Sponsored by: John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission Woonsocket, RI Worcester Historical Museum Worcester, MA September 2005 mawald/ld/0909700/graphics/covers/September05cover Blackstone Canal Preservation Study Blackstone, Millville, Uxbridge, Northbridge, Grafton, Sutton, Millbury, and Worcester, Massachusetts Prepared for Worcester Historical Museum 30 Elm Street Worcester, MA 01609 508-753-8278 John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission One Depot Square Woonsocket, RI 02895 401-762-0250 Prepared by /Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. Transportation, Land Development, Environmental Services 101 Walnut Street, P.O. Box 9151 Watertown, MA 02471 617-924-1770 September 2005 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................ I INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................................................................1 STUDY PURPOSE AND GOALS ...........................................................................................................................................1 THE BLACKSTONE CANAL ................................................................................................................................................2 Historic Context ..........................................................................................................................................................2 PREVIOUS PLANNING EFFORTS.........................................................................................................................................5 BRVNHCC Cultural Heritage and Land Management Plan.......................................................................................6 Blackstone Valley Sustainability Study .......................................................................................................................7 Blackstone Canal National Register Historic District ................................................................................................8 Blackstone River Bikeway Planning ...........................................................................................................................9 Blackstone River Visioning Project...........................................................................................................................10 Blackstone Canal Feasibility Study, Worcester ........................................................................................................11 RESOURCE INVENTORY AND EXISTING CONDITIONS ....................................................................................13 METHODOLOGY..............................................................................................................................................................13 CANAL FEATURES AND RESOURCES ...............................................................................................................................14 Canal Components....................................................................................................................................................15 Canal Trench........................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Towpath .................................................................................................................................................................................. 19 Locks ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Dams and Reservoirs .............................................................................................................................................................. 20 Mile Markers........................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Canal Resources by Town.........................................................................................................................................21 Town of Blackstone ................................................................................................................................................................ 22 Town of Millville.................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Town of Uxbridge................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Town of Northbridge .............................................................................................................................................................. 30 Town of Grafton ..................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Town of Sutton ....................................................................................................................................................................... 35 Town of Millbury.................................................................................................................................................................... 36 City of Worcester.................................................................................................................................................................... 39 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................................................................43 KEY SEGMENT SELECTION METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................................43 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................................................................................................45 Protection and Preservation .....................................................................................................................................45 Stabilization and Management..................................................................................................................................46 Rehabilitation, Restoration, and Interpretation........................................................................................................47 KEY CANAL SEGMENTS FOR RESTORATION....................................................................................................................47 Millville Lock Area, Millville ....................................................................................................................................48 Skull Rock Area, Uxbridge........................................................................................................................................49 Plummer’s Landing-Riverdale Mill Area, Northbridge ............................................................................................51 Fisherville Area, Grafton..........................................................................................................................................53 Cross Road-Grafton Street Area, Millbury ...............................................................................................................55 CANAL SEGMENTS FOR FUTURE ACTION........................................................................................................................56 Blackstone Manufacturing Company Area, Blackstone............................................................................................57 Leland’s Landing Area, Grafton...............................................................................................................................59 Depot Street-Chase Road Area, Sutton.....................................................................................................................60 Millbury-Winnipeg Street Area, Worcester...............................................................................................................61 Brosnihan Square-Hurley Square Area, Worcester ..................................................................................................62 APPENDIX A: February 2005 Public Workshop Notes APPENDIX B: Tax Parcels for Key Canal Segments APPENDIX C: Conceptual Cost Estimates APPENDIX D: Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation and Restoration of Historic Properties List of Figures Figure No. Description After Page 1 The Blackstone Canal in Massachusetts .......................................................2 2 Blackstone and Millville .............................................................................22 3 Uxbridge......................................................................................................26 4 Northbridge .................................................................................................30 5 Grafton and Sutton ......................................................................................34 6 Millbury ......................................................................................................38