History of Central Falls, Rhode Island, USA

Central Falls has historic significance as being the site of a major battle during King Philip's War. It was here on March 26, 1676 that Narragansett Indians ambushed Captain Michael Pierce and his Plymouth Colony troops who (with 20 Wampanoag Christian Indians) were pursuing them. Nearly all those ambushed were killed including nine taken prisoner and later tortured to death at nearby Cumberland, RI. A stone memorial marks the mass grave at the site known as "Nine Men's Misery"

In the 18th century, Captain Stephen Jenks built a trip hammer and blacksmith shop along the Blackstone River, forming the nucleus of what would eventually become Central Falls. Other manufacturers, including a chocolate maker, set up shop in the building and the new village became known as Chocolateville.

In 1824, Stephen Jenks suggested the name Central Falls, thus giving the village its permanent name.

Originally, Central Falls was one of the many villages within the town of Smithfield, but in 1871, having experienced a growth spurt, it split into three smaller towns: Smithfield, North Smithfield and Lincoln. Central Falls then became part of the town of Lincoln.

Central Falls.
This is a flourishing manufacturing village, and derives its name from the fact of its location, midway between Pawtucket and Valley Falls. In 1822, it contained bur four dwellings. The stone house, just north of the Stafford Mill, was used as a place of worship for many years. Elisha Waterman, George Wilkinson, and the Jenckes erected the old chocolate-mill, which was the first manufacturing establishment in operation here. In 1856, Central Falls had but a few dwellings, one of which is now occupied by Albert Frost as a box-factory. It stood on the site of the present Union Block. There was no street north of this house at the time it was built, about 1822. Central Street was laid out, but had no name. High Street stopped at Central, and Broad Street was called the Valley Pike.

Mr. Anthony Gage emigrated, with his family, in July, 1812, from Cape Cod to Central Falls. He made his debut with an ox-team and cart, laden with his household effects. He settled ...

Like all the other New England colonists, the people of Rhode Island for many years devoted themselves almost entirely to agricultural and maritime pursuits. This was true especially as to commerce, inasmuch as it led more rapidly to the acquirement of wealth, and also involved less personal labor.

'Farming the sea' was long the chief occupation of Rhode Islanders, the peculiar situation of the State and the commodiousness of its harbors being prime factors in turning the attention of the early settlers upon these shores to commercial pursuits. An extensive coasting and foreign trade was developed, and whaling and fishing were at one time quite important industries. These have all declined of late years, however.

Within the life-time of a generation the manufacturing industries in and around Providence have grown from comparatively limited extent to vast magnitude, and energy and capital are constantly seeking new fields to develop. In the past few decades many flourishing...

Lincoln experienced its own growth spurt, so in 1895 Lincoln split into two towns, giving birth to the city of Central Falls.

Central Falls, a post-village of Providence co, R.I., on the Blackstone River, and on the Providence & Worcester Railroad, 4 1/ 2 miles N. of Providence. It has 6 churches, a newspaper office, cotton-, woollen-, silk- and hair-cloth mills, and manufactures of machinery, leather, &c., for which the river furnishes water-power. Pop. 11,435