The largest of Rhode Island's communities, Coventry is really two separate communities, the rustic western half and the suburban eastern half. Tiogue lake is the largest physical presence and with Johnson's pond, they are the primary summer recreation locations in the community. Earlier moderate prices developments are now mixed with executive developments. Route 3 is the backbone of commercial development in the town and the primary access to Route 95.

On August 24, 1741, the western end of the Town of Warwick had been purchased by Samuel Gorton, and others from Miantonomi. It was set off and incorporated into a township to be known as Coventry and named for Coventry, England. The new town extended from what is now West Warwick to the Connecticut line, and contained 64.8 square miles. Therefore it became larger than its mother town, but was more sparsely populated. Early figures show that in 1748, Coventry's population was approximately 792.

Several villages, originally built around mills, lie in the eastern section of town close to the West Warwick boundary. Anthony, was settled around a cotton mill built c. 1805. Washington, was actually founded as the rural village of Braytonville in the mid-18TH Century, but the arrival of the Washington Manufacturing Company, in 1812, turned it into a textile center. In the most northeastern corner of Coventry are the mill villages of Harris, Phenix, and just over the Cranston line, Fiskeville, with a few good examples of 19TH Century mill cottages and mill architecture.

Today, while the western portion of Coventry is still rural in nature, the eastern section is one of the most rapidly growing residential communities in Rhode Island. However, the community still retains some old textile mill villages. The housing pattern consists of multi-family units in the older sections of the town, and owner occupied single family units in the newly developed areas. Commercial strip and shopping centers are the main commerce outlets.

GENERAL NATHANAEL GREENE HOMESTEAD. (1770) 50 Taft Street. Spell Hall, home of George Washington's second-in-command. OPEN: Mar 1-Nov 30, Wed & Sat, 10-5 p.m.; Sun, 12-5 p.m. and by appt. 821-8630.

GEORGE B. PARKER WOODLAND. Maple Valley Road. An Audubon Society of Rhode Island wildlife refuge, headquartered at 18th century Isaac Bowen House. Hiking, natural history programs, field trips. Field guide and map available for fascinating self-guided historical archeology trail. Free parking. OPEN: Daylight hours, year-round. 949-5454.

D B C Amusements, INC. 475 Tiogue Avenue. 19-hole miniature golf course, 10 station hoops, USA miniature basketball, and hard and softball batting cages (slow pitch). OPEN: Golf & batting, Apr-Oct.

PAINE HOUSE. (c. 1669) 7 Station Street. The museum of the Western Rhode Island Civic Historical Society. One time Colonial home and inn, now partially restored and furnished in the period-style. OPEN: Jun-Sep, Sat, 1-4 p.m., and by appt. 397-5135.

Population: The population count for the Town of Coventry as of April 1, 2000, was 33,668. This represented a 8.3% change (2,585) from the 1990 population of 31,083.

Population Density: Coventry contains 154.203 square kilometers of land area (59.538 Sq. Miles) and 7.522 square kilometers of water area (2.904 Sq. Miles). Total area is 161.725 square kilometers or 62.442 square miles.

The 2000 population density of Coventry is 565.8 persons per square mile of land area.

Age Distribution: In 2000, 25,279 persons residing in Coventry were 18 years of age or older.

More Census 2000 data on Coventry and the State of Rhode Island is available at the Statewide Planning Program Website.

Town Hall
Flat River Rd.
Coventry, RI 02816
Fax: 822-9132
Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

**Information above provided by the Rhode Island Department of Economic Development Corporation

Web Links

Town of Coventry