Don’t let opportunity for new ballpark pass by

When opportunity knocks – open the door!

The Pawtucket Falls at the base of the Blackstone River has opened the door to opportunity many times over the past 400 years.

It continues to be the place of epic social, economic and historical events.

For thousands of years Native Americans gathered at the Pawtucket Falls.

In the 1600s

Reverends William Blackstone and Roger Williams traversed it and Williams made it part of his original land purchase from the Narragansetts

Joseph Jencks II built a forge there and founded Pawtucket

In the 1700s

George Washington crossed there several times

America’s first steam powered boat was invented in its shadow

Samuel Slater birthed our nation’s industrial system at the Falls

Pawtucket heard its first case in the U.S. Supreme Court over fish passage because of the Falls

In the 1800s

Alexander Hamilton visited Pawtucket to learn how Slater crafted his manufacturing system and created economic freedom for the United States

Sam Patch jumped the Falls and started his career as America’s first dare-devil

The first women’s labor strike in history closes Slater Mill

In the 1900s

The Hassenfeld Brothers grew their business to become the world’s largest toy company in the shadow of the Falls

Pawtucket’s separation of church and state case brought us back to the U.S. Supreme Court

The Blackstone Valley became a National Heritage Corridor by President Reagan

The Blackstone River became an American Heritage River by President Clinton

Ben Mondor purchased the Pawtucket Red Sox and made them the most successful team in the International League

In the 2000s

Slater Mill becomes a National Park Ten breweries establish themselves in Pawtucket

The city of Pawtucket and the Pawtucket Red Sox propose constructing a public ballpark near the Falls

The creative community explodes with studios, galleries and design shops

Acommuter rail station emerges as a reality

Pawtucket has spent its entire life as a city helping others become wealthy. Its time others help Pawtucket.

Opportunity is knocking again. A ball park is just what the Blackstone Valley needs to start this century’s economic resurgence and new social and cultural opportunities.

The activity will explode as it did for Blackstone, Jencks, Slater and Hassenfeld. Let’s open the opportunity door again!