Hartford, Providence, Rhode Island

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, settlers constructed houses that were meant to be temporary residences because they were drawn to the rural setting.

Merino Village, consisting of stone houses, a general store, and a water supply, was built by the company to support its workers.

[1] According to the Providence Plan, a local nonprofit aimed at improving city life, today 48.4% of residents are Hispanic, 33.6% are white, 10.6% are African-American, 5% are Asian, and nearly 2% are Native Americans.

[2] Hartford is within Ward 7, which is represented in the Providence City Council by Democrat Ana Vargas[3] Merino Park is an 18.6-acre (75,000 m2) park on the banks of the Woonasquatucket River[4] Located near the former Merino Mill, the site was previously a sheep farm, a skating pond, a landfill, and a storage site for road salt.

[4] The park features a tot lot, picnic areas, lighted basketball courts, and a bicycle path connected to the Woonasquatucket River Greenway.