ZAP 50

Riverzedge Arts Exhibit:
Sights & Sounds of the Blackstone River Friday Nov. 11th 5:30- 8:30 pm.
Looks really fun.

Congratulations to the 2022 Pawtucket Hall of Fame inductees. We’re happy to see David M Rosser (1899-1975) posthumously awarded this honor. The epitome of a legacy - 50 years and counting, his vision is still relevant and the work continues throughout the Blackstone River watershed.

Kittakuck’s Intertribal gathering. Bring herring back to the Blackstone River 💕
Come to Slater Mill on Oct30th (1pm-3pm) to hear about this historic development of progress. 🫶

Join local river advocates on Sunday, October 30, 2022, for a special event at Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark in Pawtucket, RI.

From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the Narragansett Tribe, in collaboration with Friends of the Blackstone, will rally excitement for the fish ladder project.

Happy 50th birthday to the Clean Water Act! We've come a long way since the Cuyahoga River lit on fire, but there is still a lot more work to do here in Rhode Island and across the country. The Supreme Court is preparing to strip federal Clean Water Act protections from many bodies of water as we speak. We'll keep fighting to protect our water, our air, and our climate future!

The Blackstone is our River of life.

ZAP wrap up -- Check how ZAP 50 ended up.

ZAP 50 Photos, Song, Stats & More Many great things happened with ZAP this year ZAP the Blackstone 50th Revival Many great things happened this year with ZAP Celebration Day Photos a few pictures from the day... lots of recognitions

Nice article about ZAP50 in the October “Paddle” newsletter by Gary Powers.

www.ricka.org

“ZAP the Blackstone River Cleanup by Gary Powers, Oct’22 on Page 4 of “Paddler” Newsletter of The RI Canoe & Kayak Association available to read in full at https://www.ricka.org/paddler/paddler/2022_Paddler/october_newsletter.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1XxZKlVTLx-k8Wa2FPMKS6gnCl_39m9mTwQDLASagsnfcAOilvCSW4mI8

“This River Wasn’t Blue” performed live at the Great Blackstone River Revival ZAP50 Celebration on September 10th, 2022.

"This River Wasn't Blue" - The ZAP 50 Song Written and Performed by Mark Cutler, Allie Van, Steve Maciel, Tyler Shephard, Mark Mello, J. Michael Graham and Annie & Rob Landis. First performed on 9.10...

Announcing an intertribal gathering hosted by the Narragansett Tribe in collaboration with Friends of the Blackstone:

October 30th at Old Slater Mill
Music + Speakers + Activities

Witness an historic meeting, and hear the discussion about plans in the making. Mankind’s industrial *progress* has actually not been kind to this river. The longtime use (damming for harnessing water power) and abuse (pollution) of Kittacuck has permanently changed and nearly destroyed the Blackstone River by 1972. In the film, “Kittacuck Speaks” (2022), there’s a moment when Kittacuck is quoted saying, “I almost died.” Resuscitation of the River began in 1970s when the Blackstone River was on the brink. ZAP Day was 9/9/1972, but that was just the beginning of decades of work to come which have regenerated sustainable ecosystem along the River. For five decades the biggest catches in the River have been too many and unfortunately have been not fish. Most “fishing” in the Blackstone River has been the cleanup actions of removing debris. It’s important to understand that this River was teeming with fish.
It’s time for the people to undo the barriers - created more than two hundred years ago - by today creating fish passages. Just as toxic river pollution was and is caused by people, it is necessary that the people must solve and continue to solve that problem. The problems caused by people must likewise be resolved by the people to restore this river as it was of old.

Bring herring back to the Blackstone River!

Intertribal gathering hosted by the Narragansett Tribe in collaboration with Friends of the Blackstone at Slater Mill.

Sunday October 30th, 1pm-3pm
Come to hear message and conversation of Kittacuck’s advocates.

Featured speakers from Narragansett and Nipmuc Tribes as well as other local River advocates. There will also be music and activities.

Bring herring back to the Blackstone River.

On Indigenous Peoples' Day, we share breaking news of an intertribal gathering planned for Sunday, October 30th, on the Blackstone River, hosted by the Narragansett Tribe in collaboration with Friends of the Blackstone.

The special event will bring the community together to rally excitement for the fish ladder project and to bring the Herring back to the Blackstone. There will be music, speakers, and other activities taking place on the grounds of Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark in Pawtucket from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Highlights include High Tide Drum, Jeffery Pegram from the Long Island Shinnecock Tribe, speakers from the Narragansett and Nipmuc tribes, as well as local river advocates. Stay tuned for more info.

Be sure to watch the video "Kittacuck Speaks," produced by Friends of the Blackstone: https://youtu.be/morPl5sxtTc.

The stunning film tells the story of the Blackstone from the perspective of the river itself. It was written and narrated by Bruce Curliss, aka Star, a member of the Nipmuc Tribe.

Blackstone River Watershed Council
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park

How we got here today.

David M Rosser (1899-1975) is being inducted to the Pawtucket Hall of Fame on Friday November 4th, 2022.
His leadership of Operation ZAP was truly heroic and his vision for the future of the Blackstone River Valley has long been an inspiration with an enduring legacy.

We’re happy to announce that the Pawtucket Hall of Fame tickets are on sale now until Oct22nd.

Cheers to 50 years! October 18th is 50th anniversary of landmark legislation, Clean Water Act

Save the date, Sunday Oct30th
An announcement is coming soon.

History of Blackstone River will be portrayed in an interactive exhibit, “Flowing Through Time: Nature, Industry, and Communities,” developed by Trivium at the Museum of Work and Culture starting on October 18th.
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Operation ZAP was a pivotal day, the watershed moment of the Blackstone River watershed.

Look and you’ll see how much beauty abounds along the Blackstone River. It’s more than just seeing - it’s hearing the tranquility and feeling it too. You’ll discover it all on your own.

Highly recommend these events. Thank you Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor for this announcement.

“Central Falls Landing” (Explorer River Tours & Expeditions Kayak Rentals) & “Sycamore Landing” (Blackstone River Watershed Council) in Manville are the best known places in Rhode Island.

We hear today is National Rhode Island Day! Did you know that Rhode Island is 48 miles long, the same length as the Blackstone River? The historic Blackstone River starts in Worcester, MA, and flows down to Pawtucket, RI, the home of Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park!

If visiting Old Slater Mill in Pawtucket is still on your bucket list, make note that ranger-led guided tours are offered three times a day (at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.) Thursday through Sunday. No reservations are needed. Learn more at nps.gov/blrv.

If you'd like to get on the river for a boat ride this fall, Tour Blackstone Valley, Rhode Island has added some Sunday dates on the Explorer for foliage trips on October 9, 16, 23, and 30. Trips depart from Central Falls Landing. Learn more at https://fb.me/e/2OjiEbJbH, and get your tickets at www.rivertourblackstone.com/site/explorer. While you're there, check out the Pirates on the Blackstone trips being offered this month!

But wait, there's more! Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone is hosting a guided Fall Foliage Canoe Tour on Saturday, October 15, departing from Sycamore Landing in Manville, RI. Learn more at https://blackstoneheritagecorridor.org/event/fall-foliage-canoe-tour/.

Photo by Bob Evans, a Blackstone Heritage Corridor Photography Ambassador.

Military dog tags found during ZAP cleanup in Lincoln LINCOLN – A local resident says he’s hoping to return a set of military dog tags recovered during a recent cleanup of the Blackstone River watershed in Lincoln.

Please share this post - an item found at the ZAP cleanup that the Lincoln crew is trying to find the proper owner.

Military dog tags found during ZAP cleanup in Lincoln LINCOLN – A local resident says he’s hoping to return a set of military dog tags recovered during a recent cleanup of the Blackstone River watershed in Lincoln.