Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation for the creation of the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, along with my colleagues from Rhode Island and Massachusetts, Senators Whitehouse, Kerry, and Scott Brown. Our legislation seeks to preserve the industrial heritage and natural and cultural resources of the Blackstone Valley, help provide economic development opportunities for the local economies, and build upon the solid foundation of the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. Samuel Slater built his mill in 1793 and started the American Industrial Revolution in Rhode Island along the Blackstone River. Today, the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor contains an exceptional concentration of surviving mills and villages that illustrate this chapter of American history. The Blackstone Valley is a national treasure, which also includes thousands of acres of beautiful, undeveloped land and waterways that are home to diverse wildlife. The extensive work of the National Park Service and the tireless efforts of Federal, State--both Rhode Island and Massachusetts--and local officials, developers, and volunteers have resulted in the recovery of dozens of historic villages, riverways, and rural landscapes throughout the Corridor. These types of economic redevelopment and environmental restoration efforts reflect the ongoing story of the Blackstone River and the valley.…”