Charlestown, Rhode Island
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Charlestown is a
town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
in Washington County,
Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
, United States. The population was 7,997 at the 2020 census.


History

Charlestown is named after King Charles II, and was incorporated in 1738. The area was formerly part of the town of Westerly. It was in turn divided and the part north of the Pawcatuck River became the town of Richmond in 1747.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (37.86%) is water. The town is bordered by Westerly on the west; Richmond on the north; and Hopkinton on the northwest; and South Kingstown on the east. The village of Charlestown is in the southeastern part of the town, Quonochontaug is in the southwest, and Carolina is on the northern border of the town. In 2011, Charlestown became the first municipality in the United States to pass a ban on any size or type of electricity-generating wind turbines. The sweeping prohibition applies to large commercial as well as smaller residential turbines.


Demographics

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2020, there were 7,997 people and 3,481 households in the town. The population density was . There were 5,381 housing units in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 91.83%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.46%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 1.40% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.71% from other races, and 4.95% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 1.90% of the population. There were 3,481 households, out of which 18.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 21.8% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 14.0% had a male householder with no spouse present. 10.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.74. In the town, the population was spread out, with 13.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 19.1% from 25 to 44, 33.6% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53 years. The median income for a household in the town was $103,147, and the median income for a family was $134,444. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $62,484. About 6.2% 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 ...
, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over. Students in Charlestown are part of the Chariho Regional School District.


Government

The town government is directed by a five-member town council that is headed by a council president. For the purpose of school administration, Charlestown is a member town of the Chariho Regional School District along with the neighboring towns of Richmond and Hopkinton. Charlestown is the headquarters for the Narragansett Indian Tribe and the location of their reservation.


Law enforcement

Charlestown is served by the Charlestown Police Department. The Chief of Police is Col. Michael J. Paliotta. CPD is staffed by 21 sworn police officers and five full-time civilian employees. The CPD full-time staff is supplemented with seven part-time sworn special police officers, fourteen non-sworn traffic constables and several additional part-time administrative personnel. CPD is accredited by the Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission (RIPAC), receiving its initial accreditation in 2017. Between the early 1900s and the mid-1970s, Charlestown had no organized full-time police department and relied solely on a part-time Chief of Police and a few appointed constables. The Town's first Chief of Police was Chief Robert P. Day circa 1912. Since Chief Day, ten others have held the position.


Recreation


Parks

Ninigret Park, the former site of Naval Auxiliary Air Station Charlestown, is in Charlestown. It is now a place for recreational sports games including a small beachfront, a bike track, sporting fields, and tennis courts. Along with these features, the park also contains the Frosty Drew Nature Center & Observatory. Ninigret Park is also used for the majority of large events occurring within the town of Charlestown including the Charlestown Seafood Festival, the Big Apple Circus and the Rhythm And Roots music festival. Charlestown contains several beaches that are frequently described as "the best kept secret in Rhode Island." Miles of secluded, unspoiled, sandy beaches offer visitors a chance to enjoy many outdoor activities or just some relaxation under the sun. Some of these beaches include town operated areas such as "Blue Shutters Town Beach" and "Charlestown Town Beach" and other are state managed areas including "East Beach State Beach" and "Charlestown Breachway State Beach." Burlingame State Park and Campground is entirely contained inside the town of Charlestown. The campground is 3,100 acres of rocky woodland that surrounds Watchaug Pond in Charlestown. Activities at the park include 755 campsites, fishing, swimming, picnicking, boating and hiking. The area north of Buckeye Brook Road, abutting the Pawcatuck River, is primarily a hunting area.


Seafood Festival

The Charlestown, RI Chamber of Commerce holds an annual seafood and lobster festival in the first week of August. Local businesses and vendors set up booths for various seafood based events. The Seafood Festival has been named one of the Top 100 Events in America by the American Tour Bus Association in 1988, 1996 and 2008.


National Historic Places in Charlestown

* Babcock House * District Schoolhouse No. 2 (1838) * Fort Ninigret * Foster Cove Archeological Site * Historic Village of the Narragansetts in Charlestown * Indian Burial Ground * Joseph Jeffrey House * Shannock Historic District * Sheffield House (1700) * Joseph Stanton House (1739)


References


External links

* *
Town of Charlestown official website
{{authority control Towns in Washington County, Rhode Island Populated coastal places in Rhode Island Providence metropolitan area 1738 establishments in Rhode Island Towns in Rhode Island