Warren, Rhode Island facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Warren, Rhode Island
Town
Main Street, Warren, Rhode Island
Location in Bristol County and the state of Rhode Island
Country	United States
State	Rhode Island
County	Bristol
Settled	1680
Incorporated	January 27, 1747
Government
• Type	Representative town meeting
Area
• Total	8.7 sq mi (22.4 km2)
• Land	6.2 sq mi (15.9 km2)
• Water	2.5 sq mi (6.5 km2)
Elevation	7 ft (2 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,147
• Density	1,816/sq mi (701.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	02885
Area code(s)	401
FIPS code	25-37175
GNIS feature ID	1220057
Website	www.townofwarren-ri.gov

Warren is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. In 2020, about 11,147 people lived there. It's a place with a rich history, from Native American settlements to being a busy port and home to a famous university.

History

Early Days with Native Americans

Long ago, Warren was home to the Pokanoket Indian settlement called Sowams. This area was ruled by Chief Massasoit, a powerful leader. His land stretched from Plymouth to the eastern side of Narragansett Bay.

In July 1621, English colonists Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins from Plymouth Colony visited Sowams. Two years later, Winslow and John Hampden saved Massasoit's life. This made Massasoit an important friend to the colonists.

By 1632, the colonists set up a trading post on the Kickemuit River. They traded English goods for furs and other items.

Roger Williams and Providence Plantations

Roger Williams was asked to leave Salem, Massachusetts, in January 1636. He became sick on his way to Sowams. Chief Massasoit helped him get better during the winter. Later, Roger Williams started Providence Plantations, which became a part of Rhode Island.

English Settlement and King Philip's War

Permanent English settlers began living east of the Indian village in 1653. Massasoit and his oldest son, Wamsutta, sold land to Plymouth Colony settlers. This land included what is now Warren and parts of Barrington, Rhode Island, Swansea, Massachusetts, and Rehoboth, Massachusetts.

This land was first part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was called Sowams in 1668. In 1691, Plymouth Colony joined with the Massachusetts Bay Colony. After Massasoit died, relations between the Native Americans and settlers became difficult. This led to King Philip's War in 1675, when the Native Americans destroyed the settlement at Sowams.

Becoming Warren, Rhode Island

In 1747, Warren was given to Rhode Island from Massachusetts. Other towns like Cumberland, Barrington, Bristol, Tiverton, and Little Compton, Rhode Island also became part of Rhode Island.

The town was named "Warren" after Admiral Sir Peter Warren. He was a British naval hero who won a big victory at Louisburg in 1745. Barrington was part of Warren for a while, but it became a separate town again in 1770.

Brown University's First Home

Warren was the first home of Brown University. It was started in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The first students began classes in 1765.

This school was created by Baptists, like Yale and Harvard were by Congregationalists. Brown University was special because it welcomed students of all religions. This followed the idea of Roger Williams, who founded Rhode Island on the same principle of religious freedom.

Whaling, Shipbuilding, and Industry

In the mid-1700s, Warren was a well-known whaling port. Shipbuilding also became a very important business. The American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) hurt Warren's trade. The British attacked the town in 1778.

But after the war, business got better. Warren became famous for the excellent ships built there. Warren crews often sailed these ships for whaling, trading, and trips to the West Indies. Three famous clipper ships, the Lookout, Gem of the Sea, and Mary Ogden, were built in Warren.

As whaling became less popular in the mid-1800s, Warren's focus shifted to making textiles. The first cotton mill was built in 1847 by the Warren Manufacturing Company. More factories opened during and after the Civil War, bringing many new workers to the town. Today, Warren still has waterfront businesses like Blount Marine, Blount Seafood, and Dyer Boats.

Geography

Warren is located on the east side of the Warren River. On the opposite side of the river is Barrington, Rhode Island.

The town covers about 8.6 square miles (22.4 square kilometers) in total. About 6.2 square miles (15.9 square kilometers) of this is land. The rest, about 2.5 square miles (6.5 square kilometers), is water.

Demographics

Town Hall

Library

St. Jean Baptiste Church

Warren Common

In 2000, there were 11,360 people living in Warren. The population density was about 1,845 people per square mile (712 people per square kilometer).

The median age in the town was 40 years old. For every 100 females, there were about 90 males.

Notable places

• East Bay Bike Path
• Warren United Methodist Church and Parsonage
• Warren Waterfront Historic District

Notable people

• Lou Abbruzzi, NFL football player
• Pat Abbruzzi, All-Star Canadian football player, RI football legend
• F. Nelson Blount, founder of the Blount Seafood Corporation and steam locomotive collector
• Luther Blount, started Blount Marine, American Canadian Caribbean Cruise Lines and Bay Queen Cruises
• Hezekiah Butterworth, an American writer of books for young people, and a poet
• Jo-Jo Morrissey, infielder for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox
• Elizabeth "Lizzie" Murphy, "The Queen of Baseball"—the first woman to play professional baseball competing with male athletes

Images for kids

• 

  Church at Warren, middle- to late-19th century

• 

  1886 engraving of Warren

See also

In Spanish: Warren (Rhode Island) para niños