R 221

2003 -- S 1107

Enacted 05/28/03

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF A HERITAGE CORRIDOR ALONG THE PAWTUXET RIVER

Introduced By: Senators Blais, Breene, Raptakis, and Alves

Date Introduced: May 28, 2003

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island is the recognized birthplace of the American Industrial

Revolution; and

     WHEREAS, The Pawtuxet River Valley and Watershed have played an integral part in

Rhode Island Industrial history; and

     WHEREAS, The Pawtuxet Valley was the site of textile mills by the late 1790’s and an

important center of the Rhode Island textile mill village system for more than a century and a

half; and

     WHEREAS, Many important textile brands, including Fruit of the Loom, were developed

along the Pawtuxet River; and

     WHEREAS, The Pawtuxet was the destination of many immigrant groups over the last

two centuries including the Irish, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedes, French Canadians,

Germans, and others; and

     WHEREAS, The Pawtuxet was the scene of significant events in the history of the Labor

Movement in Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, The Pawtuxet was the home of important figures in Revolutionary and

Industrial Rhode Island history such as, Nathanael Greene, the Sprague Family and the Knight

Family; and

     WHEREAS, The Pawtuxet River is the site of nationally designated historic districts such

as Pawtuxet Village in Warwick and Cranston and Hope Village in Scituate; and

     WHEREAS, Its tributaries, such as the Pocasset River, share in this history; and

     WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island and the United States Department of the Interior

have designated Heritage Corridor status to other rivers in Rhode Island based upon the above

criteria; and

     WHEREAS, Strong efforts to create greenways and river access and historic trails have

occurred along the Pawtuxet in recent years as it has in other designated corridors; and

     WHEREAS, There has been insufficient state and federal recognition and support for the

historic resources and efforts in this area; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby recognizes the special nature and role of the Pawtuxet Watershed in Rhode Island history

and supports the creation of a Heritage Corridor along the Pawtuxet River with equal status with

its sister Heritage Corridors in the State of Rhode Island.

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LC03208

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