Hartford

Hartford is located at the western most edge of the city. It is bordered by the neighborhoods of Silver Lake to the south, Olneyville to the east, Manton to the northeast, and the town of Johnston to the west and north. Route 6 and the Woonasquatucket River are the major boundaries between Hartford and Olneyville. Hartford Avenue is the major thoroughfare in the neighborhood and runs from Olneyville Square on an east-west axis through the middle of the neighborhood. It is also important to note that Route 6 was constructed only recently in the history of this neighborhood. At one time, the physical and psychological boundaries between Hartford and the Olneyville/Manton area did not exist. Now the only means of traveling to those places are Hartford Avenue to Olneyville and Glenbridge Avenue to Manton.

Before the arrival of white settlers, the Hartford area was the site of a large soapstone quarry used by the Narragansett Indians. The quarry, rediscovered in 1878, was used by the Narragansetts as a workshop for the production of instruments for both family use and commercial trade. Items such as soapstone pots, dishes, and pipes were the most commonly crafted instruments. Nineteenth century researchers found the quarry deeply gouged, indicating years of use by the Narragansetts. Several artifacts from the quarry are now held by Roger Williams Park, Brown University, the Peabody Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution.

The first white settlers to the area were almost exclusively farmers. Hartford remained a rural, agricultural region throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. On some of the land out in the woods, the owners built small, simple houses with only the bare necessities where owners could stay overnight or for a few days. Eventually, the country atmosphere attracted these owners and they moved there permanently. This is how most of the suburban communities in Providence first started.

Although the Hartford area was primarily used for farming, the proximity of the Woonasquatucket River fostered some industry. The industrialization of Hartford began in the early part of the nineteenth century with the establishment of Mill Merino in 1812 by the Waterman family of Hartford Avenue. Built in an area which was then part of the Town of Johnston, Mill Merino was the second textile mill to be situated in the general area of Olneyville. Its main product was a soft, cashmere-like material called "merino cloth," which was named after merino sheep.

As was often the case in other areas of Providence, Hartford's first residential village developed in order to meet the needs of the mill workers and their families. Merino Village, as it was named, consisted of stone houses, a general store, and a water supply, all of which the company had established. Village life was intricately connected to the daily operation of the mill, as the water supply's tower bell would ring out a children's curfew and the beginning and end of the work day. Fire gutted the original mill complex in 1841, and it lay inactive until rebuilding was completed in 1853. The mill was later purchased by Franklin Manufacturing Company. While the mill no longer exists today, Merino Street, named of course after the mill, is a constant reminder of the mill which initiated the development of the neighborhood.

Despite the arrival of immigrants from various countries in southern Europe, residents of Irish ancestry remained the largest ethnic group through the first half of the 20th century. A significant migration of Polish people to Providence occurred during the first quarter of the 20th century and then again after World War II. These Polish immigrants settled primarily in Olneyville but also in the Hartford, Manton, and Valley sections of the city. By 1946, there was also a substantial group of Italian-Americans who had settled in the Hartford and Manton areas as well.

By the mid-twentieth century, large scale developments led to major changes in the neighborhood. The construction of the Route 6 Connector, which was begun in the early 1950s to lessen the traffic in Olneyville Square, meant the destruction of a great portion of working-class housing. In 1953, two large low-income housing projects were also constructed: the Hartford Park Public Housing Project, directly west of Olneyville Square, and the Manton Heights Housing Projects, off of Manton Avenue on the other side of the highway. These two projects were once touted as the most modern housing of their time.

By the 1970s, however, each housing project became increasingly plagued by age, vandalism, and neglect. In the 1980s, 243 of the original 748 units in the Hartford Park housing project were demolished, while the remaining 508 units were subject to long awaited renovations.

For most current information visit Hartford is located at the western most edge of the city. It is bordered by the neighborhoods of Silver Lake to the south, Olneyville to the east, Manton to the northeast, and the town of Johnston to the west and north. Route 6 and the Woonasquatucket River are the major boundaries between Hartford and Olneyville. Hartford Avenue is the major thoroughfare in the neighborhood and runs from Olneyville Square on an east-west axis through the middle of the neighborhood. It is also important to note that Route 6 was constructed only recently in the history of this neighborhood. At one time, the physical and psychological boundaries between Hartford and the Olneyville/Manton area did not exist. Now the only means of traveling to those places are Hartford Avenue to Olneyville and Glenbridge Avenue to Manton.

Before the arrival of white settlers, the Hartford area was the site of a large soapstone quarry used by the Narragansett Indians. The quarry, rediscovered in 1878, was used by the Narragansetts as a workshop for the production of instruments for both family use and commercial trade. Items such as soapstone pots, dishes, and pipes were the most commonly crafted instruments. Nineteenth century researchers found the quarry deeply gouged, indicating years of use by the Narragansetts. Several artifacts from the quarry are now held by Roger Williams Park, Brown University, the Peabody Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution.

The first white settlers to the area were almost exclusively farmers. Hartford remained a rural, agricultural region throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. On some of the land out in the woods, the owners built small, simple houses with only the bare necessities where owners could stay overnight or for a few days. Eventually, the country atmosphere attracted these owners and they moved there permanently. This is how most of the suburban communities in Providence first started.

Although the Hartford area was primarily used for farming, the proximity of the Woonasquatucket River fostered some industry. The industrialization of Hartford began in the early part of the nineteenth century with the establishment of Mill Merino in 1812 by the Waterman family of Hartford Avenue. Built in an area which was then part of the Town of Johnston, Mill Merino was the second textile mill to be situated in the general area of Olneyville. Its main product was a soft, cashmere-like material called "merino cloth," which was named after merino sheep.

As was often the case in other areas of Providence, Hartford's first residential village developed in order to meet the needs of the mill workers and their families. Merino Village, as it was named, consisted of stone houses, a general store, and a water supply, all of which the company had established. Village life was intricately connected to the daily operation of the mill, as the water supply's tower bell would ring out a children's curfew and the beginning and end of the work day. Fire gutted the original mill complex in 1841, and it lay inactive until rebuilding was completed in 1853. The mill was later purchased by Franklin Manufacturing Company. While the mill no longer exists today, Merino Street, named of course after the mill, is a constant reminder of the mill which initiated the development of the neighborhood.

Despite the arrival of immigrants from various countries in southern Europe, residents of Irish ancestry remained the largest ethnic group through the first half of the 20th century. A significant migration of Polish people to Providence occurred during the first quarter of the 20th century and then again after World War II. These Polish immigrants settled primarily in Olneyville but also in the Hartford, Manton, and Valley sections of the city. By 1946, there was also a substantial group of Italian-Americans who had settled in the Hartford and Manton areas as well.

By the mid-twentieth century, large scale developments led to major changes in the neighborhood. The construction of the Route 6 Connector, which was begun in the early 1950s to lessen the traffic in Olneyville Square, meant the destruction of a great portion of working-class housing. In 1953, two large low-income housing projects were also constructed: the Hartford Park Public Housing Project, directly west of Olneyville Square, and the Manton Heights Housing Projects, off of Manton Avenue on the other side of the highway. These two projects were once touted as the most modern housing of their time.

By the 1970s, however, each housing project became increasingly plagued by age, vandalism, and neglect. In the 1980s, 243 of the original 748 units in the Hartford Park housing project were demolished, while the remaining 508 units were subject to long awaited renovations.

For most current information visit provplan.org