Cranston, Rhode Island

Cranston, Rhode Island
—  City  —
Seal
Location of Cranston in Providence County, Rhode Island
Coordinates: 41°46′N 71°27′W / 41.767°N 71.45°W / 41.767; -71.45Coordinates: 41°46′N 71°27′W / 41.767°N 71.45°W / 41.767; -71.45
Country	United States
State	Rhode Island
County	Providence
Incorporated (town)	1754
Incorporated (city)	1910
Government
– Mayor	Allan Fung
Area
– Total	29.9 sq mi (77.5 km2)
– Land	28.6 sq mi (74.0 km2)
– Water	1.4 sq mi (3.5 km2)
Elevation	62 ft (19 m)
Population (2010)
– Total	80,387
– Density	2,813.5/sq mi (1,086.3/km2)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s)	401
FIPS code	44-19180 [1]
GNIS feature ID	1218689[2]
Website	http://www.cranstonri.com

Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston.^[3] Cranston is a part of the Providence metropolitan area.

Cranston was named one of the "100 Best Places to Live" in the United States by Money magazine in 2006.^[4] It is among the top 25 safest cities in the country, according to CQ Press's research.

The Town of Cranston was created in 1754 from a portion of Providence north of the Pawtuxet River. After losing much of its territory to neighboring towns and the City of Providence, Cranston itself became a city on 10 March 1910.

Geography

Cranston is located at 41°46′N 71°27′W / 41.767°N 71.45°W / 41.767; -71.45 (41.7732, -71.4533).^[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.9 square miles (77 km²), of which, 28.6 square miles (74 km²) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) of it (4.54%) is water.

The following neighborhoods are located in Cranston:

• Alpine Estates
• Arlington
• Bellefonte
• Castleton Estates
• Auburn
• Dean Estates
• Eden Park
• Edgewood
• Fiskeville (also in Scituate)
• Forest Hills
• Friendly Community
• Garden City
• Garden Hills
• Glen Hills
• Hillside Farms
• Laurel Hill
• Howard
• Jackson (also in Scituate, RI)
• Knightsville
• Meshanticut
• Oakhill Terrace
• Oaklawn
• Pontiac
• Stadium
• Thornton (this includes part of Johnston, RI)
• Pawtuxet Village
• Webster
• Westend
• Woodridge
• Western Hills Village

Public High/Middle Schools

• Cranston High School East
• Cranston High School West
• Western Hills Middle School
• Hugh B. Bain Middle School
• Park View Middle School

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	1,877		—
1800	1,644		−12.4%
1810	2,161		31.4%
1820	2,274		5.2%
1830	2,653		16.7%
1840	2,902		9.4%
1850	4,311		48.6%
1860	7,500		74.0%
1870	4,822		−35.7%
1880	5,940		23.2%
1890	8,099		36.3%
1900	13,343		64.7%
1910	21,107		58.2%
1920	29,407		39.3%
1930	42,911		45.9%
1940	47,085		9.7%
1950	55,060		16.9%
1960	66,766		21.3%
1970	74,287		11.3%
1980	72,534		−2.4%
1990	75,043		3.5%
2000	79,269		5.6%

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 79,269 people, 30,954 households, and 20,243 families residing in the city of Cranston. The population density was 2,774.6 people per square mile (1,071.3/km²). There were 32,068 housing units at an average density of 1,122.5 per square mile (433.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.19% White, 6.79% African American, 0.30% Native American, 3.28% Asian, 3.10%, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.93% from other races, and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.56% of the population.

Over 30% of Cranston's residents describe themselves as Italian American, one of the highest percentages of this ethnic group in cities with over 50,000 residents in the United States.

Cranston is a part of the Providence metropolitan area, which has an estimated population of 1,622,520 which is located in the eastern part of the state.

There were 30,954 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out, with 21.6% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females of age 18 or over, there were 92.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,108, and the median income for a family was $55,241 (these figures had risen to $54,879 and $70,658 respectively as of a 2007 estimate^[6]). Males had a median income of $40,031 versus $28,279 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,978. About 5.6% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Rhode Island Department of Corrections has its headquarters and its adult prison facilities in Cranston.^[7] The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families operates the Rhode Island Training School (RITS), a juvenile correctional facility, in Cranston. The Rhode Island Department of Motor Vehicles in headquartered in Cranston.^[8]

Transportation

Four freeways travel through Cranston: I-95, I-295, RI 10 (the Huntington Expressway) and RI 37. Other state-numbered roads in Cranston are U.S. 1, US 1A, RI 2, RI 5, RI 12, RI 33, RI 51, RI 115 and RI 117.

Cranston is served by Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) buses. Amtrak's Northeast Corridor passes through but has no station in the city. The MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line will also pass through upon the completion of the new train station at T.F. Green Airport, but will not include a station in Cranston.

Sites

"Howard Prison" in Cranston, Rhode Island at the turn of the 20th century

The first auto race track in the country, Narragansett Park, located off Park Avenue, opened in present-day Stadium Ball Field in September 1886. Not to be confused with the present day Narragansett Race Track located in Pawtucket. Cranston is home to the Budlong Pool, one of the largest outdoor swimming pools in the country. Built in the 1940s as a Works Progress Administration project, it is a staple of the community. It is located at 198 Aqueduct Road, off Reservoir Avenue (part of RI 2).

Sprague Mansion, an 18th-century homestead, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[9] The Thomas Fenner House, built around 1677, is one of the oldest houses in Rhode Island. Edgewood Yacht Club is a notable structure on the National Register of Historic Places located on the Providence River.

The Cranston Country Club is the only public golf course in Cranston.

Notable residents

• A.J. Smith - General Manager of the San Diego Chargers; spent several years as a coach at Cranston High School West
• Dennis Wholey - Talk show host; was born in Cranston
• Deon Anderson- played in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys
• Elisabeth Hasselbeck - of Survivor fame and co-host of The View
• Elisha Hunt Rhodes, Noted General and American Civil War diarist.
• George J. Peters, United States Army soldier and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Hugh Duffy, major league baseball player^[10]
• Jack Capuano-retired former professional ice hockey defenseman and head coach of New York Islanders
• Jack Reed U.S Senator from Rhode Island
• Marissa Castelli - Bronze medalist at the 2008 U.S. Figure skating Championships in novice pairs,
• Mark Van Eeghen- Former NFL Pro Bowl running back who played for the Los Angeles Raiders and the New England Patriots
• Michael Parkhurst-Former New England Revolution soccer player. 2005-2008. 2005 MLS Rookie of the year, 2006 Humanitarian of the year, 2007 Defender of the Year, 2007 fair play of the Year, 2007 MLS Best XI, 2008 Fair Play of the Year
• Monty Are I- Popular American Rock Band. All grew up in Westwood.
• Nehemiah R. Knight - Governor of Rhode Island 1817-1821 and U.S. Senator 1821-1841, born in Cranston
• Robert Knight - textile manufacturer, founder of Fruit of the Loom
• Sasha Cagen, public intellectual and creator of the Quirkyalone movement
• Sergei Khrushchev - son of former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, acts as a Senior Fellow at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University
• Steven Krasner - retired sportswriter and current author, born in Cranston
• Christopher Lippitt - Revolutionary War officer, manufacturer
• Tom Mellor- played in the national hockey league. won a silver medal at the 1972 Olympics
• Abraham Nathanson (1929–2010), developer of the game Bananagrams.^[11]
• Vinny Paz- former lightweight and light middleweight boxing champion
• 1996 Little League National Champions-Cranston Western Little League-Defeated by Chinese Taipei 13-3 in World Championship.
• Will Blackmon - NFL defensive back for Green Bay Packers, also starred at Bishop Hendricken High School and Boston College
• Garrett McWeeney - Professional Basketball player/ Hollywood Playboy.*
• William Carpenter (Rhode Island) - Early settler from 1644 and who in 1685 was buried on his former homestead in present-day Cranston. He was the first surnamed Carpenter to make permanent residence in America arriving from England in the mid-1630s.
• Frederick Lewis Weis reverend, author
• Don T. Volino, Jr. Italian philanthropist, media consultant
• Steve Laffey, former Mayor of Cranston
• Edward D. DiPrete, former Governor of Rhode Island and former Mayor of Cranston
• Joe Trimble - former MLB pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Lauren Alviti - Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1997
• Freda Felcher - former girlfriend of Harry Dunne
• Jeff Diehl - baseball catcher. He was drafted in the 23rd round by the New York Mets in the 2011 MLB draft.
• Anthony Meo - baseball pitcher. He was drafted in the 43rd round in 2008 by the Washington Nationals. He is currently pitches for Coastal Carolina. He was a 2nd team Freshman All-American his freshman year in 2009 and was a 1st team All-American his sophomore year in 2010. Meo was drafted with the 3rd pick in the 2nd round (63rd overall) in the 2011 MLB draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks
• Tom Denucci - American Actor. He is most known for acting and writing the movies Inkubus, Loosies, Infected (2011 film), and Paz^{[disambiguation needed ]}
• Amber van Eeghen - former cheerleader for the New England Patriots. She is also the daughter of former NFL running back Mark van Eeghen, who also attended Cranston West.
• Jennifer L. Cowart - Award-winning journalist and author; winner of Rhode Island Press Association Award and New England Press Association Award. Author of I'll Always Be There and author of Baby Notes: Practical Wisdom From One Mother to Another.

Flood of 2010

In March 2010, after an overwhelming amount of rain, the Pawtuxet River overflowed. This caused many major sites such as the Warwick Mall, Contour Dental Laboratories, and the CLCF Building to be shut down and repaired.

See also

Rhode Island portal

• Luminox, Watch manufacturer based in Cranston

Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane has stated that the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island is modeled after Cranston.^[12]

Sister cities

• Itri, Italy

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt
4. ^ "MONEY Magazine: Best places to live 2006: Cranston, RI snapshot". Money.cnn.com. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/snapshots/PL4419180.html. Retrieved 2009-12-11. 
5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
6. ^ http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/STTable?_bm=y&-context=st&-qr_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_S1901&-ds_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_&-CONTEXT=st&-tree_id=307&-redoLog=false&-geo_id=16000US4419180&-format=&-_lang=en
7. ^ "Contact Us." Rhode Island Department of Corrections. Retrieved on December 7, 2009.
8. ^ "DLLR's Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning." Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Retrieved on August 23, 2010.
9. ^ "Sprague Mansion, Cranston, RI". Riroads.com. http://riroads.com/members/sprague.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-11. 
10. ^ Reichler, Joseph L., ed (1979) [1969]. The Baseball Encyclopedia (4th edition ed.). New York: Macmillan Publishing. ISBN 0-02-578970-8. 
11. ^ Grimes, William. "Abraham Nathanson, Bananagrams Inventor, Dies at 80", The New York Times, June 9, 2010. Accessed June 12, 2010.
12. ^ "Family Guy writer at Bryant". The Providence Journal. 

External links

• Macaroni Kid - Cranston/Kent County - A family friendly events calendar
• City of Cranston Official Site
• Cranston Public Library homepage
• Cranston Public Schools homepage
• Cranston Directory
• Pawtuxet Cove
• Cranston Style
• Cranston travel guide from Wikitravel