15 Best Things to Do in Uxbridge (MA)
In the first half of the 19th century, the town of Blackstone Valley served as an overnight stop on the Blackstone Canal.
The canal was completed in 1824 and provided an important shipping highway between Worcester and Providence, launching industry along the Blackstone Valley.
As a textile centre, Uxbridge was at the forefront of the American Industrial Revolution, and many industrial innovations were made in the city.
Part of the canal and its towpath can be visited at the Blackstone River Reserves and Canal Heritage State Park, while the Uxbridge skyline is still marked by the chimney stacks of 19th-century textile mills.
1. Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park
As a stop on the old canal, Uxbridge is the logical place for a state park that delves into the history of inland waterways, exploring how they allowed industry to flourish.
Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park preserves 1,000 acres of riverbanks and canal frontage, as well as locks and quiet areas of forest on the rugged east side of the canyon.
The park is steeped in history, with trails following the same routes that the Nipmuc Native Americans walked, leading to exploration and industrial parts.
Located in a migration corridor, the valley is a bird sanctuary, while fishing, horse riding, mountain biking, canoeing and canoeing are just some of the activities you can enjoy in the park.
2. Southwick’s Zoo
One of Massachusetts's leading zoos is five minutes away in Mendon, where there are plenty of exhibits and attractions for a full day.
Southwick Zoo is privately owned, housed in an ancestral home dating back to 1803, and has been a family operation since it opened more than 60 years ago.
You can see more than 100 species of animals here, and some notable exhibits include a deer forest tour, a tropical bird aviary, four big cat exhibits, and a natural wetland where elk roam. Exposure.
The zoo has the largest collection of primates in New England, and is the only place you can see chimpanzees. For kids, there's a 15-minute sky ride, a long narrow-gauge train, a petting zoo, pony rides and a large play area.
3. Stanley Woolen Mill (Central Woolen Mills District)
Next to the trailhead of the Towpath Trail, at the southern end of the state park, is another impressive piece of industrial heritage.
Built in 1852, the Stanley Woolen Mill represents an interesting turning point in industrial architecture, as it was the last large mechanical mill to be built of wood.
Besides cashmere and satin, wool and cotton blended fabrics were also produced here. The factory also had a long history of producing military uniforms, beginning in the Civil War and continuing until the end of World War II.
The factory now houses a mix of studios, offices and shops, including the extensive Stanley Antiques Mill.
4. Uxbridge Common District
Uxbridge's historic center is built around traditional New England architecture, and is surrounded by a wealth of preserved architecture.
Of particular interest here is the Old Oxbridge Academy (1818), a preparatory school attended by many notable figures of the 19th century. Many of them were employed in the local textile industry, such as Moses Taft (1812-1893), who built the Stanley Woolen Mill.
The Federal-style building has since become a Masonic lodge, and is part of a historic district of about 60 buildings.
Find the Renaissance Revival Free Public Library (1875), the First Collegiate Church (1830s), and the Deborah A. Wheelock (1769), Blacksmith's Shop (1780s), and Uxbridge Inn (1882).
5. Whitinsville
Upstream of Northbridge the Blackstone River flows through a pair of historic mill villages of Linwood and Whitinsville.
Both are led by massive factory complexes, but Whitinsville has been designated a National Historic Landmark Village for Early Industrialization in America.
What you'll find here is an intact planned community, centered around the world's largest textile machinery factory between 1831 and 1960.
Founded by the Whitin family, Whitinsville's former workers' housing, church and library (now Northbridge City Hall) and Whitin Community Center still stand.
6. Purgatory Chasm State Reservation
Just ten minutes from Uxbridge Common is an unusual natural cleft in the landscape, which drops 70 feet and extends for a quarter of a mile.
At Purgatory Chasm you can admire the stunning granite formations, walk up the cliffs and explore caves in the walls.
There are two miles of trails that take you to places with evocative names such as Lovers' Leap, Coffin and Corn Crab, while rock climbing is allowed if you have a permit.
There is a visitor center that includes a library and a playground for little ones, as well as a documentary exhibition on the history of the trench.
7. Pout Pond
Located east of the state park and surrounded by forests, this attractive pond is city-owned and has a beach area on its shore.
A lifeguard works at Pout Pond every day when school is out, and on weekends until Labor Day. Hiking trails weave through the forest on three sides and connect to the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park.
The beach has everything you need for a relaxing summer day, with shaded picnic tables, play equipment, and if you have a canoe or kayak you can launch it from the beach area.
In the past, Pout Pond has been a venue for public events, from outdoor concerts to movie screenings and boat races.
8. Lookout Rock
The most beautiful place in the state park is this stunning overlook, where you can look east into Blackstone Valley.
Try to schedule a visit to Lookout Rock later in the day, when you can watch the sunset, a local tradition.
There are two ways to get to this location: The long drive on the King Philip Trail starts at the parking lot on Hartford Avenue (next to Rice City Pond) and heads north.
If time is limited, there is another parking lot along Wolf Hill Road, within minutes of Discovery.
9. River Bend Farm Visitor Center
The state park visitor center is located on a dairy farm that operated from the Revolution until the 1970s, and is located in a former parking lot.
An interesting detail about Riverbend Farm is that it was one of the first farms in the country to pasteurize its milk.
You can stop here to get lots of practical information about activities such as birding, fishing and hiking in the park.
The upper floor is a display area featuring elegant information panels and artwork describing the long history of the Blackstone Valley, the development of the textile trade, and the influence of the canal and industry on its inhabitants.
10. Rice City Pond
If you're embarking on a tour of Lookout Rock at Rice City Pond, take a moment to learn about the site's recent history. Until 1981, what are now considered beautiful gardens were an eyesore wrapped around a pond.
It was a five-acre junkyard, with hundreds of wrecked and rusted out cars, until the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management stepped in, bought the 15.6 acres and cleaned it up.
The park was intentionally left undeveloped to be part of the Blackstone Valley Greenway, and is a favorite spot for canoeing and bird watching.
The pond is natural but the water level rose dramatically through the construction of a dam for industrialization in the 19th century. It was damaged by Hurricane Diane in 1955, and after repairs, the water level was five feet lower than before.
11. West Hill Dam
These flood defenses were built on the east side of Uxbridge in the 1950s following devastating floods caused by Hurricane Diane in 1955.
West Hill Dam is located on the West River, a tributary of the Blackstone River, and it is unusual for water levels to remain low unless a flood occurs.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has opened the surrounding parks to the public, and you can walk or ride seven miles of trails winding through forests and meadows with stunning views of the West River.
It is a great place to catch trout in the river and bass, bullhead and pickerel in the ponds. Amenities include picnic shelters with tables and grills, an accessible playground, sand volleyball courts, and horseshoe pits.
12. Blackstone River Greenway
A long-distance trail runs through the Blackstone Valley, following the course of the Blackstone Canal, and sometimes using the old towpath.
When completed, the Blackstone River Greenway will be approximately 50 miles long and connect Worcester to Providence.
In Uxbridge, you can ride or walk the 3.5-mile section, which takes you along the river to the neighboring town of Blackstone.
The journey is unforgettable, as you will cross the river several times on bridges that were restored in 2010, and pass through a small tunnel under Church Street in Blackstone.
13. Bernat Mill Antiques
A quiet back road in Uxbridge will take you to the banks of Steel Corner Brook, where you'll meet Elmdale Mill, built in 1879.
One of the businesses inside is a labyrinthine antiques store with dozens of dealers on three floors.
As the name suggests, the store was originally based on Uxbridge's famous spinning mill, Bernat Mill, which was 200 years old but was mostly destroyed by fire in 2007.
Part of the fun of visiting Bernat Mill Antiques comes from the opportunity to explore this historic building, which is lined with hallways filled with furniture, collectibles, kitchenware, handcrafted gifts, prints, vinyl, art and more. Let's make a way together.
14. Blissful Meadows Golf Club
Experienced golfers looking for a challenge should look no further than the 18-hole championship course at Uxbridge.
Opened in the early 1990s, Blissful Meadows was designed by award-winning architect, Brian Silva, and is known for its many blurry and painted sculptures.
A small but satisfying touch is that the tees for the first and tenth holes are accessible through the clubhouse, and the same applies to the ninth and eighteenth greens.
The clubhouse is a restored Victorian barn, built around 1880, while the feature hole is the 13th, which is set on the site of an old silver mine.
15. Cormier Woods
Reservations keepers care for this 186-acre open space preserve, located on an old farm near Southwick Zoo.
It is interesting to think that the land has been exploited since the 17th century, and traces of centuries of agriculture can be found in the stone walls and cellar openings of the restored forest.
You can hike in Cormier Woods along five miles of trails, through evergreen and hardwood forests, through rolling pastures and boulder fields. On the northwest side of the preserve you will find stands of white pine 100 feet or more high.
