Bradford is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
(CDP) and
historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...
in the towns of
Westerly and
Hopkinton in
Washington County, Rhode Island
Washington County, known locally as South County, is a county located in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,839. Rhode Island counties have no governmental functions other than as court administrativ ...
, United States. The population was 1,406 at the
2010 census. The Bradford Village Historic District was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1996 as a area including 149
contributing buildings
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...
, one other contributing site, and one other contributing structure. The CDP as defined by the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
is located only in Westerly.
Bradford was named for
Bradford, West Yorkshire
Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 c ...
, England.
Geography
Bradford is located at (41.400657, -71.747607).
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the village has a total area of 4.9 km
2 (1.9 mi
2), all land.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 1,497 people, 482 households, and 397 families residing in the village. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 795.0/mi
2 (307.4/km
2). There were 496 housing units at an average density of 263.4/mi
2 (101.9/km
2). The racial makeup of the village was 96.33%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.67%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.73%
American Indian, 0.60%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.40% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.27% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
were 1.94% of the population.
There were 482 households, out of which 51.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.6% were non-families. 13.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.39.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 35.7% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 34.1% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $42,130, and the median income for a family was $40,370. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $24,353 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the village was $14,004. About 12.4% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 17.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Environmental contamination
Bradford is a working-class village in southwest Rhode Island where the Bradford Dyeing Association (BDA) has operated for nearly 100 years. BDA is the largest producer of battle dress uniform fabrics to the U.S. Dept. of Defense.
In violation of the federal Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, the BDA plant polluted the Pawcatuck River and fouled the local air. The RI DEM (Department of Environmental Management) was not responding to local complaints about the contamination so the Bradford Coalition 2 Stop Pollution, a community group of homeowners and tenants, lobbied to reduce BDA's pollution.
A civil lawsuit was successfully filed in 2005 in collaboration with the TAC (Toxic Action Center), RIPIRG (Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group) and Sierra Club. The BDA settled in November 2005, agreeing to pay $150,000 in fines and make improvements on the textile mill to reduce pollution. The plant will build taller smokestacks, install a soot-reducing device and better manage its sewage sludge pond.
“State and federal environmental regulators had given BDA a free pass for years,” explained RIPIRG Advocate Matthew Auten. “By requiring the company to significantly upgrade its air pollution and water pollution controls, this settlement demonstrates the important role that citizens can and often must play in enforcing our environmental laws.”
In 2011, BDA's success was already in decline and as of 2019, the association was shut down and site sold.
See also
*
References
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Historic districts in Washington County, Rhode Island
Westerly, Rhode Island
Hopkinton, Rhode Island
Census-designated places in Washington County, Rhode Island
Villages in Washington County, Rhode Island
Providence metropolitan area
Villages in Rhode Island
Census-designated places in Rhode Island
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island
1732 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies