Mount Pleasant, Providence, Rhode Island facts for kids
Mount Pleasant is a neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island. It's located in the northwest part of the city. It shares borders with other neighborhoods like Olneyville, Valley, Manton, and Elmhurst. It also touches the town of North Providence. Important streets like Academy Avenue, Smith Street, and Chalkstone Avenue help define its edges. Many families have lived in Mount Pleasant for a long time. It's known as a very stable community where people often stay in their homes for many years.
A Look at Mount Pleasant's Past
Mount Pleasant was one of the last areas in Providence to be built up. Because of this, most of the houses here are medium-sized. They often have nice yards and are found on streets lined with trees. While some homes were built in the 1800s, most were constructed in the early 1900s.
For a long time, much of the land in Mount Pleasant was used for farming. This was especially true during the 1700s. By the 1730s, two main roads were created. These roads helped farmers bring their crops from the farms to the market downtown. These old roads are now parts of Douglas Avenue, Eaton Street, and Chalkstone Avenue.
The area stayed pretty quiet with few people living there until the late 1800s. A big change happened in the 1880s when streetcars started running along Chalkstone Avenue. This made it much easier for people to get around. After the streetcars arrived, many more houses were built in the neighborhood.
In the early 1900s, a busy shopping area grew along Chalkstone Avenue. This area, between River Avenue and Mount Pleasant Avenue, is still a lively spot today. You can find many different kinds of shops there. These include a grocery store, a bank, pharmacies, bakeries, and restaurants.
Important Places in Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant is home to several large schools and institutions. These include Rhode Island College and Mount Pleasant High School. These places are important because they provide a lot of open space for the neighborhood.
Another significant open area is the Triggs Memorial Golf Course. Together, these large institutions and green spaces make Mount Pleasant a pleasant place to live.
Who Lives in Mount Pleasant?
In the early 1900s, Mount Pleasant was mostly home to middle and upper-middle-class families. Over time, the neighborhood became more diverse. After 1900, many Irish-Americans started moving to Mount Pleasant. They came from more crowded areas like Smith Hill and South Providence.
By the mid-1900s, many Italian-Americans also moved into the neighborhood. A lot of them came from the Federal Hill area. This mix of cultures has helped shape the community.
The neighborhood has always had a strong sense of community. Most families in Mount Pleasant have incomes that are higher than the average for the city of Providence. While there have been small changes, the number of people living in poverty in Mount Pleasant has remained low compared to the rest of the city.
