It contains the villages of Alton, Arcadia, Barberville, Carolina, Hillsdale, Kenyon, Shannock, Tug Hollow, Usquepaug, Wood River Junction, Woodville, and Wyoming.

On April 19, 1873, there was a bridge washout in the village of Richmond Switch, which today is known as Wood River Junction.

A passenger train approached, unaware of the bridge washout, and ran off the tracks and into the water.

[4] Charles II in 1665 did not dissolve the charters of Rhode Island, Connecticut or Massachusetts Bay Colony (though the last would have its charter revoked in 1684 and both Rhode Island and Connecticut would temporarily become nothing more than counties in the newly created Dominion of New England, 1686–1689).

The Royal Commissioners of 1664-1665 renamed what was known as the Narragansett Country the King's province and placed authority over this area with Rhode Island and which then created King's County for this area and that was renamed Washington County during the Revolutionary period.

The Carolina Management Area is primarily forest (1,416 acres (5.73 km2)), but also includes wetlands and agricultural land.

In May 2007, Richmond voters approved a referendum to create a Home Rule Charter Commission.

The Rhode Island General Assembly gave their approval on May 20, 2009, and the Charter took effect on May 28, 2009, when Governor Donald Carcieri allowed it to become law without his signature.

Richmond has voted for Democratic presidential nominees since 1988, with the exception of 2016, when Donald Trump won the town by 8%.