Why We Chose The Name Blackstone

Why did we choose the name [THE BLACKSTONE TEAM]?  Blackstone is a name integral to the marketplaces of the Providence Metroplex and Northern Rhode Island in which we specialize.  It is so wholly a part of our local heritage, we chose to honor that history and carry it forward in our mission for the future.

• Blackstone is the surname of one of our first settlers, William Blackstone. In 1635, he built his home on the river in what would become Cumberland, Rhode Island.
• In 1790, Samuel Slater opened the first successful water-powered cotton mill in America, Slater Mill, at Pawtucket Falls.  The mill was powered by the waters of The Blackstone River, ushering in the Industrial Revolution.
• The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor preserves the history of the early American Industrial Revolution, including mill towns spanning 24 cities and towns near the river’s course.
• The Blackstone Canal, a 45-mile series of waterways and locks, was built in 1825. It connected the farms of northern Rhode Island to the port in Providence on Narragansett Bay, thus affording our small state access to the entire world.
• Blackstone Boulevard, on the East Side of Providence, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The 1.6 mile median bordered by two roadways was constructed in 1894 to provide better access to Swan Point Cemetery.  Design for the median strip, which in 1903 was turned into a trolley line, was provided by Frederick Law Olmstead.  More than two dozen trees remain from this original planting.  When trolley service ended in 1948, the median strip was converted to a park, which is actively used by local residents.
• The creation of Blackstone Boulevard allowed the Blackstone Neighborhood to finally take shape. It was one of the last areas of Providence to develop due to the remoteness of its location.  The historic homes in the area were joined by the highest concentration of post-1950 homes on the East Side. Providence’s Modern Age had arrived.

As we move into a new decade, we proudly carry the Blackstone name with us in service of our clients. The Blackstone Team celebrates this solid history of connection, innovation, and growth.

Reach out to [THE BLACKSTONE TEAM] at Mott & Chace Sotheby’s International Realty.  www.the-blackstoneteam.com.  401-214-1524