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37-655: The Seekonk River begins after the Pawtucket River, which flows for approximately 1.5 miles from where the Blackstone River reaches sea level below Pawtucket Falls to the border of Providence and East Providence. From there the Seekonk River flows for approximately 3 miles due south between Providence and East Providence , picks up flow from the Ten Mile River , and eventually flows into

74-637: A combined amount of more than 20 in (510 mm) of rain within a week. This led to the highest water mark on record for the Blackstone river in Woonsocket at 21.8 ft (6.6 m), a full 12.8 feet (3.9 m) above flood stage. The river, together with the Woonasquatucket River to the south, was designated an American Heritage River in 1998. Canal System : To further facilitate industrial growth and transportation in

111-523: A rough southeast course past Worcester City and Northbridge. It then flows through Millbury , Sutton , Grafton , Northbridge , Uxbridge , Millville , and Blackstone . It continues into Rhode Island, flowing past Woonsocket , Cumberland , Lincoln , Central Falls , and Pawtucket , where it then reaches Pawtucket Falls . Following this, the river becomes tidal and flows into the Seekonk River just north of Providence . Other tributaries join

148-610: A separate ZIP Code. Incorporated in 1735, the town is home to a Nipmuc village known as Hassanamisco Reservation, the Willard House and Clock Museum , Community Harvest Project, and the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine . Bands of the Nipmuc tribe are the indigenous inhabitants, and maintain a state-recognized reservation known as Hassanamesit, or Hassanamisco , which

185-561: Is a list of all crossings over the Seekonk River. The list starts at the headwaters and goes downstream. Blackstone River The Blackstone River in the United States is a river that flows through Massachusetts and Rhode Island . It is 48 mi (77 km) long with a drainage area of 475 mi2 (1229 km2). It drains into the Pawtucket River at Pawtucket , Rhode Island . Its long history of industrial use in

222-813: Is considered the most quintessential common in the Blackstone Valley. The town is part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor , the oldest industrialized region in the U.S. North Grafton is the home of the Wyman Gordon Company . In 1955, the United States Air Force installed a 50,000-ton metal forge in North Grafton as part of its Heavy Press Program in a plant operated by Wyman-Gordon. It

259-514: Is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km ), or 2.28%, is water. Grafton is located 40 miles (64 km) west of Boston and 5 miles (8.0 km) southeast of Worcester . Grafton includes North Grafton, Grafton, and South Grafton, as well as many other industrial revolution era villages due to its long history on the Blackstone River , including Farnumsville , Fisherville , Saundersville and Axtell Corner. The town borders on Shrewsbury , Westborough , Upton , Northbridge , Sutton , Millbury and

296-476: Is named for Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton , a title created for the illegitimate son of King Charles II of England . Ethan Allen ran a gun factory in Grafton in the early 19th century. In the 1930s, a movie, Ah, Wilderness! , was filmed in the town. The moviemakers built a bandstand on the town common, which still stands there today. Grafton Common has many historic homes, churches and buildings and

333-833: The Conservation Law Foundation , citing this report, filed a lawsuit claiming that the discharge permit issued to the UBWPAD by the Environmental Protection Agency was not "sufficient to meet state water quality standards". River clean-up is ongoing and as of 2010, the Blackstone River was rated as the worst category ("impaired") for all assessed uses ("aquatic life", "fish consumption", "primary contact" (e.g. swimming), "secondary contact" (e.g. boating) and "aesthetics") up to its beginning at Middle River. Processing problems at

370-508: The Providence River between Bold Point and India Point . A prominent boulder on the west shore of the Seekonk River (near the current Gano Park) was once one of Providence's most important historic landmarks. Slate Rock was said to be the spot where a group of Narragansett people first welcomed the exiled Roger Williams in 1636 with the famous phrase "What cheer, netop?", and directed him to his eventual settlement location at

407-617: The Woonsocket sewage treatment plant and the consequent flow of solid waste into the river prompted no-contact advisories for the Rhode Island portion of the river in 2022. Grafton, Massachusetts Grafton is a town in Worcester County , Massachusetts , United States. The population was 19,664 at the 2020 census . The town consists of the North Grafton, Grafton, and South Grafton geographic areas, each with

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444-412: The 18th century. Early industries discharged a variety of pollutants into the river, including dyes from textile mills , heavy metals and solvents from metal and woodworking industries. Metals are still being measured in sediments near and adjacent to the river. The inaugural celebration of Earth Day , in 1970, increased public support for remediation projects. While environmental activists in

481-490: The Blackstone River Valley were already organizing clean-up efforts locally, in 1971, a formalized plea for action was made to the then Governor of Rhode Island, Frank Licht . In December 1971, political support was pledged at the state level. The Blackstone River Watershed Association, which at the time was two years old, was designated to lead the effort. By April 1972, support among the public for cleaning

518-610: The Blackstone River is offensive throughout its course, from Worcester to the state line at Blackstone. The condition of the stream is likely to grow worse until effective measures are completed for removing from the river much of the pollution which it now receives." Recent pollution can be partially traced to the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District (UBWPAD), the wastewater treatment plant for Worcester, Massachusetts and surrounding communities, which discharges into

555-735: The Blackstone along the way, such as the West River and Mumford River in Uxbridge , Massachusetts; and the Branch River , in North Smithfield, Rhode Island . Along with the Providence River , the Blackstone river served as the north-eastern border of Dutch claims for New Netherland from Adriaen Block 's charting of Narragansett Bay in 1614 through the Hartford Treaty of 1650. In 1790, Samuel Slater opened

592-426: The Blackstone caused extensive damage to Woonsocket, Rhode Island . Whereas the river is usually 70 ft (21 m) wide, it swelled to over 1 mi (1.6 km) in width. The flooding of the Blackstone was the result of a succession of dam breaks, which were caused by rainfall from Hurricane Connie and Hurricane Diane a week later. In some parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, these hurricanes resulted in

629-547: The Blackstone. A 2005 report written by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management said, "... [the] UBWPAD, North Attleboro, and Attleboro WWTFs play a significant role in the ability to improve water quality in the Providence and Seekonk River system [into which the Blackstone discharges], and efforts to reduce their nitrogen inputs should be initiated as soon as possible." In September 2010,

666-621: The Nipmuc Tribal Nation because it is thought to contain the meetinghouse and the center of the old praying village. However, The Trust for Public Land , the town of Grafton, the Grafton Land Trust, the Nipmuc Nation and the state of Massachusetts intervened. The Trust for Public Land purchased the property and kept it off the market until 2004, after sufficient funding was procured to permanently protect

703-608: The Peterson/Puritan Superfund Site Despite clean up efforts, the effects of industrial wastewater discharge into the river were long-lasting: in 1990, the United States Environmental Protection Agency called the Blackstone "the most polluted river in the country with respect to toxic sediments." A 1990 Massachusetts Department of Public Health report said of the river: "...that the condition of

740-403: The average family size was 3.07. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males. The median income for a household in the town

777-472: The bay at some point during the year or live there year-round. Several species of fish , shellfish and crab have been documented. Birds include loon , cormorants , herons , gulls , terns , swans and geese . Spartina and Phragmites grasses are found in high marsh areas, while brown and green seaweeds are found in the intertidal zone. Riparian vegetation includes shrubs such as Rosa rugosa and trees like willow , oak and beech . Below

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814-600: The city of Worcester . By the 2010 census , the population had reached 17,765. As of the census of 2000, there were 14,894 people, 5,694 households, and 3,951 families residing in the town. The population density was 655.0 inhabitants per square mile (252.9/km ). There were 5,828 housing units at an average density of 256.3 per square mile (99.0/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 95.92% White , 1.25% African American , 0.11% Native American , 1.45% Asian , 0.24% from other races , and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 1.91% of

851-573: The first successful water-powered cotton mill in America: Slater Mill , at Pawtucket Falls . This mill was powered by the waters of the Blackstone River. Many other mills appeared along the Blackstone River over time, making it a significant American industrial location and contributing to the river becoming the main cause of the Narragansett Bay pollution by the end of the 20th century. In August 1955, severe flooding on

888-502: The fork of the Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck Rivers. The historic rock was accidentally blown up by city workers in 1877. They were attempting to expose a buried portion of the stone, but used too much dynamite and the stone was "blasted to pieces." Pieces of the stone were later sold for souvenirs. A monument in nearby Slate Rock Park commemorates the location. The Seekonk River is home to numerous fauna that either migrate to

925-407: The population. There were 5,694 households, out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and

962-553: The property. The property also has ecological significance as it is adjacent to 187 acres of Grafton owned land as well as 63 acres owned by the Grafton Land Trust. These properties will provide numerous recreational benefits to the public as well as play a role in protecting the water quality of local watersheds. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 23.3 square miles (60 km ), of which 22.7 square miles (59 km )

999-568: The region, the Blackstone Canal was constructed in the early 19th century. The canal ran parallel to the river, providing a vital transportation route for goods between Worcester, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island. The Blackstone Canal played a significant role in the economic development of the region, allowing for the efficient movement of raw materials and finished products. The Blackstone River has been significantly impacted by industrial activities and resulting pollution since

1036-742: The river increased. Additionally, the 1972 federal Clean Water Act (CWA) was passed by Congress , offering a framework for more protection of the water quality of The Blackstone River. While the CWA did not specifically mention The Blackstone River by name, it stated that the act "establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters." In 1983, EPA identified concerns with impairment of water quality in The Blackstone River and established

1073-644: The river is named after William Blackstone (original spelling William Blaxton ), who arrived in Weymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 and became the first European settler of present-day Boston in 1625. He relocated to Rhode Island in 1635 and built his home on the river, in what would become Cumberland . The river is formed in South-central Worcester, Massachusetts , by the confluence of the Middle River and Mill Brook. From there, it follows

1110-443: The watershed has caused significant pollution , with the United States Environmental Protection Agency describing it as “the most polluted river in the country because of high concentrations of toxic sediments.” The original Native American name for the river was the "Kittacuck" which meant "the great tidal river ." The "Kittacuck" used to be plentiful with salmon and lamprey in pre-colonial and colonial times. In English,

1147-787: Was $ 56,020, and the median income for a family was $ 66,396. Males had a median income of $ 48,016 versus $ 32,347 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 26,952. About 2.3% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those ages 65 or over. Grafton station in North Grafton is served by the MBTA Commuter Rail Framingham/Worcester Line . The Worcester Regional Transit Authority operates public bus service in Grafton. The Grafton and Upton Railroad operates freight service between North Grafton and Milford . The Grafton Free Public Library opened in 1867. The current building

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1184-634: Was closed in 1973, and the campus, including many of the original buildings, was taken over by the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine (part of Tufts University ) and the Grafton Job Corps center. One hundred ninety acres of the Hassanamessit Woods, believed to contain the remains of the praying village were under agreement for development for more than 100 homes. This property has significant cultural importance to

1221-695: Was formerly a Praying Indian village from 1647 when the Reverend John Eliot came and converted the Hassanamiscos to Christianity . in 1727 the Hassanamesit reservation of 8,000 acres was divided into 7,500 acres to 40 English proprietors and 500 acres to 7 Nipmuc proprietors. This became Grafton, officially incorporated in 1735. Grafton stands tall in the industrialization of the Blackstone Valley . Its Northeast Village

1258-553: Was home to the Grafton State Hospital . Originally an offshoot of the Worcester State Hospital , Grafton State Hospital served as a "farm colony" where chronically insane patients could live and work in somewhat normal surroundings. The campus was made up of several clusters of buildings and eventually encompassed 1,200 acres (490 ha) in Grafton, Shrewsbury , and Westborough . The hospital

1295-722: Was once known as "New England Village". The following is an excerpt from the Blackstone Daily about the history of the town: Grafton has been a significant contributor in the success and progress of the American Industrial Revolution that was started in 1793 by Samuel Slater with his cotton mill in Pawtucket [Rhode Island]. North Grafton's Upper Mill, now known as the Washington Mills complex, that still produces abrasives ,

1332-606: Was once known as the New England Manufacturing Company. This was part of the New England Village, as North Grafton was known for generations. This part of the mill was built in 1826 and was part of a much larger complex, but most of that is now gone, mainly due to serious fires. Mill housing was built at 12, 14 and 16 Overlook Street. These central-chimney-style homes were boarding houses with ornate trim that has since been lost. The town

1369-501: Was the largest metal forge, and indeed the largest machine, in the world at the time it was built. This forge is used to form strategic metals used in commercial and military aircraft for turbine disks, shafts, and blades, landing struts and other aircraft parts where light weight and extreme strength are needed. The entire undercarriage of the Space Shuttles was forged in Grafton of magnesium . From 1901 to 1973, North Grafton

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