West End, Providence, Rhode Island
Encyclopedia
The West End is a neighborhood in the southwestern part of Providence, Rhode Island
in the region often referred to as the South Side
. Its boundaries are delineated by Westminster Street to the north, Huntington Avenue to the south, Elmwood Avenue to the east and the railroad tracks with Route 10 to the west. Cranston Street runs through the center of West End, past the Cranston Street Armory
which has given the neighborhood the alternative name of the "Armory District."
. Early settlers built houses nearby to the tavern. In the 19th century, the area developed industrially and residentially with several factories built near the now-filled Long Pond. Residential construction followed after a horse drawn coach started serving the area in 1855 and a streetcar in 1865.
North of Cranston Street developed a white middle-class neighborhood of one and two family houses, while south of it, double and triple decker houses were built to accommodate increasing numbers of Irish, French Canadians, and blacks.
Following the urban decline of the 1930s, the West End has become a slowly decaying inner-city neighborhood as middle class residents left. The adjacent Huntington Industrial Park in Olneyville had kept industry nearby, but when Gorham Manufacturing Company left the area Olneyville lost importance as a freight rail hub. Further, Route 10 was constructed, physically separating the West End from the rest of the city.
In recent years, new residents have worked to improve and renovate the area's housing supply, particularly the more historic houses, including turning older houses into affordable rentals.
According to the Providence Plan, a local nonprofit aimed at improving city life, half of all West End residents are Hispanic
while 19% are African-American, 14% white, 13% Asian, and 1.6% Native-American. 68% of children under the age of six speak a language other than English as their primary language.
The median family income is $23,346, below the city-wide average of $32,058. 36.6% of families live below the poverty line while one in ten families receives some form of public assistance.
Nearly one in four children under the age of six have been exposed to high levels of lead.
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
in the region often referred to as the South Side
South Side, Providence, Rhode Island
The South Side of Providence, Rhode Island, originally South Providence, is a term frequently used to describe the collective region comprising the official neighborhoods of Upper and Lower South Providence, Elmwood and the West End...
. Its boundaries are delineated by Westminster Street to the north, Huntington Avenue to the south, Elmwood Avenue to the east and the railroad tracks with Route 10 to the west. Cranston Street runs through the center of West End, past the Cranston Street Armory
Cranston Street Armory
The Cranston Street Armory is a historic building in Providence, Rhode Island. It was built in 1907 at a cost of $650,000.00, with the firm of M.J. Houlihan supervising its construction. The building was occupied by the Rhode Island National Guard from its opening until 1996...
which has given the neighborhood the alternative name of the "Armory District."
History
The first settlement of the area took place shortly after King Phillip's War in the form of farming. In 1739, Obidiah Brown built the Hoyle Tavern at the intersections of Westminster and Cranston Streets, near present-day Classical High SchoolClassical High School
Classical High School, founded in 1843, is a public exam school in the Providence School District, in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It was originally an all-male school, but has since become co-ed...
. Early settlers built houses nearby to the tavern. In the 19th century, the area developed industrially and residentially with several factories built near the now-filled Long Pond. Residential construction followed after a horse drawn coach started serving the area in 1855 and a streetcar in 1865.
North of Cranston Street developed a white middle-class neighborhood of one and two family houses, while south of it, double and triple decker houses were built to accommodate increasing numbers of Irish, French Canadians, and blacks.
Following the urban decline of the 1930s, the West End has become a slowly decaying inner-city neighborhood as middle class residents left. The adjacent Huntington Industrial Park in Olneyville had kept industry nearby, but when Gorham Manufacturing Company left the area Olneyville lost importance as a freight rail hub. Further, Route 10 was constructed, physically separating the West End from the rest of the city.
In recent years, new residents have worked to improve and renovate the area's housing supply, particularly the more historic houses, including turning older houses into affordable rentals.
Demographics
As of the 1990 census, one in three residents of the West End was Hispanic, about 30 percent were African-American, and 14 percent were Asian, making the West End one of the city's most diverse neighborhoods. About one in three families was living below the poverty line and 44% of residents over 25 had completed high school.According to the Providence Plan, a local nonprofit aimed at improving city life, half of all West End residents are Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
while 19% are African-American, 14% white, 13% Asian, and 1.6% Native-American. 68% of children under the age of six speak a language other than English as their primary language.
The median family income is $23,346, below the city-wide average of $32,058. 36.6% of families live below the poverty line while one in ten families receives some form of public assistance.
Nearly one in four children under the age of six have been exposed to high levels of lead.