Pontiac is a historic village in

Warwick, Rhode Island Warwick ( or ) is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, the third largest city in the state with a population of 82,823 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is located approximately south of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, sout ...

, and part of the .

History

Native Americans referred to the area as "Papepieset" or "Toskiounke." After arriving in 1642, the early English settlers called the area "Great Weir" because

fishing weir A fishing weir, fish weir, fishgarth or kiddle is an obstruction placed in tidal waters, or wholly or partially across a river, to direct the passage of, or trap fish. A weir may be used to trap marine fish in the intertidal zone as the tide reced ...

s were used to catch fish near the falls. After a bridge was constructed in the locality, the area became known as "the great bridge near the weir," and eventually " Capt. Benjamin Greene's bridge" then "Arnold's bridge." After Senator

John Hopkins Clarke John Hopkins Clarke (April 1, 1789November 23, 1870) was a United States senator from Rhode Island. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, he moved to Providence where he studied under a private teacher. He graduated from Brown University in 1809, stu ...

purchased the water rights, the region assumed the name of "Clarksville." After purchasing the area, the Pontiac Manufacturing Company named the area "Pontiac" after

Chief Pontiac Pontiac or Obwaandi'eyaag (c. 1714/20 – April 20, 1769) was an Odawa war chief known for his role in the war named for him, from 1763 to 1766 leading Native Americans in an armed struggle against the British in the Great Lakes region due ...

a Northwestern Indian chief. Allegedly, "Mr. Clark, while out in Michigan, saw the picture of the old chief, Pontiac, and on his return had it engraved, to be used as a label on his goods. The name gradually became attached to the village after he left, though many continued to call it " Arnold's Bridge."''The history of Warwick, Rhode Island, from its settlement in 1642 to the present time: including accounts of the early settlement and development of its several villages; sketches of the origin and progress of the different churches of the town, &c.'', &c by Oliver Payson Fuller (Angell, Burlingame & co., printers, 1875)pg. 25

/ref> In 1863

Benjamin Knight Benjamin Brayton Knight (1813–1898) was a New England industrialist and philanthropist, who was a partner with his brother Robert Knight in the B. B. & R. Knight Company and was one of the largest textile manufacturers in the world when he di ...

and Robert Knight, two brothers, built the

Pontiac Mills Pontiac Mills is a historic textile mill complex on Knight Street in the village of Pontiac, Rhode Island within the city of Warwick. The mills produced the original Fruit of the Loom brand of cloth. The current mills were built beginning in 1863 ...

in the village.

References

External links

*''The history of Warwick, Rhode Island, from its settlement in 1642 to the present time: including accounts of the early settlement and development of its several villages; sketches of the origin and progress of the different churches of the town, &c.'', &c by Oliver Payson Fuller (Angell, Burlingame & co., printers, 1875)pg. 25

Villages in Kent County, Rhode Island Cranston, Rhode Island Warwick, Rhode Island Villages in Rhode Island {{RhodeIsland-geo-stub

History

See also

References

External links