The Woonasquatucket River below Stillwater Reservoir in
SmithfieldThe
Woonasquatucket River (pronounced woon-AHS-kwa-tuk-it,
Algonquian for "where the salt water ends") is a
river in the
U.S. state of
Rhode Island. It flows approximately 31 km (19 mi) and drains a watershed of 130 km² (50 sq. mi).
Together with the
Blackstone River to the north, the Woonasquatucket was designated an
American Heritage River in 1998. Both rivers played active roles in the
industrial revolution and the history of
Rhode Island in the 19th century. Evidence of this industrial history remains in the fact that there are 18 dams along the river's length.
Course
The river begins in the swamps west of Primrose Pond in
North Smithfield and runs southeast past Primrose Pond to
Stillwater Reservoir. Below the reservoir, the river continues southeast, providing water to numerous ponds, until going under
Providence Place mall and joining the
Moshassuck River in front of the
One Citizens Plaza building in downtown
Providence to form the
Providence River. The lower part of the river, below Rising Sun Dam in
Olneyville is
tidal.
East of
Interstate 95, the Woonasquatucket's original riverbed no longer exists and it has been diverted into a man-made channel underneath
Providence Place Mall and through Waterplace Park. In Waterplace Park, the Woonasquatucket River is also used as part of
Waterfire.
Crossings
Below is a list of all crossings over the Woonasquatucket River. The list starts at the headwaters and goes downstream.
- *George Washington Highway (RI 116)
- *Greenville Avenue (Greenville Avenue becomes Manton Avenue as it crosses the river)
- *Steeple Street (U.S. 44 Eastbound)
History
The river was an important transportation route for native peoples, especially for connecting various tribes of the
Algonquin nation to what is now the
Providence River and the
Atlantic Ocean beyond. The area now known as
Federal Hill in
Providence was an important meeting place along the river for bands of the
Narragansett and
Wampanoag tribes. Known as Nocabulabet (pronounced "nok-a-BUL-a-bet"; thought to be an early settlers version of an
Algonquin phrase meaning "hill above the river" or "place between the ancient waters")
, this was a place where tribes gathered for trading and harvest festivals. Some believe it was also used as a vantage point to watch for marauding tribes approaching from
Narragansett Bay.
Tributaries
In addition to many unnamed tributaries, the following brooks and rivers feed the Woonasquatucket:
