Tobey Boland and the Blackstone Canal
by Thomas L. Rooney
Illustrated by Patricia A. Foley-Donovan

Tobey Boland was a young Irishman who directed an important part of the construction of the Blackstone Canal in the late 1820s. The canal ran from Worcester to Providence, elevating Worcester to the status of a seaport, making a huge impact on the commercial aspirations of the then town. Tobey Boland was also responsible for building the first Catholic Church in Worcester. The church was originally named Christ Church but was later renamed St. John¹s which is still located on Temple Street. Tobey Boland and the Blackstone Canal is a wonderful book for young children. In celebrating early Worcester history it evokes an important but all-but forgotten era.