Union Village, Rhode Island facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Union Village Historic District
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Peleg Arnold's house on Great Road, built around 1690, one of the oldest homes in North Smithfield and a center for American military operations during the American Revolution.
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 Location in Rhode Island
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Woonsocket, Rhode Island |
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| Area | 16 acres (6.5 ha) |
| Architect | Allen, Walter |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000011 |
| Added to NRHP | July 28, 1978 |
Union Village, sometimes called "Bank Village," is a historic community. It's found in North Smithfield and Woonsocket, Rhode Island, right along Rhode Island Route 146A. This village grew because it was at a busy crossroads. Here, the old Great Road (which connected Providence and Worcester, Massachusetts) met Pound Hill Road (which linked the Blackstone River area to Chepachet and Connecticut). Its location made it an important stop for travelers and trade long ago.
A Look Back in Time
Union Village was first known as Bank Village. This is because the very first bank in northern Rhode Island opened here in 1805! The land for the village was originally bought from Native Americans in 1666 by Edward Inman and John Mowry. Richard Arnold Jr. settled in the Union Village area in the late 1600s. For a long time, the area was mostly a farming community.
In the 1800s, the bank in the village was called the Union Bank. Because of this bank, the village later got its name, Union Village. The building that once held the bank vault is still standing today. The village was also home to the Bushee Academy, an important school in the 1800s. Union Village was a popular stopping point for people traveling to Boston, Worcester, and Connecticut. It was a busy center for business until the 1820s. It is said that the Marquis de Lafayette, a French hero who helped America, ate at the Seth Allen Tavern in Union Village when he visited the United States in 1824-1825.
Union Village Today
Today, you can see many houses built in the Federal style, which was popular in the early 1800s. The "Smithfield Friends Meeting House, Parsonage & Cemetery" (a Quaker church) and a large old cemetery are also in the area. Wright's Farm on Woonsocket Hill Road has a popular shop where you can buy dairy products and pastries.
A 16-acre area of the village in North Smithfield was recognized for its history. This area, located between Westwood Road and Woonsocket Hill Road, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it's a special place worth protecting because of its historical importance.
Famous People from Union Village
- Emeline S. Burlingame: She was a suffragist, meaning she worked to gain voting rights for women.
Images for kids
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Peleg Arnold's 1774 milestone on old Great Road across from the Quaker Meeting House
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Union Village house built in 1812
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A historic house in Union Village
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The Seth Allen Tavern
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Smithfield Friends Meeting House, Parsonage & Cemetery
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Peleg Arnold Tavern
