Historic Mill Villages Draw Heritage Tourism Interest in the Blackstone Valley

Preserved 19th-century mill villages along the Blackstone Valley are becoming a modest but growing draw for visitors interested in American industrial history, part of a broader heritage corridor that spans the Rhode Island and Massachusetts border.

Local historical societies say guided tours of former textile mills and worker housing have seen steady, if modest, growth in attendance, drawn largely by visitors interested in the region's role in early American industrialization.

A Different Kind of Attraction

Tourism officials describe the heritage corridor as complementary to, rather than competitive with, the state's coastal attractions, drawing a different type of visitor interested specifically in industrial and labor history rather than beaches or sailing.

Preservation groups say continued investment in restoring mill buildings will be necessary to sustain and grow visitor interest over the coming years.