Central Falls, Rhode Island
Providence County
44-14140
Central Falls is a city in Providence County, Rhode Iceland, United States. In the 2010 census, the population was 19,376. With an area of only 1.29 square miles, it is the smallest but most densely populated city in the smallest state and among the most densely populated cities in the United States. Central Falls takes its name from a waterfall on the nearby Blackstone River. In August 2011, the Central Falls filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 9 of the U.S. bankruptcy law.
Geography
Central Falls is located between the cities of Pawtucket and Cumberland and Lincoln, it is located at the northern edge of the Providence Metropolitan Area, a metropolitan area on the Atlantic Coast with 1.5 million inhabitants around Providence, about 40 km south-west of Boston and 200 miles north-east of New York. The city is well connected to the road, next to some State Routes in and around the city runs the I-95 just west past it.
History
The area of the later city was densely forested before 1800 and inhabited by Nipmuck, Narragansett and Wampanoag Indians. First settlers came from the neighborhood of Smithfield, the present name of the village exists since 1824.
The city of Central Falls was founded in 1895. The textile industry specific as well as in Pawtucket the city's economy until well into the 20th century, the Blackstone River provided cheap hydroelectric power for the numerous textile mills in the city. There are additional hammer mills for steel processing the cityscape.
In the urban area there are several National Historic Places, including the Central Falls Mill Historic District, which contains several historic mills, or the South Central Falls Historic District, where several listed buildings stand together. Also, the ensemble of Valley Falls Mill, Office and Bath House is a registered monument, also belonging to an office building and a bath house has been preserved next to the mill, built in 1855 from Valley Falls.
Demography
According to the census of 2000, there were 6,696 households, and 4,359 families residing in the city. The population density was very high with 6039.8 people per square kilometer. Slightly more than 36 % of the population were white, and nearly 6% African-American, 28 % belonged to other ethnic groups. Slightly more than 67 % of the population were Hispanic or Latino. The per capita income was 10,825 U.S. dollars, 29 % of the population lived below the poverty line.