy of industrialization, Arnold Mills remains relatively agrarian. Learn the story of an early colonial farming community which eventually evolved into a small seat of industry where tools and machines were manufactured in the nineteenth century. 

July 31 – Revolutionary Times in Uxbridge

Location: 20 Court Street, Uxbridge, MA  

Visit the Uxbridge Common District in downtown Uxbridge, Massachusetts and consider what it was like to live in “revolutionary times.” From the people who fought in the War for Independence to the people who sparked the American Industrial Revolution, Uxbridge has been home to a number of extraordinary individuals. This walkabout will conclude with a trip inside the Simeon Wheelock House, managed by the Daughters of the American Revolution.  

August 7 – Friends in Union Village

Location: 108 Smithfield Rd, Woonsocket, RI 

What brought Quakers to Smithfield, Rhode Island? Discover the history of Union Village and learn about the people who have called this place home. This walkabout will include a visit to the Smithfield Friends Meeting House.

August 14 – Community and Change in Berkeley

Location: 30 Martin Street, Cumberland, RI 

What happens when a mill community changes ownership? Join a ranger and two members of the community for a guided walk through Berkeley, a Cumberland mill village. Discover how this village has adapted to change and continued to foster and strengthen community and learn about the history of this mill village. Meet in front of the Berkeley Mill complex. Limited free parking is available to participants at the Berkeley Oval just down the road. 

August 21 – Roger Williams National Memorial 60th Anniversary Celebration

Location: 282 N. Main St., Providence, RI  

Roger Williams National Memorial is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. This year’s National Memorial walkabout will showcase some of the amazing research we’ve done about the creation of the historical well and gardens. Learn about the “memorial within a memorial,” first donated by J. Jerome Hahn, in memory of his father, Isaac Hahn, the first Jewish person elected to public office in Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association will be there to help tell this amazing story. 

August 28 – Remaking a Landscape

Location: 67 Roosevelt Ave., Pawtucket, RI  

Old Slater Mill, America’s first cotton-spinning mill, still stands along the Blackstone River, a reminder of Pawtucket’s industrial past. But the landscape that surrounds the mill has been remade numerous times over the last 232 years of the mill’s existence. On this tour we will use historic photographs, maps, and archeological findings to discover how this landscape has evolved from a rural landscape to an industrial center to a landscape marked by the effects of Urban Renewal. Please note this is not a tour of the interior of Slater Mill, but participants wishing to see the interior will be able to do so after the tour concludes. 

Details

Duration

45-75 Minutes

Walkabout usually last around 60-minutes.

Activity

Guided Tours

Ranger Walkabout last about 60-minutes. Rangers will walk to multiple locations and discuss varying topics from history, ecology, and geology. Tours could be anywhere from 1/4 mile to over 1 mile in distance. Walks happen in various locations on different types of walking paths. Walking paths are often uneven and not paved. Please note any special warnings in regards to accessibility under each listing. 

Age(s)

Participants should be in good health and able to walk long distances over diverse terrain features. Footing is often uneven and on non-paved surfaces.

Pets Allowed

Yes

Pets are allowed on all outdoor walkabouts. Some walkabouts are held inside of buildings. Pets are not allowed on these tours. Individual listings will note whether tour is indoors or outdoors

Activity Fee

No

Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.

Reservations

No

Season

Summer

Walkabouts are hosted in June, July and August

Time of Day

Day, Dusk

Walkabouts are held at 6:30 PM EST

Accessibility Information

Walkabouts are typically held outdoors in varying locations. These tours are often between 1/4 mile - over 1 mile in length. Participants will be expected to walk on varying surfaces, often uneven and unpaved. Take note of special accessibility notes in the individual walk listings. Some walkabouts are fully accessible. Others have differing degrees of accessibility. 

Special accommodations can be made for those with hearing or visually impaired.