Woonsocket, Rhode Island

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"Woonsocket" redirects here. For the city in South Dakota, see Woonsocket, South Dakota.
Woonsocket
City
City of Woonsocket
Woonsocket's city hall
Woonsocket's city hall
Official seal of Woonsocket
Seal
Motto: "A City on the Move"
Location in Providence County and the state of Rhode Island
Location in Providence County and the state of Rhode Island
Country  United States
State  Rhode Island
County Providence
Incorporated (town) 1867
Incorporated (city) 1888
Government
 • Type Mayor-council
 • Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt
Area[1]
 • Total 7.94 sq mi (20.56 km2)
 • Land 7.75 sq mi (20.06 km2)
 • Water 0.19 sq mi (0.50 km2)
Elevation[2] 194 ft (59 m)
Population (2020)
 • Total 43,240
 • Density 5,583/sq mi (2,155.5/km2)
Time zone Eastern (UTC−5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC−4)
ZIP Code 02895
Area code(s) 401
FIPS code 44-80780[3]
GNIS feature ID 1219339[2]
Website www.woonsocketri.org

Woonsocket (Listeni/wʊnˈsɒkᵻt, wən-/ WUUN-sok-IT-,_-WƏN--), is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 43,240 at the 2020 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Being Rhode Island's northernmost city, Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts state line and constitutes part of both the Providence metropolitan area and the larger Greater Boston Combined Statistical Area.

The city is the corporate headquarters of CVS Health, a pharmacy services provider. It is home to Landmark Medical Center, the Museum of Work and Culture, and the American-French Genealogical Society.[4]

History

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See also: Historic mill villages of Woonsocket

Before the arrival of European settlers in northern Rhode Island during the 17th century, today's Woonsocket region was inhabited by three Native American tribes: the Nipmuc (Cowesett), Wampanoag, and Narragansett.[5] In 1661, the English theologian Roger Williams purchased the area from the "Coweset and Nipmucks", and in a letter referred to modern day Woonsocket as Niswosakit.[6]

Other possible derivations of the name include several Nipmuc geographic names from nearby Massachusetts. These include Woonksechocksett, from Worcester County meaning "fox country", and Wannashowatuckqut, also from Worcester County, meaning "at the fork of the river".[7] Another theory proposes that the city was named after Woonsocket Hill in neighboring North Smithfield.[8]

Woonsocket Falls Village was founded in the 1820s. Its fortunes expanded as the Industrial Revolution developed in nearby Pawtucket. With the Blackstone River providing ample water power, the region became a prime location for textile mills. In 1831 Edward Harris built his first textile mill in Woonsocket.

The town of Woonsocket was not established until 1867, when three villages in the town of Cumberland, namely Woonsocket Falls, Social and Jenckesville, officially became the town of Woonsocket. In 1871, three additional industrial villages[9] from Smithfield– Hamlet, Bernon, and Globe, were added to the town, establishing its present boundaries. Woonsocket was incorporated as city in 1888.

The growth of industries and associated jobs attracted numerous immigrants, predominantly Québecois and French-Canadians from other provinces. When the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste d'Holyoke organized a national cultural and benefit society in 1899, the Union Saint-Jean-Baptiste d’Amérique, Woonsocket, with its proximity to several industrial areas having large French-Canadian populations, was chosen for the organization's headquarters.[10]

By 1913, a survey by the American Association of Foreign Language Newspapers found the city had to have the 6th-largest population of French or French-Canadian foreign nationals in the country.[11] In the decades that followed this population grew, and by time the local textile industry shuttered during the Great Depression, ethnic French Canadians comprised 75 percent of the population. French-language newspapers were published; radio programs, movies, and most public conversations were conducted in French.[12] As recently as 1980, 70% of Woonsocket's population was of French-Canadian descent. The New England French language their ancestors spoke gradually vanished from public discourse.[13]

Throughout the 20th century the city's fortunes ebbed and flowed with national trends. During the Great Depression the textile economy of Woonsocket came to an effective standstill; however, it was revived during World War II. The city became a major center of fabric manufacturing for the war effort, including production of military uniforms.

In the postwar years, the Woonsocket economy diversified as manufacturing declined, and other commercial sectors, such as retail, technology and financial services took hold.[9] In the early 1980s Woonsocket was struggling with high unemployment rates.[13]

Beginning in 1979, Woonsocket sponsored Autumnfest, an annual cultural festival that takes place on Columbus Day weekend, at World War II Veteran's Memorial State Park. It has become one of the city's most popular events, attracting thousands of attendees.[14]

  • Woonsocket from the East, 1886 engraving

  • North Smithfield2.jpg

    Woonsocket Medical Corporation, founded in 1839 by Dr. Seth Arnold

  • Woonsocket in 1855

  • Woonsocket, 1886 engraving

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.0 square miles (21 km2), of which 7.7 square miles (20 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (3.14%) is water. Woonsocket is drained by the Blackstone River. Adjacent communities include Blackstone and Bellingham, Massachusetts, along with Cumberland and North Smithfield, Rhode Island.

Climate

Woonsocket has a strong humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) with four distinct seasons. Being influenced by both the sea and the interior during winter, diurnal temperature variation is relatively high, with days most often being above freezing before severe frosts hit at night.

Climate data for Woonsocket, Rhode Island (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1967–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 71
(22)		 73
(23)		 82
(28)		 96
(36)		 97
(36)		 97
(36)		 101
(38)		 102
(39)		 97
(36)		 86
(30)		 80
(27)		 73
(23)		 102
(39)
Average high °F (°C) 37.8
(3.2)		 39.9
(4.4)		 47.3
(8.5)		 59.8
(15.4)		 69.9
(21.1)		 78.5
(25.8)		 84.0
(28.9)		 82.5
(28.1)		 75.4
(24.1)		 63.9
(17.7)		 53.4
(11.9)		 43.0
(6.1)		 61.3
(16.3)
Daily mean °F (°C) 28.3
(−2.1)		 30.5
(−0.8)		 37.8
(3.2)		 48.9
(9.4)		 58.9
(14.9)		 67.9
(19.9)		 73.6
(23.1)		 72.1
(22.3)		 64.9
(18.3)		 52.9
(11.6)		 43.3
(6.3)		 33.8
(1)		 51.1
(10.6)
Average low °F (°C) 18.8
(−7.3)		 21.1
(−6.1)		 28.2
(−2.1)		 38.0
(3.3)		 47.9
(8.8)		 57.3
(14.1)		 63.3
(17.4)		 61.7
(16.5)		 54.4
(12.4)		 42.0
(5.6)		 33.2
(0.7)		 24.6
(−4.1)		 40.9
(4.9)
Record low °F (°C) −8
(−22)		 −11
(−24)		 −2
(−19)		 18
(−8)		 26
(−3)		 38
(3)		 44
(7)		 43
(6)		 29
(−2)		 18
(−8)		 9
(−13)		 0
(−18)		 −11
(−24)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.37
(111)		 3.67
(93.2)		 4.89
(124.2)		 4.71
(119.6)		 3.64
(92.5)		 4.26
(108.2)		 3.62
(91.9)		 4.01
(101.9)		 4.17
(105.9)		 5.08
(129)		 4.22
(107.2)		 5.27
(133.9)		 51.91
(1,318.5)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 12.3
(31.2)		 10.7
(27.2)		 7.6
(19.3)		 1.9
(4.8)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.1
(0.3)		 1.0
(2.5)		 7.9
(20.1)		 41.5
(105.4)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 11.5 10.1 10.9 11.9 12.8 11.4 10.7 10.3 10.1 11.4 10.2 11.2 132.5
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 5.2 4.3 2.7 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 3.0 16.1
Source: NOAA[15][16]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1870 11,527 —
1880 16,050 39.2%
1890 20,830 29.8%
1900 28,204 35.4%
1910 38,126 35.2%
1920 43,496 14.1%
1930 49,376 13.5%
1940 49,303 −0.1%
1950 50,211 1.8%
1960 47,080 −6.2%
1970 46,820 −0.6%
1980 45,914 −1.9%
1990 43,877 −4.4%
2000 43,224 −1.5%
2010 41,186 −4.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[17]

At the 2010 census Woonsocket had a population of 41,186. The population was 71.3% non-Hispanic white, 14.2% Hispanic or Latino, 6.4% African American, 5.4% Asian, 0.4% Native American and 4.3% reporting two or more races.[18]

At the 2000 census,[3] there were 43,224 people, 17,750 households, and 10,774 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,608.8 inhabitants per square mile (2,165.6/km2). There were 18,757 housing units at an average density of 2,433.9 per square mile (939.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.14% White, 4.44% African American, 0.32% Native American, 4.06% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.86% from other races, and 3.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.32% of the population.

Woonsocket is a part of the Providence metropolitan area, which has an estimated population of 1,622,520.

There were 17,750 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. Of all households, 32.7% were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,819, and the median income for a family was $38,353. Males had a median income of $31,465 versus $24,638 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,223. About 16.7% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.3% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over. In March 2013, The Washington Post reported that one-third of Woonsocket's population used food stamps, putting local merchants on a "boom or bust" cycle each month when EBT payments were deposited.[19]

At the 2000 census, 46.1% of Woonsocket's population were identified as being of French or French-Canadian ethnic heritage. The city has referred to itself as French: La ville la plus française aux États-Unis, lit. 'the most French city in the United States'.[20]

Arts and culture

Historic sites

File:Woonsocket District Courthouse 2015.jpg
Woonsocket District Courthouse, built in 1894

Properties and districts in Woonsocket listed on National Register of Historic Places:

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Notable people

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Filming location

Woonsocket has served as a filming location for several movies, including Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009) and The Purge: Election Year (2016).[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Woonsocket, Rhode Island
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Walter Nebiker, The History of North Smithfield (New England History Press: Somersworth, NH: 1976), 12–13.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ "Historic and Architectural Resources of North Smithfield, Rhode Island: A Preliminary Report," North Smithfield - Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage ..., pg. 63, http://www.preservation.ri.gov/pdfs_zips_downloads/survey_pdfs/north_smithfield.pdf
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Pierre Anctil, "Franco-American in New England" in Dean R. Louder and Eric Waddell, ed., and Franklin Philip, tran. French America: Mobility, Identity and Minority Experience Across the Continent (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1993), p. 40
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Anctil, "Franco-Americans in New England", p. 41
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ via Associated Press. "Francis Lawrence, Former Rutgers President, Dies at 75", The New York Times, April 17, 2013. Accessed November 30, 2017. "Mount Laurel, N.J. — Francis L. Lawrence, who was president of Rutgers University for 12 years and worked to raise its national profile, died on Tuesday at his home here.... Dr. Lawrence was born on Aug. 25, 1937, and grew up in Woonsocket, R.I. "
  22. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?locations=Woonsocket,+Rhode+Island,+USA[user-generated source]

External links

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