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1985
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Robert Billington
started the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council at his kitchen
table in Cumberland, Rhode Island. He spoke to over 150 groups
the first year, including woman’s clubs, Kiwanis and Rotary
Clubs to tell them about his idea of making the Blackstone
Valley a tourism destination
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Published the
first brochure on Blackstone Valley historic sites
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1986 |
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First
room tax implemented by the state on hotels to share with state
tourism districts
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Blackstone Valley
Tourism Board of Directors hired Bob Billington as the council’s
first full time director in September 1986
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Federal
government authorized the Blackstone River Valley National
Heritage Corridor (in 1999 it would be named for the late U.S.
Senator John Chaffee)
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Published first
brochure on Holidays in Pawtucket
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Published first
brochure on Holidays in the Valley
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Published first
brochure on the Blackstone Valley’s Historic Mills
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1987 |
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- The Tourism Council moved to
the Northgate Tollhouse in Lincoln, home of the Blackstone
Valley Historical Society
- Created the first Blackstone
Valley Banner Tour, a self driving tour of the nine Blackstone
Valley communities
- Welcomed the first interns
from Johnson & Wales Department of Travel and Tourism
- Developed the Blackstone
Valley Passport Sample Tour Packet
- Published first brochure on
Springtime in the Blackstone Valley
- Published first brochure on
Summer Events in the Blackstone Valley
- Published first brochure on
Christmas in the Valley
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1988 |
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- Launched slogan “Destination
Blackstone River Valley – Something new, something different”
- Scheduled seven bus tours of
the Blackstone Valley highlighting the area as a tourism
destination
- Filled 10,000 requests for
information about the Valley
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1989 |
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Launched
Blackstone Valley Tourism One, a 16 foot rubber raft secured
through Navy surplus
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Hired first
part-time staffer to co-ordinate interpretive canoe trips, bus
tours and railway trips thru a contract with the Blackstone
River Valley National Heritage Corridor
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Began fall
foliage sightseeing tours aboard the Providence & Worcester
Railroad
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Released “The
Fiber That Wove America’s Spirit,” the first promotional
videotape of the Blackstone Valley, soundtrack by Pendragon
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Established the
Travel Experiences Trade Show in conjunction with Conway Tours
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Created 8ft tall
William Blackstone character to appear at special events and
march in parades
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Published
Blackstone River Valley Fresh Water Fishing Guide, first fishing
guide for the Valley
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1990 |
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- Began the first cruises on the
Blackstone River using a glass-bottom boat supplied by Luther
Blount
- Launched three-year “Let’s
Build a Boat” campaign to raise $50,000 and purchase a 49-foot
Explorer riverboat
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1991 |
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- First Steamboat Muster at the
State Pier, School Street in Pawtucket
- Moved Tourism Council
headquarters to larger office space at the Blackstone Valley
Electric Co. building on Route 116 in Lincoln, RI
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1992 |
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- Wrote and published first
comprehensive tourism guide for the Blackstone Valley
- Organized “Turn it Around with
Tourism” Conference at Bryant College with Dr. Pat Manheim of
Johnson and Wales University
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1993 |
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- Launched the 49 passenger
Explorer riverboat; the first riverboat on the Blackstone River
in 170 years
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1994 |
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- Signed the Blackstone
Valley-Amber Valley Compact in Belper, England, delegation from
Blackstone Valley traveled to the Amber Valley to celebrate the
signing and participate in twinning ceremony with Belper,
England
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1995 |
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- Purchased the Blackstone
Valley’s first trolley in 60 years in partnership with the
Conway Gray Line Bus Company of Cumberland
- Developed River Classroom
program on the Explorer Riverboat offering history, ecology, and
wildlife education to students
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1996 |
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- Hosted 45-member Thornton’s
Brass Band from the Amber Valley, England
- Moved the Tourism Council
headquarters to 171 Main Street, Pawtucket and opened the first
year-round full time visitor center on the Blackstone River
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1997 |
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- Established plans for the
first Blackstone Valley Watershed Council
- Coordinated the World Canal
Conference held in the Blackstone Valley
- Developed Christmas trolley
tours through Blackstone Valley neighborhoods
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1998 |
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- Launched
second riverboat, the “Spirit of the Blackstone Valley”
- Established Rhode Island
Rivers Day celebrating the Blackstone River’s impact on the
community and honoring its volunteers
- Laid the keel for the
British-built canal boat Samuel Slater, which will be
permanently docked on the Blackstone River as a floating bed and
breakfast
- The Blackstone River receives
the prestigious designation – an American Heritage River
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1999 |
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- Launched
the Hope and Renaissance – two European-style ferry boats to
shuttle commuters between Providence & Pawtucket
- Initiated the Polar Express
Train Excursion with permission from author Chris Van Allsburg
and publisher Houghton Mifflin
- Moved Tourism Council
headquarters to permanent office at 175 Main Street, Pawtucket
across from the historic Slater Mill. Celebrated grand opening
of the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center which also includes a
visitor information center, the Slater Mill Gift Shop and
Gallery, the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative Art gallery, a movie
theatre, RIPTA bus station, and offices of the Blackstone Valley
Tourism Council
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2000 |
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- Launched Samuel Slater British
canal boat offering overnight accommodations and daytime
cruising on the Blackstone River
- Introduced dragon boat racing
to the Blackstone River with first annual Rhode Island Chinese
Dragon Boat Race and Taiwan Day Festival
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2001 |
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Hosted 28 person
tour group from the Amber Valley of England – Belper, England is
the hometown of Samuel Slater
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Central Falls
Landing project begins
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Hosted 3,000
parents and children aboard the Polar Express train ride
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2002 |
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- Purchased 1981 British model
double-decker tour bus – only one of its kind in Rhode Island
- Created worldwide publicity
for the Blackstone Valley after sending 7-foot tall Mr. Potato
Head to England
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2003 |
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- Created first Easter Bunny
Express train ride
- Partnered with the Great
American Cleanup along the Blackstone River, in cooperation with
nine Blackstone Valley communities
- Created DeTours self-guided
maps for visitors to follow themed tours in the Valley.
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2004 |
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- Developed
web site and program for
cycleblackstone.com for four bike trails and Bike Rhode
Island program
- Produced a useable web
calendar for Blackstone Valley events –
eventblackstone.com
- Produced a web site entitled
“BlackstoneCanoeTrail.com” to showcase canoes painted by local
artists throughout the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage
Corridor
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2005 |
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Licensed
by Warner Brothers to host the Blackstone Valley Polar Express –
one of five organizations nationwide given permission to hold
event
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Produced web site
entitled “GolfBlackstone.com”
the first Heritage Golf Tournament in the Blackstone Valley
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Coordinated
Preserve America “Footsteps in History” event entitled “Five
Centuries in Three Days” - culminating from the Preserve America
communities award
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Joined with the
John H. Chafee Blackstone River Heritage Corridor and Chamber of
Commerce to establish the Blackstone Canoe Trail. This civic art
project presents artists' renditions of the history, culture and
natural beauty of the Valley, depicted on sponsored canoes
situated throughout the Valley.
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Celebrated 20
years of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council by hosting a
special event in each of the nine cities and towns of the Valley
for twelve months
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Received Partnership Award from
Coastal America for the Lonsdale Wetlands Restoration Team
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2006 |
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