Moshassuck – from the Indian – “where the moose drink”. Now a canal along Canal Street it is unlikely any moose will stop b for a drink. The river once provided power to mills along its banks. The water is cleaner now that the mills are gone. It was once treated as an open sewer. In the 1800’s the power of the rivers drove the looms of America’s Industrial Revolution. Textile fortunes were made as mighty waterwheels powered the machinery in places such as Samuel Slater’s
Mill in nearby Pawtucket. The remaining evidence of the mills can be found looking north to the brick buildings and smoke stack which stands so close to the river its foundation is set in the water. The immense wealth created by the industrial revolution helps explain how a little state built such a huge and opulent State House. Raging fires destroyed most of the mills in this area. A little further along asthe hill rises is the Northeast Corridor of Amtrak. This railway which was moved to its current location just a few years ago used to run right through the middle of Providence. Without the change in location the construction of hotels and condos that you now see would never have happened.