Founding
city in Rhode Island, United States
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Pawtucket ( pə-TUK-it) is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 75,604 at the 2020 census, making the city the fourth-largest in the state. Pawtucket borders Providence and East Providence to the south, Central Falls and Lincoln to the north, and North Providence to the west. The city also borders the Massachusetts municipalities of Seekonk and Attleboro.
Pawtucket was an early and important center of textile manufacturing. It is home to Slater Mill, a historic textile mill recognized for its role helping to found the Industrial Revolution in the United States.
The name "Pawtucket" comes from the Algonquian word for "river fall."
The Pawtucket region was said to have been one of the most populous places in New England prior to the arrival of European settlers. American Indians would catch the salmon and smaller fish that gathered at the falls. The first settler here was Joseph Jenckes Jr. who came to the region from Lynn, Massachusetts. He purchased about 60 acres near Pawtucket Falls in 1671, then established a sawmill and forge. The entire town was destroyed during King Philip's War.
Other settlers followed Jenks, and the area became home to manufacturers of muskets, linseed oil, potash, and ships by 1775. Also around this time, Oziel Wilkinson and his family set up an iron forge that made anchors, nails, screws, farm implements, and cannons.
In the 1790s, investors started to build mills along the Blackstone River, which caused conflict over water rights and impacted local workers' lives. Following some difficulties in the textile industry in the early 1820s, a group of mill owners decided to extend the daily hours and lower the income of power-loom weavers, who were at the time all women aged 15–30 years. This led to the first factory strike in the US in May 1824, when about one hundred women left their workplaces at the mills, causing them to shut down. A large number of workers then joined the strike, which lasted from May 26 to June 3, when a compromise was reached. This first walkout led to labor organizing and further strikes in the whole region.
By the 1920s, Pawtucket was a prosperous mill town. The city had a half-dozen movie theaters, two dozen hotels, and a collection of fine commercial and residential architecture. Perhaps the most impressive public building in Pawtucket was the Leroy Theatre, an ornate movie palace that was called "Pawtucket's Million Dollar Theater". Many wealthy mill owners such as Darius Goff built their mansions in the area.
In 1922, it was affected by the 1922 New England Textile Strike, shutting down the mills in the city over an attempted wage cut and hours increase.
The textile business in New England declined during the Great Depression, with many manufacturers closing or moving their facilities to the South where operations and labor were cheaper. Later in the 20th century, Pawtucket began to lose some of its architectural heritage to the wrecking ball, including the Leroy Theatre.
Pawtucket retained much of its industrial base, however. Today, goods produced in the city include lace, non-woven and elastic woven materials, jewelry, silverware, metals, and textiles. Hasbro, one of the world's largest manufacturers of toys and games, is headquartered in Pawtucket.
Originally, the land west of the Blackstone River was part of nearby North Providence, and east of the Blackstone River was originally settled as part of Rehoboth, Massachusetts. The first Pawtucket to be incorporated was when Rehoboth gave up their land in 1828, and Pawtucket became a new town in Massachusetts. In 1862, the eastern portion was absorbed into Providence County, Rhode Island. On March 1, 1862, the area of Pawtucket and East Providence was shifted into Rhode Island, and the new border remains to this day—following a 225-year border dispute among the Rhode Island Colony, Plymouth Colony, the State of Rhode Island, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 1874, the land west of the river was taken from North Providence and added to the town of Pawtucket, but it acted as two different towns. Finally in 1886, West and East Pawtucket were merged and the city was incorporated.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.0 square miles (23 km2), of which 8.7 square miles (23 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (2.89%) is water. Pawtucket lies within three drainage basins. These include the Blackstone River (including the Seekonk River), the Moshassuck River and the Ten Mile River.
As of the 2020 census, Pawtucket had a population of 75,604, 31,565 households, and 17,202 families. The population density was 8,723.2 per square mile (3,368.0/km2), and there were 33,832 housing units at an average density of 3,903.5 per square mile (1,507.2/km2). The racial composition as of the census is documented in the table below.
21.8% of residents were under the age of 18, 8.4% were from 18 to 24, 29.4% were from 25 to 44, 26.2% were from 45 to 64, and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.7 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.4 males age 18 and over. 100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 31,565 households in Pawtucket, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 32.4% were married-couple households, 23.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 33,832 housing units, of which 6.7% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%.
The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.2. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 16.3% of the population.
The 2016–2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $52,902 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,574) and the median family income was $66,544 (+/- $2,789). Males had a median income of $39,641 (+/- $1,932) versus $31,646 (+/- $1,286) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $35,243 (+/- $1,022). Approximately 11.4% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.1% of those under the age of 18 and 14.4% of those ages 65 or over.
As of the census of 2010, there were 71,141 people, 32,055 households, and 18,508 families residing in the city. Pawtucket was the fourth most populous of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns. The population density was 8,351.2 inhabitants per square mile (3,224.4/km2). There were 32,055 housing units at an average density of 3,642.2 per square mile (1,406.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 50.4% Non-Hispanic white, 18.9% Non-Hispanic African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.6% Non-Hispanic Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, mixed race 3.9%, 4.7% other. About 25% of residents are Latino.
There were 32,055 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.7% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. Of all households, 32.3% 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 2.41 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,124, and the median income for a family was $40,578. Males had a median income of $31,129 versus $23,391 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,008. About 14.9% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.
According to the 2000 census, 20.6% of Pawtucket residents are French or French-Canadian. Like nearby cities Providence, Fall River, and New Bedford, Pawtucket hosts a significant population from across the former Portuguese Empire (11.6%), including a significant Cape Verdean population.
Pawtucket is also one of the few areas of the United States with a significant Liberian population, mostly refugees from Charles Taylor's regime; Rhode Island has the highest per capita Liberian population in the country. Pawtucket has a high concentration of West Africans.
Hasbro, a Fortune 1000 toy and game making company, is headquartered in Pawtucket.
Many healthcare, retail and insurance companies are headquartered in Pawtucket.
The City of Pawtucket has been supportive of the arts community since 1975. On September 2, 1977, the Beach Boys performed a concert at Narragansett Park. The concert was attended by 40,000 people, making it the largest concert audience in Rhode Island history. In 2017, music historians Al Gomes and Connie Watrous of Big Noise were successful in getting the street where the concert stage stood (the corner of 511 Narragansett Park Drive) officially renamed as "Beach Boys Way".
In January 1999, Herb Weiss, of the Planning Department, was hired to oversee the city's newly created Arts District. Through the support of then Mayor James E. Doyle and Planning Department Michael Cassidy, Weiss brought significant recognition for Pawtucket-Arts oriented development strategy. Mayor Doyle and Weiss hired researcher Ann Galligan, of Northeastern University, to create an arts and cultural plan. Over the years Pawtucket has become a center for arts and culture.
Several experimental/indie rock bands have recorded albums at Machines with Magnets, a recording studio and art gallery in Downtown Pawtucket. Bands that have performed or recorded here include Battles, Lightning Bolt, Brown Bird, and Fang Island.
One hub for arts and culture in the city is Lorraine Mills, a repurposed mill building on the eastern side of the city, which houses institutions including Mixed Magic Theatre, Wage House (comedy club), Pawtucket Arts Collaborative, and Crooked Current Brewery.
Each September, the city, in conjunction with the Pawtucket Arts Festival Board of Directors, members chosen from the community, produce an annual citywide Arts Festival. The city has hosted an annual Saint Patrick's Day parade since 1982.
Pawtucket hosts multiple festivals each year that celebrate various cultures and diasporas that have called the city home. These include an annual Greek Festival hosted by Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, Dragon Boat Races and Taiwan Day Festival, Colombian Parade and Festival, and multiple yearly German cultural festivals hosted by the German American Cultural Society of Rhode Island.
Pawtucket was for many years home to McCoy Stadium, where the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Triple-A Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, played from 1970 to 2020. The team was owned by Ben Mondor until his death and was sold by his estate. The longest professional baseball game in history, 33 innings, was played at McCoy Stadium in 1981. Pawtucket has a history of professional baseball dating back to 1892, including the Pawtucket Maroons and Pawtucket Indians. The PawSox franchise was relocated to Worcester, Massachusetts, to become the Worcester Red Sox beginning with the 2021 season. Demolition of McCoy stadium commenced in 2025.
In 2024, Rhode Island FC, of the USL Championship, had its inaugural season. Since 2025, the team plays at the soccer-specific Centreville Bank Stadium near the Seekonk River. The team is headquartered in Pawtucket.
In 1934, the Narragansett Park opened for Thoroughbred horse racing on the location of the former What Cheer Airport. Until its closure in 1978, the track hosted several important races that drew some of the top horses from around the United States including Hall of Fame members; Seabiscuit, War Admiral and Gun Bow.
Beginning in 2027, Pawtucket will be the home of the UFL's Rhode Island Breakers.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Pawtucket, Rhode Island”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.