Blackstone Valley and Amber Valley Compact
A formal twinning agreement between the Blackstone and Amber valleys and Pawtucket and Belper, stipulating a continued commitment to work on international economic development, cultural and social ties and land use issues.
About the Compact
Twinning and sister cities are terms referring to partnerships between communities or regions to work together on a variety of matters, including tourism and economic development. In the United States, “sister cities” is the term used for such arrangements.
Officials from the Amber and Blackstone Valleys share ideas about developing international trade, tourism, environmental preservation and riverfront development.
How We Got Here
In 1992 while planning a celebration to observe the 200th anniversary of the Slater Mill and the Blackstone River Valley being the birthplace of the American Revolution, Tourism Council President Robert Billington discovered Samuel Slater was an apprentice in Belper to innovative mill builder Jedediah Strutt, who, with his sons, constructed the second water-powered cotton-spinning mill in the world.
To learn more about Slater, Blackstone Valley Tourism Council (BVTC) representatives reached out to their counterparts on the Amber Valley Borough Council, who were planning a celebration of their country’s industrial heritage.
In the summer of 1993, a tourism officer from the Amber Valley visited the Blackstone Valley, following a trip to Canada. That prompted the Amber Valley mayor and other Borough Council officials to make a trip to the Blackstone Valley in October 1993. They went to all nine of the Blackstone Valley communities, attended an economic symposium and met with civic and business leaders.
In June 1994, an 11-member delegation from the Blackstone Valley embarked on an international trade mission to the Amber Valley. The delegates confirmed the regions have a common industrial heritage, a focus on economic development and hope for the future. Formal twinning agreements were signed between the Blackstone and Amber valleys and Pawtucket and Belper, stipulating a continued commitment to work on international economic development, cultural and social ties and land use issues.
An international diplomatic initiative centered on the post industrial economies of the valleys and acknowledged peoples’ abilities and skills, the areas’ resources and shared intelligence on market development. The agreements have generated reciprocal business and efforts to spur entrepreneurial opportunities between the valleys. In addition, the compacts have served as a gateway into the European community for Blackstone Valley leaders.
Belper, England ~ Pawtucket, RI
Celebrating the First 25 Years of the USA Twinning Agreement
1994 - 2018