Conimicut, Rhode Island

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Conimicut, Rhode Island
Neighborhood
Conimicut Light (43116658322).jpg
USA Rhode Island location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Conimicut, Rhode Island
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Conimicut, Rhode Island
Coordinates: 41°43′27″N71°22′58″W / 41.72417°N 71.38278°W / 41.72417; -71.38278
Country United States
State Rhode Island
County Kent
Elevation
26 ft (8 m)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST) UTC−4 (Eastern)
GNIS feature ID1218424 [1]

Conimicut [a] is a neighborhood of Warwick, Rhode Island, United States.

Contents

History

Conimicut was settled in 1643 by Samuel Gorton and his followers, who established a settlement south of Conimicut Point at Mill Creek. [2]

Conimicut was named for the granddaughter of Canonicus, Chief of the Narragansett people. [3]

The settlement became an active farming community, and by 1750, was noted for its slave trade and for smuggling. [3]

The Mark Rock Hotel opened in Conimicut in the mid-1800s, and became a popular destination for steamboat passengers nearby Providence. [4]

In 1865, the Warwick Railway was built through Conimicut, establishing easy access to Providence. [2] [5] Conimicut became a summer resort, attracting affluent families who established summer homes there. [2] The railway converted to an electric trolley in 1900, and ceased operation in 1946. [5]

The Conimicut Lighthouse was erected in 1882, and was the last lighthouse in the United States to be electrified. [3] [5] The lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Conimicut Casino operated from 1907 to 1914, and "showcased Conimicut as a thriving summer resort." [3] [6]

A volunteer fire department was established in 1911, with a membership that "represented nearly all the permanent resident families in the village". [7]

Demographics

The population in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 02889 was 29,503 with 12,003 housing units; a land area of 8.77 sq. miles; a water area of 0.15 sq. miles; and a population density of 3,365.58 people per sq. mile per the 2000 Census.[ citation needed ]

Notes

References

  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Conimicut
  2. 1 2 3 "Village Centers". City of Warwick Department of Tourism, Culture and Development. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "What's in your neighborhood?". Warwick Beacon. September 23, 2010.
  4. "Mark Rock Hotel – Conimicut". Warwick Digital History Project. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Our History". Conimicut Village Association. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  6. "Casino, Conimicut, Rhode Island, 1907-1914". University of Maryland Libraries. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  7. "Woodbury Union Church/ Conimicut Volunteer Fire Department". Warwick Digital History Project. Retrieved February 19, 2025.