Silver Lake (Providence, Rhode Island)

 neighborhood  Add category

 Upload a photo

Silver Lake was a rural area with sparse agricultural development throughout the 18th century and much of the 19th century. Industrial growth along the Woonasquatucket River Valley propelled the first wave of suburban residential development in Silver Lake. With the establishment of industry in the river valley during the mid-19th century, the residential area of Olneyville began to expand into the area's northeast section.

Improved transportation ultimately proved to be the driving force behind Silver Lake's suburbanization and eventual urbanization. The Plainfield Street trolley was completed in 1882, and additional trolley lines were soon developed along Union and Hartford Avenues. With this expansion of services, the entire area of Silver Lake underwent extensive residential development.

In 1898, this newly suburban area was finally re-acquired by the city of Providence from Johnston. In 1919, Providence expanded the size of its recent acquisition by annexing a section of Johnston's Neutaconkanut Hill. At this time, Providence's new neighborhood, formerly known as "the Annex," came to be called Silver Lake. Neutaconkanut Hill Park provides much needed open space for the western part of the city and includes hiking trails, basketball courts and baseball fields.

The heaviest building years were from the turn of the century to the Great Depression. During this period of growth, two distinct communities began to emerge in Silver Lake. One area, located in the northern part of Silver Lake in close proximity to the Olneyville and Hartford neighborhoods, became a lower middle class community. The other area, in the southern portion of Silver Lake near Cranston, developed as a community of single-family, middle-income homes. Silver Lake has undergone few physical changes since the early part of this century.

Between 1990 and 2000 the percentage of non-white residents in Silver Lake rose from 11 percent to 57.6 percent. 42 percent of Silver Lake's residents are Hispanic; 42% are White; 3.7 percent are Asian; and 8 percent are African-American. In 2000, more than half (58%) of the residents of age 25 or older were high school graduates. 59% of children under the age of six speak a language other than English as their primary language.

The median family income is $27,981, below the citywide average of $32,058. 28% of families are below the poverty level while 15% receive some form of public assistance. 18% of children under the age of six have been exposed to high levels of lead.[2]

www.providenceri.com/ONS/neighborhoods/silver-lake