Woonsocket, Rhode Island
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Template:Rimap Woonsocket is a city located in Providence County, Rhode Island. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 43,224.
Woonsocket is right on the Massachusetts border. In the 2000 census, 46.1% of the population identified itself as French or French-Canadian. It is one of the most heavily French-Canadian cities in New England. Historically, the city has been called, « La ville la plus française aux États-Unis » (The most French city in America).
CVS/pharmacy is headquartered in Woonsocket. Several notable people were born in Woonsocket:
- Rocco Baldelli, professional baseball player
- Gabby Hartnett, professional baseball player and manager
- Nap Lajoie, professional baseball player
- J. Howard McGrath, politician
- Bill Summers, professional umpire
- Bryan Berard, professional ice hockey player
- Brian Boucher, professional ice hockey player, was born in New Jersey but spent much of his early life in Woonsocket.
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History
Woonsocket was formed by the integration of several villages in Northern Rhode Island. Countless French-Canadians and other ethnic groups entered the city at the turn of the 20th century, and communities were formed around the numerous textile mills that had opened. These communities became the present-day neighborhoods of Woonsocket, among them Globe, Fairmount, Social, and Bernon.
After World War II, most of the textile industry moved south and the city was forced to diversify its economy. The suburban migration and a shopping plaza, which is located in northeast Woonsocket on the border of Massachusetts and opened in the early 1960s, took away much business from downtown and the city's independent business. Main street and its environs have yet to recover. The North End of Woonsocket has a great number of historic houses; preservation plays a significant role in this area with several individual houses as well as groups added to the National Register of Historic Places in recent years. 64 buildings are included in the South Main Street Historic District.
Woonsocket was buried under 54 inches of snow during the Blizzard of 1978. In February and March 2004, Woonsocket had a classical Nor'easter storm. The storm's forward progress was blocked by a high pressure area and caused the storm to move very slowly. Snowfall rates of up to four inches per hour were reported as well as thunder and lightning. The National Guard was activated by the state of Rhode Island to help the city open up the roads so people could resume their normal lives.
Currently, the Mayor of Woonsocket is Susan Menard. She is the first female mayor of the city and also is the longest serving to date.
Geography
Woonsocket is located at 42°0'6" North, 71°30'26" West (42.001731, -71.507223)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.6 km² (8.0 mi²). 20.0 km² (7.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 3.14% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 43,224 people, 17,750 households, and 10,774 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,164.6/km² (5,608.8/mi²). There were 18,757 housing units at an average density of 939.3/km² (2,433.9/mi²). 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. 9.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
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. 32.7% of all households 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. 19.4% of the population and 16.7% of families were below the poverty line. 31.3% of those under the age of 18 and 14.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Name origin
Woonsocket is derived from a Native American word, widely believed to mean "thunder-mist" in reference to the largest waterfall on the Blackstone River, which lies at the center of the city. Recent scholarship puts this translation in doubt, however. The city likely was named after the impressive Woonsocket Hill in neighboring North Smithfield, whose location puts into doubt a meaning related to the river. The true meaning is unknown.
Residents of Woonsocket are infamous for butchering the English language. Many of the French-Canadian immigrants use French grammar in order to form English sentences. Therefore, instead of "side by side" and "throw my coat downstairs," the phrases become "side by each" and "throw me down the stairs my coat." This is extremely prevalent among the older residents of the city, but is becoming increasingly scarce as grandchildren and great-grandchildren of French Canadian immigrants continue to Americanize themselves.
See also
External links
- Official website
- Detailed, illustrated personal website by Erik Eckilson
- The Call, one of the local newspapers.
- News/Talk 1380 WNRI.
- The Museum of Work & Culture does a wonderful job to present the rich history of the city and the industries that created it.
