Cranston, Rhode Island
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| Cranston, Rhode Island | |||
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  Cranston, Rhode Island
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Rhode Island | ||
| County | Providence | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Michael Napolitano | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 29.9 sq mi (77.5 km²) | ||
| - Land | 28.6 sq mi (74.0 km²) | ||
| - Water | 1.4 sq mi (3.5 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 62 ft (19 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Total | 79,269 | ||
| - Density | 2,774.7/sq mi (1,071.3/km²) | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Area code(s) | 401 | ||
| FIPS code | 44-19180[1] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1218689[2] | ||
| Website: http://www.cranstonri.com | |||
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 79,269 at the 2000 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston [1]. Cranston is a part of the Providence metropolitan area.
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[edit] Geography
Cranston is located at (41.773200, -71.453289).[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.9 square miles (77.5 km²), of which, 28.6 square miles (74.0 km²) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.5 km²) of it (4.54%) is water.
The following neighborhoods are located in Cranston:
- Alpine Estates
- Arlington
- Bellafonte
- Castleton
- Auburn
- Dean Estates
- Eden Park
- Edgewood
- Fiskeville (also in Scituate)
- Forest Hills
- Garden City
- Garden Hills
- Laurel Hills
- Howard
- Jackson (also in Scituate)
- Knightsville
- Meshanticut
- Oaklawn
- Pontiac
- Stadium
- Thornton
- Pawtuxet Village
- Woodridge
- Source: RIGIS Villages data layer
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 79,269 people, 30,954 households, and 20,243 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,774.6 people per square mile (1,071.3/km²). There were 32,068 housing units at an average density of 1,122.5/sq mi (433.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.19% White, 3.69% African American, 0.30% Native American, 3.28% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.93% from other races, and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.56% of the population.
Cranston is a part of the Providence metropolitan area, which has an estimated population of 1,622,520.
There were 30,954 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out, with 21.6% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females of age 18 or over, there were 92.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,108, and the median income for a family was $55,241. Males had a median income of $40,031 versus $28,279 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,978. About 5.6% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Transportation
Four freeways travel through Cranston: I-95, I-295, RI 10 (the Huntington Expressway) and RI 37. Other state-numbered roads in Cranston are US 1, US 1A, RI 2, RI 5, RI 12, RI 33, RI 51, RI 115 and RI 117.
Cranston is served by Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) buses. Amtrak's Northeast Corridor passes through but has no station in the city. The MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line will also pass through upon the completion of the new train station at T.F. Green Airport, but will not include a station in Cranston.
[edit] Sites
The first auto race track in the country, Narragansett Park, opened in present-day Stadium in September 1886.
Cranston is home to the Budlong Pool, one of the largest outdoor swimming pools in the country. Built in the 1950s as a Works Progress Administration project, it is a staple of the community. It is located at 198 Aqueduct Road, off Reservoir Avenue (part of RI 2).
Sprague Mansion, an 18th-century homestead, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places [2]. The Thomas Fenner House, built around 1677, is one of the oldest houses in Rhode Island.
The Cranston Country Club is the only public golf course in Cranston.
[edit] Notable residents
- Mark Van Eeghen- Former Nfl Pro Bowl running back who played for the Los Angeles Raiders and the New England Patriots
- Monty Are I- Popular American Rock Band. All grew up in the Edgewood section of the city.
- Sasha Cagen, public intellectual and creator of the Quirkyalone movement
- Hugh Duffy, major league baseball player[4]
- Elisabeth Hasselbeck - of Survivor fame and co-host of The View
- Nehemiah R. Knight - Governor of Rhode Island 1817-1821 and U.S. Senator 1821-1841, born in Cranston
- George J. Peters, United States Army soldier and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
- Jack Reed U.S Senator from Rhode Island
- A.J. Smith - General Manager of the San Diego Chargers spent several years as a coach at Cranston High School West
- Dennis Wholey - Talk show host; was born in Cranston
- Sergei Khrushchev - son of former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, acts as a Senior Fellow at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University
- Will Blackmon - NFL defensive back for Green Bay Packers, also starred at Bishop Hendricken High School and Boston College
- Zan Nordlund - Winner of the Chicken Soup for the Soul 10TH Anniversary Distinguished Writer's Award and nationally acclaimed editor resides in the Edgewood section of cranston.
- Marissa Castelli - Bronze medalist at the 2008 U.S. Figure skating Championships in novice pairs
- Vinny Paz- former lightweight and light middleweight boxing champion
- Craig Stinson- Minor league baseball player in the Washington Nationals farm system
[edit] Trivia
- The leading female character in the 1970 film Love Story, Jennifer Cavalleri, is said to hail from Cranston.
- Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane has stated that the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island is modeled after Cranston.
[edit] Sister cities
[edit] References
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ [1969] (1979) in Reichler, Joseph L.: The Baseball Encyclopedia, 4th edition, New York: Macmillan Publishing. ISBN 0-02-578970-8.
[edit] External links
- Pawtuxet Cove
- City of Cranston Official Site
- Cranston Public Library homepage
- Cranston Public Schools homepage
- Cranston, Rhode Island is at coordinates Coordinates:
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