This was our first time shooting in Worcester. It is just “down the road” from us, less than half an hour. It’s the capital of Worcester county. I was pleased to see how many new restaurants have opened since we last visited. We are culinarily-challenged in this region. I’ve worked in Worcester and everyone in the Valley has done business there. It’s our nearest city. Not quite a throbbing metropolis, but it has aspirations.
Worcester is an old city. It’s relatively small by urban standards, but sprawling. Like most cities in this region, it consists of distinctive areas and neighborhoods and a highly diverse population.
You can find parking in Worcester. Free. It’s accessible and architecturally interesting. Located at the top of the Blackstone River, it marks the northern end of the Valley and was the head of the Blackstone Canal, much of which is now buried under Worcester’s streets.
During the 1800s, in the heyday of the mills and factories on the Blackstone River, Worcester was bigger and much more prosperous. When the mills and factories closed and moved south, Worcester (pronounced Wour-ster) saw hard times, with a shrinking population and a sadly diminished tax base.
Although it has improved a lot from its worst days, it still has a long way to go. Economic times are rough, but the city of Worcester has new hospitals, convention center and an updated downtown. It has come a long way. We all harbor high hopes for a better future. This region could use a little prosperity. It’s been a long dry spell.
Now, if only we wouldn’t get quite so much snow!
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Categories: American history, city, History, photo, Photography
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