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The Blackstone Valley or Blackstone River Valley is a region of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It was a major factor in the American Industrial Revolution. It makes up part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
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Economy
The Blackstone Valley has a varied economic base and is positioned to compete with the MetroWest region and the Greater Boston area for new economic development. A recent report commissioned by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce provided evidence that the region has growth in the manufacturing, education, healthcare, and professional, scientific, and technical sectors. The valley is also accessible to highways and rail, cost competitive, and an educated workforce. Twelve major colleges are situated within thirty minutes of the Blackstone Valley, including Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Clark University.
The primary highway through the region is Worcestor–Providence Turnpike, which follows Massachusetts Route 146 and Rhode Island Route 146. The route was gradually upgraded mostly to freeway conditions, though two short sections (near the border of Lincoln and North Smithfield in Rhode Island and in Sutton, Massachusetts) still have at-grade intersections. Improvements to this important transportation corridor have provided an economic boon to the region.
Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce
The Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce is the local chamber of commerce for Worcester county and many of the cities and towns in the Blackstone Valley. The chamber represents the business needs of over 450 businesses and thousands of employees in the area.
Membership in the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce also includes membership in the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.
In the Summer of 2012, the chamber teamed up with State State Senator Michael Moore, the Central Massachusetts Center for Business and Enterprise (CMCBE), and the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC), and others, in an effort is to extend lines of credit to small businesses for expansion and to help hire new employees.
Blackstone Canal
The Blackstone Canal was a waterway linking Worcester, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island and Narragansett Bay through the Blackstone Valley via a series of locks and canals between 1828 and 1848.
The canal is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.