Woonsocket (Rhode Island)

Providence County

44-80780

Woonsocket is an American city in Providence County, Rhode Iceland. Woonsocket lies directly south of the border to Massachusetts, and is according to the 2010 census, the sixth largest city in the state.

About 46 percent of the population of Woonsocket are French or French- Canadian origin. It is thus one of the largest French-Canadian New England towns and is called " La ville la plus française aux États- Unis" ( " The französischte city in America " ) called. More than a century, French was the official language of the city.

History

Prior to settlement by immigrants lived in the northern Rhode Iceland, the Indian tribes of the Nipmuck, the Wampanoag and the Narragansett. 1660 they bought Roger Williams from the region around Woonsocket. " Richard Arnold ", a business partner of Williams, then built the first sawmill on the Blackstone River below the " Woonsocket Falls" in the area of today's " Market Square". " Elizabeth Comstock ," Arnold's sister, was one of the first European immigrants to the region and settled in the present " North Smithfield ".

In the early 19th century, the Industrial Revolution began in the United States and Rhode Iceland was one of the leading states of industrialization. 1810 was the first cotton mill, which was driven by means of water power from the Blackstone River. Over time, the city developed into a center of cotton processing. The technical knowledge brought a French engineers who had immigrated from Roubaix. Immigration has emerged as six new villages that were built in the fields of ancient settlements: "Social Village ", " Jenckesville ", " Hamlet Village ", " Bernon ", " Globe Village " and " Woonsocket Falls". 1834 in Woonsocket, the " Saint -Jean -Baptiste Society " was founded on the 24 June is due as Feitertag of Québec.

By the end of the 19th century attracted countless French-Canadians in the six villages that grew together gradually to " Woonsocket ". Originally largest of the six villages - " Woonsocket Falls" - today is Woonsocket 's downtown.

Already in the 1920s the textile industry migrated from southern states and in 1927 was forced to close the oldest producer "the Social Mill ". During the Great Depression in the 1930s up to 50 percent of the population were unemployed and other factories as the " Globe Mills " were closed. The production of textiles for the military in World War II led to a small economic boom, but after the war, New England sank first into insignificance. The city was forced to diversify their economic base. Today Woonsocket is the urban center of northern Rhode Iceland. In addition to the manufacturing industry companies in the field of high technology and financial services, retailing and tourism are the economic backbone of the city.

At the northern state border and on the southern main road there is a large number of historic homes that have been included in the " National Register of Historic Places". Some of the oldest buildings such as the courthouse at the " Bridge Street ", had to be demolished and replaced for safety reasons, however.

Blizzard 1978

During a blizzard in 1978 Woonsocket was (39 inches) buried under over a foot of snow. A high pressure system blocked the storm, which therefore was moving very slowly. In the result, there were snowfalls of up to ten centimeters per hour, accompanied by thunder and lightning. To assist the city in its efforts to enable people to live a normal life under these circumstances, the State of Rhode Iceland alerted the National Guard. Woonsocket self-published a snow depth of 1.37 meters, but these measurements were related to an area with heavy snow drifts. The mayor at that time, " Gerard Bouley " it was assumed that he had published the maximum snow height deliberately in order to let the city get correspondingly higher funds from a disaster fund. As a result, we humorously describes this Snow as " Gerry's Total".

Meaning and Origin of the name

In a letter to Richard Arnold Roger Williams named the area, which he bought in 1661 by the Indians " Niswosakit ". in the language of the natives Woonsocket means " thunder mist ". The name could refer to the largest waterfall of the Blackstone River, which relate " Woonsocket Falls", which are located in the city center. Other interpretations of the meaning of the name assume that the city was named after the " Woonsocket Hill " in the neighboring " North Smithfield ". The ancient settlement names of the Nipmuck Indians near Massachusetts that sound like Woonsocket, come as the origin of the question: " Woonksechocksett " in Worcester County means as much as "The Land of the fox " and " Wannashowatuckqut " which is also in Worcester County was " in the fork of the river lying ".

Autumn Festival

Since 1977, a Fall Festival takes place the weekend of Columbus Day in the "World War II Veteran's Memorial State Park " instead. It is organized by the " Woonsocket Rotary Club" and sponsors, such as CVS Caremark Corporation supported. The festival 's goal is to bring to the people of Rhode Iceland and Massachusetts the culture and history of Woonsocket closer.

The "Autumn Festival" traditionally begins on Saturday at 10:00 clock with an opening speech of the mayor at the " park 's bandstand ." On the following Monday begins at 9:00 clock the three-hour " Columbus Day Parade", which is one of the largest parades in the state. On the same day at 18:00 clock the festival with the presentation ceremony of a local Ironman competition and a large fireworks display ends. Over the course of three decades, the festival has developed into a well-known attraction of Rhode Iceland.

Famous people

• Bryan Berard, hockey defender
• Brian Boucher, Hockey Goalkeeper
• Dave McKenna, jazz pianist
• Duke Robillard, blues singer and guitarist
• Edwin O'Connor, Pulitzer Prize winner ( The Edge of Sadness, 1962)
• J. Howard McGrath, was governor of Rhode Iceland, U.S. Senator and Minister of Justice

Demographic data

According to a census in 2010 lived in Woonsocket 41 188 inhabitants in 16,602 private households. The largest ethnic group of the city presented with approximately 77.7 % percent of the inhabitants of European descent dar. In about 24% percent of all households lived children under 18 years.

The average annual income per household was 38,625 U.S. dollars. After all, 22.2 percent of families are below the poverty line.