Elmhurst, Providence, Rhode Island facts for kids
Elmhurst is a neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island. It's mostly a place where people live, located in the northwest part of the city. You can find Elmhurst between Douglas Avenue and Admiral Street to the northeast, Academy Avenue and Smith Street to the west, and Chalkstone Avenue to the south.
Contents
History of Elmhurst
Early Days: Farms and Fields
For a long time, in the 1700s and 1800s, Elmhurst was mostly open land. People used this land for farming. Roads like Douglas Avenue, Eaton Street, and Chalkstone Avenue were built. These roads helped farmers take their crops to the city. The area did not have many people living there for most of the 1800s.
Connecting to the City
In 1882, a streetcar line was opened. This line connected Elmhurst to the main city area. This made it easier for people to travel. In 1909, the city bought land near a stream. They turned this land into Pleasant Valley Parkway. It was a beautiful road with trees and plants. It was designed like Blackstone Boulevard in another part of Providence.
New Residents and Buildings
In the early 1900s, many Irish and Italian families moved to Elmhurst. They came from crowded neighborhoods closer to the city center.
Over the next few decades, many important buildings were built. These included hospitals like Charles V. Chapin Hospital and Providence Lying-In Hospital. The Providence Lying-In Hospital was the first place in the region for women's maternity services. It is now called Women and Infants Hospital. The Homeopathic Hospital of Rhode Island was also built, which is now Roger Williams Medical Center.
Schools in the Neighborhood
Two important schools also moved to Elmhurst. Providence College came in 1917. La Salle Academy followed in 1925. Nathanael Greene Middle School was built in 1929. It is a public school made of yellow brick.
Growth After World War II
After World War II, Elmhurst grew a lot. It was one of the few areas in Providence that still had empty land. Many new houses were built, especially in the northwestern part of the neighborhood.
Elmhurst Today: Demographics
Who Lives in Elmhurst?
In 1990, Elmhurst was not very diverse. Less than 3% of its residents were non-white. Today, most residents are white, about 82%. About 9% are Hispanic, and 5% are African-American.
Languages Spoken
Many young children in Elmhurst speak a different language at home. About 28% of kids under six years old speak a language other than English. This is their main language.
Income and Families
The average family income in Elmhurst is $51,503. This is higher than the average for the whole city of Providence. A small number of families, about 6.4%, live below the poverty line. Also, about 2% of families get some kind of public help.
