Pacific Islander Heritage

Join a Park Ranger on a tour of the Mill that started the American Industrial Revolution. These 30 minute guided tours investigate the historical significance of Slater Mill, and what valuable lessons the building still teachings us. Tours begin at 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM in front of the mill. Please arrive a few minutes early. Please Note: For visitor saftey, tours of Old Slater Mill will be modified or cancelled if the heat index is at or above 87 degrees Fahrenheit. A shortened 10 minute Ranger talk will be offered at the normal tour times. Visitors will have a brief period of access to the main part of the mill. For the latest weather information, call 401-725-8638.

Join a Park Ranger on a tour of the Mill that started the American Industrial Revolution. These 30 minute guided tours investigate the historical significance of Slater Mill, and what valuable lessons the building still teachings us. Tours begin at 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM in front of the mill. Please arrive a few minutes early. Please Note: For visitor saftey, tours of Old Slater Mill will be modified or cancelled if the heat index is at or above 87 degrees Fahrenheit. A shortened 10 minute Ranger talk will be offered at the normal tour times. Visitors will have a brief period of access to the main part of the mill. For the latest weather information, call 401-725-8638.

Learn about Pawtucket's colonial settlers and the community's early ironworks during a free walking tour this fall. The 1670 Jenks Settlement Walking Tours are hosted by Old Slater Mill Association. Over the course of 1 mile, participants will walk for approximately one hour on paved surfaces, with some small hills and steps. Meet in front of the yellow mill at 67 Roosevelt Ave., Pawtucket, RI. Free parking onsite.

Join a Park Ranger for a guided walk through Webster's Historic District. All ages are welcome, and no registration is required. Participants should meet in the lobby of the Gladys E. Kelly Public Library (2 Lake St., Webster, MA).

Slater Mill, long considered the birthplace of the American textile industry, has been a museum for more than a century. This event honors the mill's textile roots and tradition of celebrating craftspeople. Join us for a crafternoon with local makers as we enjoy the beginning of autumn. Celebrate the enduring arts of handicraft and take a mill tour to see how thread is made. You are welcome to bring something you're working on, learn from other crafters, or contribute to a group embroidery project. The park will have a few hand looms, drop spindles, coloring sheets, and good vibes. Stitchers, knitters, crocheters, and spinners are all welcome to drop in anytime during the afternoon. Free guided tours of Slater Mill will take place at 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM.

Celebrate the start of Bat Week 2026 during an evening program at River Bend Farm (287 Oak Street, Uxbridge, MA). Rangers will offer a bat walk and a free activity. More about Bat Week: Bat Week is an international, annual celebration designed to raise awareness about the need for bat conservation. Bats are amazing creatures that are vital to the health of our natural world and economy. Although we may not always see them, bats are hard at work all around the world each night - eating tons of insects, pollinating flowers, and spreading seeds that grow new plants and trees.

Experience Archaeology Month at Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park! Learn about the archaeological digs that have taken place at Old Slater Mill and see artifacts courtesy of the Slater Industrial Archives. Watch footage of archaeologists working on the site, try hands-on activities, and conduct a search for small treasures. In addition to drop-in offerings, mill tours will be available at 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, and 2:30 PM, free of charge.

Join a Park Ranger as we discuss the "Remaking of the Landscape" around Slater Mill. 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 233 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. Meet outside of the Old Slater Mill (67 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI),

The early decades of the industrial revolution gave rise to new and occasionally frightening forms of technology--this was evident in factories, but there were also changes in fiction. The Gothic novel, after all, was "invented" in the same year as the spinning jenny. These innovations set the stage for the development of harrowing tales about mills. During this program, visitors will learn about the history of Slater Mill through readings of historical poems, snippets from Samuel Slater's autobiography, and other primary sources. As visitors sit in the historic Slater Mill, voices of the past will be portrayed by John McNiff, Elizabeth Denton, Joshua Mason, and park staff.

Adin Ballou and William Francis Draper were both from Hopedale, MA. During the American Civil War, one was an ardent pacifist while the other served in the Union Army. Most who lived in Hopedale at the time of the Civil War fell somewhere between pacifism and fighting. In this program, we will investigate how the Civil War created a complex dilemma for those living in the Hopedale Community at the time of the war. How did a community of ardent abolitionists and pacifists navigate the Civil War?

Explore a historic cemetery alongside a unique geological feature in Rhode Island. During this free program, a park ranger will lead a tour of the Elder Ballou Cemetery. Learn about the people who have called that corner of Cumberland home and the rock that makes this area special. This tour is free, but all participants must register in advance. Meet in front of the Elder Ballou Cemetery. Please exercise caution when parking. This program will be approximately 1 mile of walking on uneven terrain. The capacity of this site is limited. You must select a ticket for every member of your party.

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, the National Archives and National Park Service are collaborating on a special project to transcribe Revolutionary War Pension Files of more than 80,000 of America's first veterans and their widows, containing more than 2 million documents. These records may contain valuable details about Revolutionary War veterans and their families, such as rank, unit, period of service, age, residence, date and place of marriage, and date and place of death of spouse. You may find copies of marriage or other family records, information pertaining to military activities or details about soldiers' lives, along with letters, diaries, or family trees within these records. Become a citizen archivist and unlock the details and stories found within these rich records! Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park and the Middletown Public Library are co-hosting a Revolutionary War Veteran’s Pension Transcription Program on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 11:00 A.M. at the Middletown Public Library (700 West Main Road, Middletown, RI). Participants will learn about the value of wartime pensions and hear service stories about patriots from the Blackstone Valley. Rangers will provide training on how to access pensions and transcribe these vital records online. Are you ready to join us and contribute to the nation's 250th anniversary? These programs are free and open to all. Please bring a laptop.