World War II Comes to the Valley 2022

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A striped header image reading "National Park Service Blackstone River Valley NHP WWII Comes to the Valley

Earlier today — Sunday, August 14 — I was a Volunteer-In-Parks (VIP) at Blackstone River Valley National Historic Park (BRVNHP) during “World War II Comes to the Valley”, an event that took place at Open Sky Community Services in the historic village of Whitinsville, Massachusetts. This park also contains Slater Mill, where I volunteered during World Ranger Day.

A World War II era blue women’s suit with a matching jacket, skirt, and hat on a small dummy  Red sign with a blue and white insignia indicating that exhibits for World War II Comes to the Valley are on the Second Floor Red sign with a blue and white insignia indicating the schedule

The event ran from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with an outdoor welcoming tent jointly managed by Blackstone Heritage Corridor and the park service; second floor exhibits hosted by Veterans Memorial Museum in Woonsocket, historian and Air Force veteran Mel Bloom, and Battleship Cove; and three presentations in Singh Theatre. I personally enjoyed the coloring page featuring two styles of WWII uniform and the approval stamp for the finished picture.

A white tent with no sides. On the top of tent are black letters reading “Blackstone River Valley National Historic Park” to the right of the National Park Service logo. Underneath the tent are a pair of tables with black table clothes with brochures and flyers A white sign with black letters reading in part, “Singh Performance Center”

Park Ranger Allison Horrocks gave the first presentation at 11:30 a.m. with an overview of the Blackstone River Valley’s contributions to the war effort. Her talk highlighted the importance of local mills in the manufacturing of ammunitions and military uniforms, including the work of Whitinsville residents.

A red brick building with a stylize glass window revealing a long staircase Looking up at a red brick smokestack next to a red brick and glass building, all beneath a cloudless blue sky

Around 11:45 p.m., veteran Captain Bill Purple of the Army Air Corp gave an engaging and at times humorous talk about his experiences flying bombers during World War II. Capt. Purple served from 1942 to 1946, enlisting at only 17 years old after his mother signed the necessary paperwork. Highlights from Capt. Purple’s talk include the time he circled a B-17 Flying Fortress over his mother’s house in Athol en route to Loring Air Force Base in Maine, a near death experience in his plane after taking off in dense fog and hitting a telephone pole, and a visual representation of the 1,000 aircraft used in the bombing of Berlin in February of 1945.

Several people hold a long roll of paper stretching about twenty feet. Each sheet holds the pictographs of 12 airplanes, accounting for over 500 airplanes.

Mel Bloom gave the final talk at 1:30 p.m. and focused on the design and mass production of uniforms during World War II, with a focus on the Women’s Army Corps (WACs) and Women’s Naval Reserve (WAVES). She emphasized the struggles faced by enlisted women to be respected like their male counterparts.

A display of WWII uniforms and a sign on posterboard A trio of WWII Uniforms

Overall, this special event succeeded as both a great introduction to WWII for younger visitors and an opportunity for WWII researchers to interact with fellow experts. The exhibits and presentations were high quality and engaging. Additionally, the venue was designed with accessibility in mind, with ramps and an elevator to allow everyone to enjoy the event regardless of mobility. I hope to see this event again in the coming years.


Abby Epplett’s Rating System

Experience: 8/10

Accessibility: 9/10



Location: Whitinsville, Northbridge, MA, USA