There are two National Park Service Sites in Rhode Island.
NPS in Rhode Island
- Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
- Roger Williams National Memorial
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
This national historical park is one of the national park service sites in Rhode Island. However, it is also shared with the state of Massachusetts. The Rhode Island unit of the park belongs to Providence County. It was established in 2014 to protect, preserve and interpret the industrial heritage within the Blackstone River Valley and its surrounding landscape.
The Blackstone River Valley is where the earliest textile mills in the US were established. These textile mills enjoy massive success during that time that contributed to the development of the US during the American Industrial Revolution. Eventually, this led to the construction of the Blackstone Canal that in return further reinforced the industrial strength in the region.
This unit of the national park service sites in Rhode Island is managed by the US National Park Service together with the state government and some private institutions.
Roger Williams National Memorial
This landscaped urban park in Providence is one of the national park service sites in Rhode Island. It was established to protect the original settlements in the city of Providence that were established in 1636 through the initiative of Roger Williams. Williams was a champion of the ideal of religious freedom. Hence, the memorial park also aims to commemorate his life, works and other contributions to the establishment of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
The entire memorial site measures at 4.5 acres in land area. The memorial site stands at the base of the College Hill. It was a work of architect Norman Isham. The site was named a National Memorial in 1965 and was added to the list of the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The development of the site only took place in 1970 after completion of the land acquisition on the said site.
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