Seekonk River

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Seekonk River
Crook Point Bascule Bridge-4 (28263943364).jpg
Seekonk River at Providence, Rhode Island, with a view of the Crook Point Bascule Bridge
Seekonk River
Location
Country United States
State Rhode Island
County Providence
Physical characteristics
Source 
  location Blackstone River, at Pawtucket Falls in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
  coordinates 41°52′38″N71°22′56″W / 41.8771°N 71.3822°W / 41.8771; -71.3822
Mouth  
  location
Providence River in Providence, Rhode Island
  coordinates
41°48′59″N71°23′28″W / 41.8163°N 71.3910°W / 41.8163; -71.3910
Length8 km (5.0 mi)

The Seekonk River is a tidal extension of the Providence River in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 5 km (3 mi). The name may be derived from an Algonquian word for skunk [1] or for black goose. [2] The river is home to the Brown University men's rowing team, India Point Park, Blackstone Park Conservation District, Crook Point Bascule Bridge, Narragansett Boat Club (the oldest rowing club in the country), Swan Point Cemetery, and the Bucklin Point waste-water treatment facility. [3] The River is listed by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management as an impaired waterway. [4]

Contents

Course

The Seekonk River begins after the Pawtucket River, which flows for approximately 1.5 miles from where the Blackstone River reaches sea level below Pawtucket Falls to the border of Providence and East Providence. From there the Seekonk River flows for approximately 3 miles due south between Providence and East Providence, picks up flow from the Ten Mile River, and eventually flows into the Providence River between Bold Point and India Point.

Slate Rock

Slate Rock
Slate Rock on the Seekonk River; James Sullivan Lincoln, 1847.jpg
1847 painting by James Sullivan Lincoln
Roger Williams Landing Place monument in Slate Rock Park west facade.jpg
Slate Rock memorial

A prominent boulder on the west shore of the Seekonk River (near the current Gano Park) was once one of Providence's most important historic landmarks. Slate Rock was said to be the spot where a group of Narragansett people first welcomed the exiled Roger Williams in 1636 with the famous phrase "What cheer, netop?", and directed him to his eventual settlement location at the fork of the Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck Rivers. [5] [6] [7]

The historic rock was accidentally blown up by city workers in 1877. They were attempting to expose a buried portion of the stone, but used too much dynamite and the stone was "blasted to pieces." [5] Pieces of the stone were later sold for souvenirs. A monument in nearby Slate Rock Park commemorates the location. [5] [6] [7]

Flora and fauna

The Seekonk River is home to numerous fauna that either migrate to the bay at some point during the year or live there year-round. Several species of fish, shellfish and crab have been documented. [8] Birds include loon, cormorants, herons, gulls, terns, swans and geese. [9]

Spartina and Phragmites grasses are found in high marsh areas, while brown and green seaweeds are found in the intertidal zone. Riparian vegetation includes shrubs such as Rosa rugosa and trees like willow, oak and beech. [10]

Crossings

Looking out at the Henderson Bridge from Blackstone Park Blackstone Park, Providence Rhode Island-bench.jpg
Looking out at the Henderson Bridge from Blackstone Park

Below is a list of all crossings over the Seekonk River. The list starts at the headwaters and goes downstream.

Tributaries

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seekonk, Massachusetts</span> Town in Massachusetts, United States

Seekonk is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Massachusetts border with Rhode Island. It was incorporated in 1812 from the western half of Rehoboth. The population was 15,531 at the 2020 census. In 1862, under a U.S. Supreme Court decision resolving a longstanding border dispute between Massachusetts and Rhode Island, a portion of Tiverton, Rhode Island was awarded to Massachusetts to become part of Fall River, while two-thirds of Seekonk was awarded to Rhode Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pawtucket, Rhode Island</span> City in Rhode Island, United States

Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 75,604 at the 2020 census, making the city the fourth-largest in the state. Pawtucket borders Providence and East Providence to the south, Central Falls and Lincoln to the north, and North Providence to the west. The city also borders the Massachusetts municipalities of Seekonk and Attleboro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narragansett Bay</span> Bay in the state of Rhode Island

Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound covering 147 square miles (380 km2), 120.5 square miles (312 km2) of which is in Rhode Island. The bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor and includes a small archipelago. Small parts of the bay extend into Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackstone River</span> River in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, USA

The Blackstone River in the United States is a river that flows through Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It is 48 mi (77 km) long with a drainage area of 475 mi2. It drains into the Pawtucket River at Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Its long history of industrial use in the watershed has caused significant pollution, with the United States Environmental Protection Agency describing it as “the most polluted river in the country because of high concentrations of toxic sediments.”

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henderson Bridge (Rhode Island)</span> Bridge in Between Providence and East Providence, Rhode Island

The Henderson Bridge is a bridge in Rhode Island which spans the Seekonk River, and connects the East Side neighborhood of Providence with the Watchemoket and Phillipsdale neighborhoods of East Providence. After a major reconstruction, the bridge reopened to automobile traffic in phases from November 16 to 20, 2023. A new cycle path opened on November 27. A few weeks later, it was used as a detour during the emergency closure of the westbound half of the parallel Washington Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moshassuck River</span> River in Rhode Island, United States

The Moshassuck River is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows 8.9 miles (14.3 km) from the town of Lincoln to the city of Providence. There are six dams along the river's length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackstone Valley</span> Region of Massachusetts & Rhode Island in the United States

The Blackstone Valley or Blackstone River Valley is a region of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It was a major factor in the American Industrial Revolution. It makes up part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor and National Historical Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Side Railroad Tunnel</span> Former railroad tunnel in Rhode Island

The East Side Railroad Tunnel is a former railroad tunnel that runs underneath the East Side of Providence, Rhode Island. The tunnel runs 5,080 feet (1,550 m), under College Hill, from Gano Street to just west of Benefit Street. It was opened on November 16, 1908, at a cost of $2 million. All rail service ceased through the tunnel in 1976 and has been abandoned since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pawtuxet River</span> River in the U.S. state of Rhode Island

The Pawtuxet River, also known as the Pawtuxet River Main Stem and the Lower Pawtuxet, is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows 12.3 miles (19.8 km) and empties into the upper Narragansett Bay of the Atlantic Ocean. Together with its two main tributary branches, the North Branch Pawtuxet River and the South Branch Pawtuxet River, it drains a watershed of 231.6 square miles (600 km2), all of which is in the state of R.I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Junction Branch</span> Railway line in Rhode Island and Massachusetts

The East Junction Branch is a rail line in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, in the United States. Originally built by the Boston and Providence Railroad (B&P) in 1835, the line connects Attleboro, Massachusetts, and East Providence, Rhode Island via Seekonk, Massachusetts. As built, the line continued across the Seekonk River to Providence via the India Point Railroad Bridge; this connection was removed during the 1970s. The East Junction Branch meets the Northeast Corridor in Attleboro at a point known as East Junction, and ends at a connection to the East Providence Branch in East Providence. CSX Transportation operates freight service on the branch in Attleboro, while the Providence and Worcester Railroad (P&W) operates freight service in East Providence and across the state line into Seekonk. The line is owned by the P&W in Rhode Island, and by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ten Mile River (Seekonk River tributary)</span> River in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, United States

The Ten Mile River is a river within the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It flows approximately 22 miles (35 km) and drains a watershed of 54 square miles (140 km2).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Point, Providence, Rhode Island</span> Neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Fox Point is a neighborhood in the East Side of Providence, Rhode Island. It is bounded by the Providence and Seekonk rivers, Interstate 195 and the College Hill and Wayland neighborhoods. Fox Point is the southernmost neighborhood in the East Side area of Providence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Providence River</span> River in Rhode Island, United States

The Providence River is a tidal river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 8 miles (13 km). There are no dams along the river's length, although the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier is located south of downtown to protect the city of Providence from damaging tidal floods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Side, Providence, Rhode Island</span> Collection of neighborhoods

The East Side is a collection of neighborhoods in the eastern part of the city of Providence, Rhode Island. It officially comprises the neighborhoods of Blackstone, Hope, Mount Hope, College Hill, Wayland, and Fox Point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Bay Bike Path</span> Multi-use trail in Rhode Island

The East Bay Bike Path is a 14.5-mile (23.3 km) paved rail trail in Rhode Island. The path originates in Providence and India Point Park, crosses the Seekonk River via the George Redman Linear Park and the Washington Bridge, and continues southeast to Bristol along the shoreline of Narragansett Bay. The path passes through the city of East Providence, the hamlet of Riverside, and the towns of Barrington and Warren. It is part of the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile system of trails connecting the Canada–US border in Maine to Key West, as well as provides access to Haines State Park, Brickyard Pond (Barrington), and Colt State Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackstone River Greenway</span> Partially completed paved rail trail from Worcester, MA, US to Providence, RI, US

The Blackstone River Greenway is a partially completed 48-mile (77 km) paved rail trail defining the course of the East Coast Greenway through the Blackstone Valley from Worcester, Massachusetts to Providence, Rhode Island in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crook Point Bascule Bridge</span> Bridge in between Providence and East Providence

The Crook Point Bascule Bridge is a defunct Scherzer rolling lift railway bridge which spans the Seekonk River, connecting the city of Providence, Rhode Island, to the city of East Providence. Stuck in the open position since its abandonment in 1976, it is known to nearby residents as the "Stuck-Up Bridge" and has become somewhat of a local icon of urban decay. In 2022, the Providence Journal described the bridge as "a T-shirt-ready symbol of Providence's quirky evolution from industrial to creative hub."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad</span> Defunct railroad in Rhode Island

The Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad was a railroad in the state of Rhode Island that connected the city of Providence with Bristol, Rhode Island. The company was formed in 1854 by merging the Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad Companies of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The 14.1-mile line itself was completed on July 12, 1855.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackstone Park Conservation District</span> Public park in Providence, Rhode Island

The Blackstone Park Conservation District is a public, 45-acre woodland conservation area on the East Side of Providence, Rhode Island. It is run by the non-profit Blackstone Parks Conservancy in partnership with the Providence Parks Department. The park is situated on the west bank of the tidal Seekonk River, the northernmost part of Narragansett Bay tidewater. The park lies within the watershed and wildlife corridor of the Blackstone River Valley. Unlike many city parks, it is actively managed as a preserve for the purpose of providing habitats for wildlife and supporting a healthy ecosystem for native flora and fauna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Providence Branch</span> Rail line in Rhode Island and Massachusetts

The East Providence Branch is a railroad line in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, in the United States. It connects Valley Falls, Rhode Island, to East Providence, Rhode Island, via South Attleboro, Massachusetts, and Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The branch was originally built by the Providence and Worcester Railroad (P&W) in 1874, connecting its main line to a coal dock in East Providence, and was 7 miles (11 km) in length. At East Providence, the branch also met the East Junction Branch of the Boston and Providence Railroad and the mainline of the Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad. Built as a single-track railroad with bridges and the right-of-way prepared for future double-tracking, the line was fully double-tracked from 1892 to 1895; the second track was eventually removed.

References

  1. Native American Placenames of the United States. University of Oklahoma Press. 2004. ISBN   9780806135984.
  2. Parsons, Usher (1861). "Indian Names of Places in Rhode Island - Usher Parsons, Rhode Island Historical Society - Google Books" . Retrieved 2022-09-14.
  3. "Narrabay - Bucklin Point". Archived from the original on 2011-09-12. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
  4. "State of Rhode Island 2010 303(d) list - list of impaired waters" (PDF). July 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-08-26.
  5. 1 2 3 "Roger Williams's Landing Place Monument". Quahog dot org. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  6. 1 2 Shamgochian, John (3 August 2020). "Slate Rock, The Landing Place of Roger Williams". Rhode Island Historical Society. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Slate Rock Park". Sowams Heritage Area. 14 January 2019. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  8. "Other Wildlife". Blackstone Parks Conservancy.
  9. "Birds". Blackstone Parks Conservancy.
  10. "Plants". Blackstone Parks Conservancy.