Smith Hill (Providence, Rhode Island)

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The first industry in Providence was established at the eastern edge of Smith Hill along the Moshassuck River. It was a community grist mill operated by John Smith, who settled the neighborhood in 1636. The Smith family remained on the same land into the 18th century and consequently their name became a point of identification for the area: "up on the hill by the Smith's." Eventually, the area was named Smith Hill and the major artery in the neighborhood was named Smith Street.

Most construction during the 18th century and early 19th century was limited to country retreats. Until the middle of the 19th century, Smith Hill was considered a rural addition to the more developed parts of the East Side and downtown. It was between 1830 to 1930 that Smith Hill became a dense urban neighborhood. Two major factors that contributed to this growth were industrialization and immigration.

Between 1860 to 1870, there was tremendous industrial growth around Smith Hill as sites along the river became filled with factories supported, to a great extent, by the Civil War. The nationally known Brown and Sharpe Manufacturing Company moved to Smith Hill and in the beginning of the 20th century, became the largest single employer of neighborhood residents.

Industrialization was supported by the rise in immigration. The first immigrants arrived during the 1820s from Ireland. By 1910, Smith Hill was a well established Irish neighborhood. Later immigrants came from eastern Europe and the Balkan countries. There had been a small group of Jewish immigrants from Germany who settled along the eastern border of Smith Hill in the 1840s. Russian-Jewish settled on Smith Hill between 1890 and 1920. By the turn of the century, Armenian immigrants began forming a community along Douglas Avenue. In addition, a significant group of Swedes settled in Smith Hill during the 1880s. Although the Armenians still maintain a presence in Smith Hill, the Swedish and Jewish communities have mostly left.

Extensive construction and development changed the look of the neighborhood in the 1870s. Between 1860 and 1890, real estate development reflected the growing industry and immigration patterns over the period. Most of the areas were lined with small cottages and multiple-family homes to accommodate the growing population of industrial workers. By the 1920s, Smith Hill had reached its peak. Most of the land was occupied.

The Providence City Planning Commission documented a continual decrease in the population of Smith Hill starting in the 1920s. The Great Depression of the 1930s hit Smith Hill hard and by 1940, nearly 20 percent of homes on Smith Hill were vacant compared with 3 percent for the city at large. The construction of Interstate Highway 95 through the heart of Smith Hill resulted in the demolition of many historical buildings. The great move in the 1960s, when many industries relocated to the suburbs, hurt Smith Hill. During this period when several large plants, including Brown and Sharpe, Nicholson File, and American Screw moved to the suburbs, many of their employees moved with them.

As of 2000, the neighborhood was 36.4% Hispanic, 28.9% Non-Hispanic White, 14.6% Black or African American, and 14.4% Asian or Pacific Islander.

The median family income is $22,014, below the city-wide average of $32,058. 33.1% of families live below the poverty line while 14% of families receive some form of public assistance.

www.providenceri.com/ONS/neighborhoods/smith-hill