The Green Papers
The Green Papers
State and Local Government

Rhode Island Localities
Civil Divisions and Municipalities

List of States

---------RI Counties & MCDs with historical data-------------

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND and Providence Plantations

COUNTIES (PCDs)
[dates of formation of county in brackets]
(with county seats in italics)
Bristol [1747: R.I.'s jurisdiction had been disputed with MASS. prior to this date]- Bristol
Kent [1750]- East Greenwich
Newport [1703: originally "Rhode Island"; present name adopted, 1729]- Newport
Providence [1703: originally "Providence Plantations"; present name adopted, 1729]- Providence
Washington [1729: originally "King's"; temporarily referred to as "South" during American Revolution; present name adopted, 1781]- Wakefield

MCDs by COUNTY
(Note: though the "Town" is the Minor Civil Division in RHODE ISLAND, "Cities"- although incorporated Municipalities- replace the functions of the Town, are separate from any Town and, therefore, are considered to be MCDs of the State as well)
[dates of original establishment of MCD in brackets]

Bristol County
Barrington (Town) [1770]
BRISTOL (Town) [inc. by MASS., 1681; to R.I., 1747]- county courthouse
Warren (Town) [inc. by MASS., 1717: was "Barrington", 1717-1747; to R.I., 1747]

Kent County
Coventry (Town) [1741]
EAST GREENWICH (Town) [1677: was "Dedford" 1686-1689]- county courthouse
Warwick (City) [1643: original town of 'the Providence Plantations', was "Shawomet", 1643-1648; inc. as a city, 1931]
West Greenwich (Town) [1741]
West Warwick (Town) [1913]

Newport County
Jamestown (Town) [1678]
Little Compton (Town) [inc. by MASS. 1682; to R.I., 1747]
Middletown (Town) [1743]
NEWPORT (City) [1639: original town of 'the Rhode Island colony', 1640; inc. as a city, 1784-1787 and then again in 1853]- county courthouse
Portsmouth (Town) [1638, was "Pocasset" to 1639: original town of 'the Rhode Island colony', 1640]
Tiverton (Town) [inc. by MASS., 1694; to R.I., 1747]

Providence County
Burrillville (Town) [1806]
Central Falls (City) [inc. as a city, 1895; was never a town]
Cranston (City) [town, 1754; inc. as a city, 1910]
Cumberland (Town) [1747: had been part of Attleboro in MASS. prior to this date]
East Providence (City) [town, 1862: had been part of Seekonk in MASS. prior to this date; inc. as a city, 1958]
Foster (Town) [1781]
Glocester (Town) [1731]
Johnston (Town) [1759]
Lincoln (Town) [1871]
North Providence (Town) [1765]
North Smithfield (Town) [1871, was "Slater" (briefly) in 1871]
Pawtucket (City) [inc. as a town by MASS., 1828; to R.I., 1862; inc. as a city, 1885]
PROVIDENCE (City) [1636: original town of 'the Providence Plantations', 1643; inc. as a city, 1831]- state capital/county courthouse
Scituate (Town) [1731]
Smithfield (Town) [1731]
[WOONSOCKET] (City) [town, 1867; inc. as a city, 1888]- auxiliary courthouse

Washington County
Charlestown (Town) [1738]
Exeter (Town) [1743]
Hopkinton (Town) [1757]
Narragansett (Town) [1901]
New Shoreham (Town) [1661: was "Block Island", 1661-1672; part of N.Y. (at the time, the Dutch 'NEW NETHERLAND') to 1664]
North Kingstown (Town) [1674: was "King's Town" 1674-1686; was "Rochester", 1686-1689; was "Kingstown", 1689-1723]
Richmond (Town) [1747]
SOUTH KINGSTOWN (Town) [1723]- county courthouse [c.h. p.o.= "Wakefield"]
Westerly (Town) [1669: was "Haversham", 1686-1689]

 

State and Local Government Outline


Created Tue 1 Jul 2008. Modified .