03:30 PM EDT on Monday, September 5, 2005

BY CYNTHIA NEEDHAM
Journal Staff Writer

WORCESTER -- It's home to the monkey wrench, the rocket and the smiley face.

Journal photo / Steve Szydlowski

The renovated Swedish Baptist Church in the Quinsigamond Village section of Worcester is a tourist destination in the northern corridor of the Blackstone River.

Barbed wire and birth-control pills were invented near there, too.

But our neighbors to the north boast another lesser-known American original: the Blackstone River.

You'll find it nestled down at the southern tip of the city, heading toward Providence. From that vantage point, the headwaters don't look like much -- just a trickling brown stream, full of rusted metal and weeds.

Give it a few years, tourism experts say, and that will change. Rhode Islanders will be flocking up Route 146 to get a better look.

Truth be told, they've been saying that for ages, but this time, they might be right. A massive transportation project, and plans for a tourism center, are in the works. With the Blackstone River as its gateway, Worcester officials say, their entire city has the makings of "the next Providence."

Standing by a noisy overpass recently, Stephen Bishop, special projects coordinator for the Worcester Economic Development Corporation, tried to put it all in perspective.

"It's hard to see it now -- but keep in mind, we're at the beginning of the process. Eventually, this will be the northern anchor of the river and a new entrance to the city." Bishop said.

It was a quintessential Massachusetts moment. Car horns blared, construction equipment snarled traffic, so did the line for a roadside Dunkin' Donuts.

And there was Bishop, promising quiet banks and idyllic park benches.

But behind him, the river chugged along unperturbed, as it has for centuries. And somehow, it was easy to believe him.

THE REVITALIZATION plan hinges on two major public works projects, the first of which is the Route 146 extension. For decades, this highway has crept northwest though small Massachusetts towns as it tries to link Providence to Worcester. Within two years, officials say, the latest round of construction will complete the high-speed connection.

The first thing they hope northbound travelers will see is Quinsigamond Village, a historic neighborhood once populated by Swedes who came to Worcester to work in the mills along the Blackstone.

It's a quaint village, near the foot of Holy Cross College, but also a tired-looking one. So far, only an old church has been renovated.

Officials say that's about to change. By the end of 2007, a visitor's center is slated to open in an old mill that abuts Route 146, on the edge of the village. It was a plan hatched several years ago, by a study group that saw it as a good way to bring in tourists from Rhode Island and points south.

But though the idea was there, the cash was not. Then, in July, the federal government approved a national transportation bill that earmarked $6.4 million in federal money for the visitor's center.

Worcester officials called the grant "a turning point" for the project. Between that and the required 20-percent match from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the city says it now has the money it needs to break ground by next fall, so construction will be completed in time to coincide with the Route 146 opening.

"Worcester's really on board now," said Deborah Cary, director of the Massachusetts Audubon Society's Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center & Wildlife Sanctuary.

Once the center opens, Bishop says it will run several educational programs. There's also talk of relocating the Worcester Historical Museum there.

In the meantime, officials say, they'll finish off a local bike path that's already partly open, build a pedestrian bridge, and work on rehabilitating more of Quinsigamond Village.

"We're talking about a project that's generational in scope," Bishop said. "It's about building community, not just building facilities."

Rhode Island's Blackstone River communities know all about this type of revitalization. They've been pushing it for years.

"We see Rhode Island as a great role model for redevelopment, especially in an urban center," said Bishop. He and others have visited such cities as Pawtucket and Woonsocket, to see how they've fixed up their riverbanks.

BUT IT'S NOT just about attracting tourists, Bishop says, it's also about luring back local residents, persuading them to give the river another chance, maybe in a canoe or on a walking tour.

"I grew up in Worcester, and we never thought twice about the Blackstone," said Donna Williams, a Massachusetts Audubon conservation coordinator and a commissioner for the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor. "It was something south of the city -- and in the '50s and '60s, when I was growing up, it was pretty dirty -- so no one thought about it much."

To change that image, Worcester's Blackstone advocates will first need to clean up the river itself.

"A lot of people assume the beginning of a river like this is going to be a pristine mountain stream," said National Parks Service Ranger Kevin Klyberg. "Unfortunately, right off the bat you're dealing with areas that traditionally had industrial waste going into them, from steel mills and such."

Part of the problem, Klyberg said, is that Blackstone River's headwaters are actually the convergence point of about a half-dozen different streams, so keeping track of what goes in can be difficult.

South of Worcester, several sewage-treatment plants further threaten the waters as they flow downstream.

On Friday, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced that 600,000 gallons of sewage had been emptied into the Blackstone River, after a power failure at an Auburn, Mass., treatment plant. It wasn't a dangerous spill, the DEM later said, but it wasn't the first either.

Why should Rhode Islanders be concerned with Massachusetts water? It's simple. If you live near the Blackstone, you see it every day.

"As obvious as it sounds, the river flows downstream, so no matter what steps we take in Rhode Island in terms of cleanup, we're still dealing with whatever comes downstream," Klyberg said.

Cary and her team, at the Broad Meadow Brook Center, promise they are working hard to educate local residents about the importance of clean water. In coming years, they'll even pair up with neighboring Holy Cross College, which recently started an environmental program and hopes to use the Blackstone River as a backyard classroom.

But they'd also like it if Rhode Islanders -- who are starting to come around to the idea of the Blackstone River as a recreation resource -- would give their end of the river a chance, too.

"We know we've got work to do, but we're finally getting to the point where Worcester has really bought into the Blackstone," Bishop said. "It's sort of an enlightened self-interest, and it's incredible."

Events this week

TODAY 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Annual Labor Day Open House at the Museum of Work & Culture, Market Square, 42 South Main St., Woonsocket. Sponsored by Working Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Labor History Society. Admission is free all day.

The museum's signature event, it is a reminder of Woonsocket's first Labor Day celebration, on Sept. 4, 1899, when thousands of onlookers watched the Wage Earners parade wind through the streets of the city to Cold Spring Park, for an afternoon of picnicking, games and speeches.

At 11 a.m., labor groups have been invited to meet at River Island Park for a traditional Labor Rally. Speaking program will be hosted by Nick Palazzo, Rhode Island Labor History Society president. Featured speaker will be Scott Molloy, URI labor history professor. Free refreshments follow the speaking program.

Another highlight will be a presentation of one of the museum's popular Living History plays. Mike Sullivan at Finlay's Corner, to be presented on the mill floor, is a solo performance by actor and storyteller Erik Eckilson. His character, Mike Sullivan, appearing in 1930, will recall the pressing issues of the day, one year after the beginning of the Great Depression. The play will be performed several times during the open house.

Contact: Museum of Work & Culture (401) 769-9675.

1 to 4 p.m. Blackstone Valley Explorer Thundermist Tour. Discover the cultural heritage of the French and Franco-Canadians who came to settle in Woonsocket in the 19th and early 20th centuries, to work the mills and factories, in this 45-minute tour aboard a 49-passenger tour boat. Public tours leaving from Woonsocket Landing, River Street, Market Square, across from the Museum of Work & Culture, Woonsocket, at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m.; please arrive 15 minutes before departure time. Tickets are $7/adults, $6/seniors and children; a $1 discount will be offered to anyone with a receipt from the Museum of Work & Culture. Advance reservations assure boarding at a desired time. Call: Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, (401) 724-2200. TOMORROW 10 a.m. to noon. Nature Samplers: Late Summer Flowers. Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Ave., Worcester, (508) 753-6087. Fee: $6/member adults; $8/nonmember adults.

7 to 9 p.m. Birds of Massachusetts: Fall Session. Ten-week class is the first of three sessions covering birds in Massachusetts. Identification of species is discussed in detail, through slides, field guides and visits to locations around the state. Raptors, sparrows, blackbirds and waterfowl are covered in the fall session. Class meets Tuesday evenings, with weekend field trips to places such as Wachusett Mountain, Bolton Flats, Great Meadows and Cape Ann. Participants are expected to have some birding experience, and should bring binoculars and field guides. Fee: $100/members; $120/nonmembers. Contact: Massachusetts Audubon, Broad Meadow Brook, 414 Massasoit Ave., Worcester, (508) 753-6087.

THURSDAY Noon. Bag Lunch Boat Tour. Bring your lunch and enjoy a relaxing 45-minute cruise along the Blackstone, as autumn approaches. Board the Blackstone Valley Explorer at Woonsocket Landing, River Street, Market Square, Woonsocket. $7/adults; $6 children/seniors. Advance reservations required. Contact: Blackstone Valley Tourism Council (401), 724-1500. FRIDAY 1 to 2:30 p.m. Fridays Timeline Trekkers. Children 5 to 10 learn about local wildlife and history through stories, arts, crafts and exploration. Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park, River Bend Farm Visitor Center, 287 Oak St., Uxbridge, Mass. Call (508) 278-7604 to register. 6 to 9 p.m. 6 to 9 p.m. 2005 Pawtucket Arts Festival Opening Gala. Food buffet from more than 40 local restaurants, musical performances by Nathan Williams and the Zydeco Cha-Chas and the Rhode Island Firefighters Pipes & Drums, at The Pawtucket Armory, 172 Exchange St., Pawtucket. Public event: $5/per person includes buffet. The Pawtucket Arts Festival runs through Sept. 25. Full listing: www.pawtucketartsfestival.org or call Diane Agostini at (401) 724-5200.

6:30 p.m. Blackstone Valley Art & Wine Festival. A special three-day event at the Asa Waters Mansion, 123 Main St., Millbury, Mass. Friday night features wine tasting and music, with wine tastings and silent wine auctions over the weekend. Artists will display their paintings, sculptures, glassworks, jewelry, woodworks, pottery and photography. Event continues Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact: Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce, (800) 841-0919.

8 p.m. Opening Weekend of the 25th season for Stone Soup Coffehouse. Pawtucket Boys & Girls Club Arts Center, 210 Main St., Pawtucket. Friday's concert features local singer-songwriter Joyce Katzberg, Lindsay Adler, Bill Harley and Kate Katzberg. Tickets: $12 for Friday only; $20 for Friday and Saturday. Contact: Stone Soup Coffeehouse, (401) 457-7147.

8 to 9:30 p.m. Night Sounds on the Sanctuary. Learn to discern buzzes from rattles and rasping from loose banjo strings. The percussion instruments that make all those sounds? Mostly, insects. This night walk provides an opportunity to hear a variety of sounds and develop an appreciation for the creatures that make them. Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Ave., Worcester. Fee: $4/member adults and children; $5/nonmember adults and children. Contact: (508) 753-6087.

SATURDAY 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Saturday Morning Bird Walk for Adults. For casual and novice birders. Discover bird life in this large, urban sanctuary. Program is for those 15 and older. Dress for the weather; bring binoculars. Meet at Broad Meadow Brook Visitor Center, 414 Massasoit Ave., Worcester. Fee: free/member adults; $5/nonmember adults. Call (508) 753-6087 to register. 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Birding the Blackstone for Beginners. Riverbend Farm Visitor Center, Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park, 268 Oak St., Uxbridge, Mass. Learn the basics of how to start birding at this fabulous birding area. The entire Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor has been designated as an Important Bird Area, and this program shows why. It is part of the Campaign for a Fishable/Swimmable Blackstone River by 2015. Fee: $4/member adults; $5/nonmember adults. Contact: Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, (508) 753-6087.

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sixth Annual Chinese Dragon Boat Race & Taiwan Day Festival. Celebrate Asian heritage and culture at this unique and colorful event, featuring Chinese dragon boats in a daylong rowing competition on the Pawtucket River, at School Street Pier, off Route 114, Pawtucket. Asian arts, music, dance, crafts and kite flying on the pier. Contact: Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, (401) 724-2200. Part of the Pawtucket Arts Festival, which runs through Sept. 25. Full listing: www.pawtucketartsfestival.org or call Diane Agostini at (401) 724-5200.

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. French Farmers Market. A daylong authentic French open-air produce market and Franco-Canadian entertainment, celebrating local ethnic and cultural heritage, at River Island Park, behind the Museum of Work & Culture, Market Square, Woonsocket. Ranger-guided river tours aboard the Blackstone Valley Explorer will also be available at 11 a.m. and noon. Boat tour departs from Woonsocket Landing, River Street, Market Square, Woonsocket. Contact: City of Woonsocket, (401) 762-6400.

1 to 4 p.m. Historic Great Road Open House. The Great Road effort, known as "Travel Three Hundred Years in Three Miles," features the 1810 Hearthside house (open the second Saturday of each month), the 1687 Eleazer Arnold House (open the fourth Saturday of the month), the 1649 Valentine Whitman House (open the first Saturday of the month) the 1704 Friends Meeting House (open the third Saturday of the month), the 1870 William Hannaway Blacksmith Shop (open Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon, for demonstrations and classes), as well as the Wilbur Kelly House in Quinnville (open seven days a week). No charge for tours; donations encouraged. Contact: Friends of Hearthside, (401) 726-0597.

6 to 11 p.m. Mystery Auction, Dinner and Entertainment to benefit St. Ann's Arts & Cultural Center, 84 Cumberland St., Woonsocket. Dinner is at 6 p.m. Auction starts at 7. For tickets and information, contact the center: (401) 767-3777.

SUNDAY Noon to 5 p.m. Slater Mill Family Fun Fest. 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. British Tea Tour along the Blackstone River aboard a British Canal Boat, leaving from Central Falls Landing, Broad Street at Madeira Avenue, Central Falls. All seats $17.50. SOLD OUT. Call for alternative dates. Reservations required. Contact: Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, (401) 724-2200. 1 to 4 p.m. 1 to 4 p.m. Blackstone Valley Explorer Thundermist Tour. Discover the cultural heritage of the French and Franco-Canadians who came to settle in Woonsocket in the 19th and early 20th centuries, to work the mills and factories, in this 45-minute tour aboard a 49-passenger tour boat. Public tours leaving from Woonsocket Landing, River Street, Market Square, across from the Museum of Work & Culture, Woonsocket, at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m.; please arrive 15 minutes before departure time. $7/adults, $6/seniors and children. A $1 discount will be offered to anyone with a receipt from the Museum of Work & Culture. Advance reservations assure boarding at a desired time. Call the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council at (401) 724-2200.

3:30 p.m. Sunday Concerts on the Canal. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Picnic area with grills available. River Bend Farm Visitor Center, Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park, 287 Oak St., Uxbridge, Mass. (508) 278-7604.

SOURCES: Blackstone Valley Tourism Council Web site (www.tourblackstone.com), The Museum of Work & Culture and City of Pawtucket.

Explore the previous installments in the weekly series Summer on the Blackstone, at:

http://projo.com/blackstonesummer