Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a special type of national park. It is a region of nearly 400,000 acres located within Worcester County in central Massachusetts and Providence County in northern Rhode Island. The National Corridor was designated by an Act of Congress on November 10, 1986 to preserve and interpret for present and future generations the unique and significant value of the Blackstone Valley. It includes cities, towns, villages and almost one million people. The Federal government does not own or manage any of the land or resources in the corridor as it does in the more traditional national parks. Instead the National Park Service, two state governments, dozens of local municipalities, businesses, nonprofit historical and environmental organizations, educational institutions, many private citizens, and a unifying commission all work together in partnerships to protect the Valley's special identity and prepare for its future.
Block Island NWR Block Island National Wildlife Refuge comprises 66 acres of some of the most beautiful dune habitat on the Atlantic Coast. Simply by virtue of its location on the flyway, the refuge is an important resting stop, providing cover for large numbers of neotropical migrants and raptors. Additionally, the intertidal shoreline supports a significant roosting area for migratory shorebirds including the black-bellied and semi-palmated plover, sanderling and dunlin during both the spring and autumn migrations. In 1996, the threatened piping plover attempted to nest on refuge beaches for the first time in over a decade. Also, the refuge supports a gull colony of 1,000 pairs and a colonial wading bird rookery consisting of 30 black crowned night heron nests.Of special note is the cooperative venture between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The Nature Conservancy. It was recognized in 1993 that the two organizations working with local government would be able to more effectively protect and manage the increasingly valuable acreage owned by the three entities on the north end of the island. This has played an especially important role in the protection of the environment, as the refuge is an unmanned satellite managed by the mainland staff of Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge. Each year, the refuge hosts various school groups and researchers, as well as providing over 10,000 Island vacationers that pass through the refuge on the way to the famous North Light lighthouse an opportunity to view some breathtaking seascapes and undeveloped shoreline.
Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve The reserve encompasses 2,353 acres of land on Prudence, Patience and Hope islands and 1,591 acres of water adjoining the islands out to a depth of 18 feet. All three islands were used as farmland during the Colonial area. By the 20th century, farming declined and Prudence Island began to attract summer residence. The U.S. military established a presence on the island during World War II and remained until the land was turned over to the state of Rhode Island in 1972.In addition to its human inhabitants, Prudence island supports one of the densest herds of white tailed deer in the northeast. Being very close to the entirely wooded Patience Island, deer can swim between these two islands.
Ninigret NWR Ninigret NWR is located in Charlestown, Washington County, Rhode Island almost 30 miles south of Providence. The refuge, 407 acres, has experienced many "histories": created from run off from the glaciers of the last ice age 14,000 years ago through early Native American use and subsequent colonial period farming. Refuge staff is attempting to restore the native coastal sand plain grasslands, a habitat in danger of completely disappearing from the southern New England coast. Over 30% of the endangered and threatened species in Rhode Island can be found in this area. There is an extensive trail system avilable to hikers that will provide beautiful views of wetlands, grasslands, forested and shrublands, wooded swamps and a stretch of barrier beach, as well as Ninigret Pond. Ninigret Pond is Rhode Island's largest salt pond (at approximately 1700 acres) and is linked to the Block Island Sound via a man-made breachway. Black ducks, Canada geese and diving ducks winter in large numbers on the pond. Osprey, harriers, kestrels and other migrating raptors frequent the refuge lands, too. On the beach, the Refuge staff manages an extensive federally threatened piping plover nesting program.
Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (OVNHT) follows the Revolutionary War route of Patriot militia men from Virginia, today's eastern Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia to the battle of Kings Mountain, South Carolina, site of the Kings Mountain National Military Park.
The OVNHT is part of the National Trails System.
While there are hiking segments, the primary public access is by car over the commemorative motor route.
Click on "In Depth" to get detailed information by state and trail segment.
Roger Williams National Memorial Roger Williams National Memorial commemorates the life of the founder of Rhode Island and a champion of the ideal of religious freedom. Williams, banished from Massachusetts for his beliefs, founded Providence in 1636. This colony served as a refuge where all could come to worship as their conscience dictated without interference from the state. The Memorial is located on a common lot of the original settlement of Providence and includes 4.5 acres of landscaped park.
