Little Compton, Rhode Island
Encyclopedia
Little Compton is a town
in Newport County
, Rhode Island
, United States
. Its population was 3,492 at the time of the 2010 census
. Little Compton is located in southeastern Rhode Island, between the Sakonnet River
and the Massachusetts
state border. It is the birthplace of the Rhode Island Red
hen.
. Awashonks' people lived in Wilbour Woods in the winter time and at Sakonnet Point in the summer time. Her step-son Mamannuah lead a separate Sakonnet tribe in the Adamsville area. The two leaders had frequent disputes over land and vied with each other to be recognized by the English as the sole Sakonnet leader.
Sakonnet has been interpreted in a variety of ways: "the black goose comes" or "where the water pours fourth."
The first European settlers in Little Compton were Englishmen from Duxbury, Massachusetts in the Plymouth Colony
who sought to expand their land holdings. After first attempting negotiations with Awashonks, they petitioned the Plymouth Colony, which granted them their charter. In a series of lotteries beginning in 1674 and ending in the early 1680s, they divided the land in Little Compton into lots of standard sizes and began settling there. Among these 32 original proprietors was Colonel Benjamin Church. Church was well known for his role in the late 17th-century conflicts with surrounding Native American tribes, notably the Narragansetts and Wampanoags. In 1675, Church built his homestead in Little Compton, just prior to King Philip's War
. Today, a plaque on the side of West Main Road gives the location of his original homestead. The plaque is located near house number 600 on the eastern side of West Main Road.
In 1682, Sakonnet was incorporated by the Plymouth Colony and renamed Little Compton. This is possibly a reference to Little Compton in Warwickshire
, England
. However, there is no direct evidence to substantiate this relationship. By 1747, Little Compton secured its own royal decree and was annexed to Newport County as a part of Rhode Island along with Tiverton and Bristol
. Because Little Compton was once part of the Plymouth colony, all probate and land records prior to 1746 can be found in Taunton
and New Bedford
.
Sites of historic interest in Little Compton include the Wilbor House
, built in 1692 by Samuel Wilbor, now the home of the Little Compton Historical Society http://www.littlecompton.org. The entire town commons is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
There are about 57 historic cemeteries in the town. Colonel Benjamin Church and his family are buried in the Little Compton Commons cemetery, as is Elizabeth Pabodie
, the eldest daughter of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins of Mayflower
fame. The stones in the cemetery reflect a style of carving similar to that found both in Newport and in Boston during the same time period.
Little Compton is the location for one of two town commons in Rhode Island. The other is in Bristol. This is most likely a result of the town having been originally laid out by settlers from the Plymouth and Massachusetts Colonies. Land for the common was designated in August of 1677 and has been used ever since as both a religious and civic center for social activities in the town.
While there are only a few 17th-century structures still standing (these include the Wilbor house and Peabody house), there are many which date from the 18th and 19th century. The Quaker meeting house on West Main Road, Number 8 Schoolhouse (now used as part of the Town Hall), Town Hall, Wilbur's Store, and the United Congregational Church all pre-date 1900 and are centered around the town commons. Additional historic homes are scattered throughout the town and include the Asa Gray house, the Slicer house, Oldacre, the Brownell house on West Main Road, the Brownell house on Meetinghouse Lane, William Whalley Homestead
farmstead on Burchard Ave. (on the National Register of Historic Places), and the Brownell Library on the commons.
Another distinctive feature of the town is the "Spite Tower" found in the village of Adamsville
. Local lore claims that the tower was constructed to obscure the line of sight of a town local. While most stories involve members of the local Manchester family, there is no consensus as to the true history of the structure. According to the present day owner of the building, the "Spite Tower" was built above an artesian well. There was a pump that brought the water to a holding tank on the third floor that sent water, via gravity feed, to main house's water tank to provide running water. The building was constructed circa 1905. The chauffeur's residence was on the second floor of the tower.
, the town has a total area of 28.9 square miles (74.9 km²), of which, 20.9 square miles (54.1 km²) is land and 8 square miles (20.7 km²) (27.79%) is water. One of the largest bodies of water in Little Compton is Quicksand Pond
.
is a breed of chicken originally bred in Adamsville
, a small village that is part of Little Compton. Little Compton is the only place in the United States with a monument dedicated to a chicken. In 1925, the Rhode Island Red Club of America donated funds for an elegant monument to the Rhode Island Red in Adamsville, near the baseball field and across the street from the Barn restaurant. The monument is now on the National Register of Historic Places. A competing monument to the Rhode Island Red was erected by the state in 1954, 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Adamsville. Some claim that it was not created for the poultry fanciers, but for the farmers who raised them commercially in great numbers in Little Compton.
. One of the more famous restaurants in Little Compton is the Commons Lunch, known for its johnny cakes. It burned down in 2004, but has since reopened. A-1 Pizza has been on the Commons in Little Compton for over 35 years and serves fresh pizzas and subs. Other restaurants in town include Crowther's on Pottersville Road. The Art Cafe serves coffee drinks in a beautiful country setting. During the summer, many farm stands open, most of which are on West Main Road. These include the Last Stand, Walker's Roadside Stand, Gray's Grist Mill http://www.graysgristmill.com/ (home of the RI Jonnycake), and Young Family Farm. Peckham's Greenhouse at West Main and Peckham Roads attracts customers for its plants and gardening supplies. In Adamsville, Gray's claims to be the oldest continually operating general store in the country (although Brown & Hopkins in Chepachet may dispute); it is now an antique store. The Stone House, a resort on 122 Sakonnet Point Road, features two gourmet restaurants. 1854, was once known as the Tap Room, and is reminiscent of the Prohibition-era speakeasy that it's cellar was once rumored to be. 1854 serves modern comfort food. Pietra is located in the Wood Barn of the Stone House and serves Tuscan inspired cuisine with a local flair.
of 2000, there were 3,593 people, 1,475 households, and 1,041 families residing in the town. The population density
was 172.1 people per square mile (66.5/km²). There were 2,103 housing units at an average density of 100.7 per square mile (38.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.75% White, 0.06% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races
, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 0.86% of the population.
There were 1,475 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples
living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $55,368, and the median income for a family was $62,750. Males had a median income of $43,199 versus a median income of $28,676 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $32,513. About 3.7% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.0% of those under the age of 18 and 2.4% of those 65 and older.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Newport County
Newport County, Rhode Island
-National protected areas:* Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge* Touro Synagogue National Historic Site-History:Newport County was constituted on June 22, 1703, as one of the two original counties of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. As originally established, Newport...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its population was 3,492 at the time of the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. Little Compton is located in southeastern Rhode Island, between the Sakonnet River
Sakonnet River
The Sakonnet River is a tidal strait, in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 23 km between Mount Hope Bay and Rhode Island Sound...
and the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state border. It is the birthplace of the Rhode Island Red
Rhode Island Red
The Rhode Island Red is a breed of chicken . They are a utility bird, raised for meat and eggs, and also as show birds. They are a popular choice for backyard flocks because of their egg laying abilities and hardiness. Non-industrial strains of the Rhode Island Red are listed as recovering by the...
hen.
History
According to 17th century land evidence, the area now known as Little Compton was originally inhabited by the Sakonnet (variations include Sogkonate, Seconit, Seaconnet, etc.) tribe, who were led by AwashonksAwashonks
Awashonks was a female sachem of the Sakonnet Indian tribe in Seconet, Rhode Island. She signed the Plymouth Agreement of 1671...
. Awashonks' people lived in Wilbour Woods in the winter time and at Sakonnet Point in the summer time. Her step-son Mamannuah lead a separate Sakonnet tribe in the Adamsville area. The two leaders had frequent disputes over land and vied with each other to be recognized by the English as the sole Sakonnet leader.
Sakonnet has been interpreted in a variety of ways: "the black goose comes" or "where the water pours fourth."
The first European settlers in Little Compton were Englishmen from Duxbury, Massachusetts in the Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
who sought to expand their land holdings. After first attempting negotiations with Awashonks, they petitioned the Plymouth Colony, which granted them their charter. In a series of lotteries beginning in 1674 and ending in the early 1680s, they divided the land in Little Compton into lots of standard sizes and began settling there. Among these 32 original proprietors was Colonel Benjamin Church. Church was well known for his role in the late 17th-century conflicts with surrounding Native American tribes, notably the Narragansetts and Wampanoags. In 1675, Church built his homestead in Little Compton, just prior to King Philip's War
King Philip's War
King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
. Today, a plaque on the side of West Main Road gives the location of his original homestead. The plaque is located near house number 600 on the eastern side of West Main Road.
In 1682, Sakonnet was incorporated by the Plymouth Colony and renamed Little Compton. This is possibly a reference to Little Compton in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. However, there is no direct evidence to substantiate this relationship. By 1747, Little Compton secured its own royal decree and was annexed to Newport County as a part of Rhode Island along with Tiverton and Bristol
Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol is a town in and the historic county seat of Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 22,954 at the 2010 census. Bristol, a deepwater seaport, is named after Bristol, England....
. Because Little Compton was once part of the Plymouth colony, all probate and land records prior to 1746 can be found in Taunton
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
and New Bedford
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
.
Sites of historic interest in Little Compton include the Wilbor House
Wilbor House
Wilbor House is a historic house museum at 548 West Main Road in Little Compton, Rhode Island. The house serves as the headquarters of the Little Compton Historical Society.It was built in 1690 by Samuel Wilbore who purchased the land from the Indians in 1673...
, built in 1692 by Samuel Wilbor, now the home of the Little Compton Historical Society http://www.littlecompton.org. The entire town commons is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
There are about 57 historic cemeteries in the town. Colonel Benjamin Church and his family are buried in the Little Compton Commons cemetery, as is Elizabeth Pabodie
Elizabeth Pabodie
Elizabeth Pabodie , also known as Elizabeth Alden Pabodie or Elizabeth Peabody, was allegedly the first white woman born in New England....
, the eldest daughter of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins of Mayflower
Mayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
fame. The stones in the cemetery reflect a style of carving similar to that found both in Newport and in Boston during the same time period.
Little Compton is the location for one of two town commons in Rhode Island. The other is in Bristol. This is most likely a result of the town having been originally laid out by settlers from the Plymouth and Massachusetts Colonies. Land for the common was designated in August of 1677 and has been used ever since as both a religious and civic center for social activities in the town.
While there are only a few 17th-century structures still standing (these include the Wilbor house and Peabody house), there are many which date from the 18th and 19th century. The Quaker meeting house on West Main Road, Number 8 Schoolhouse (now used as part of the Town Hall), Town Hall, Wilbur's Store, and the United Congregational Church all pre-date 1900 and are centered around the town commons. Additional historic homes are scattered throughout the town and include the Asa Gray house, the Slicer house, Oldacre, the Brownell house on West Main Road, the Brownell house on Meetinghouse Lane, William Whalley Homestead
William Whalley Homestead
William Whalley Homestead is an historic house at 33 Burchard Avenue, Little Compton, Rhode Island.The farm and home were built in the early nineteenth century. The house is in a federal style and was added to the National Historic Register in 1988....
farmstead on Burchard Ave. (on the National Register of Historic Places), and the Brownell Library on the commons.
Another distinctive feature of the town is the "Spite Tower" found in the village of Adamsville
Adamsville, Rhode Island
Adamsville, Rhode Island is a historic village in Little Compton, Rhode Island. It was first settled in 1675 around the time of King Phillip's War.-Historic Sites:...
. Local lore claims that the tower was constructed to obscure the line of sight of a town local. While most stories involve members of the local Manchester family, there is no consensus as to the true history of the structure. According to the present day owner of the building, the "Spite Tower" was built above an artesian well. There was a pump that brought the water to a holding tank on the third floor that sent water, via gravity feed, to main house's water tank to provide running water. The building was constructed circa 1905. The chauffeur's residence was on the second floor of the tower.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 28.9 square miles (74.9 km²), of which, 20.9 square miles (54.1 km²) is land and 8 square miles (20.7 km²) (27.79%) is water. One of the largest bodies of water in Little Compton is Quicksand Pond
Quicksand Pond
Quicksand Pond is a pond in Little Compton, Rhode Island.It is a Major Winter Flounder Spawning Area, has Rare Species Habitat and Significant Natural Communities designation, and is part of a proposed natural greenway corridor. Quicksand Pond is also entirely surrounded by critical habitats, and...
.
Education
There is only one school in Little Compton, the Wilbur and McMahon school. It was originally known as the Josephine Wilbur (or central) school. It had 12 classrooms and housed the town's K-12 facilities. It was renamed after additions were built in the mid 1900's. Approximately 350 students attend classes in Kindergarten through 8th grade. Located in the center of town, the residents simply refer to it as "Wilbur School." High school students usually attend Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth, RI.Rhode Island Red
The Rhode Island RedRhode Island Red
The Rhode Island Red is a breed of chicken . They are a utility bird, raised for meat and eggs, and also as show birds. They are a popular choice for backyard flocks because of their egg laying abilities and hardiness. Non-industrial strains of the Rhode Island Red are listed as recovering by the...
is a breed of chicken originally bred in Adamsville
Adamsville, Rhode Island
Adamsville, Rhode Island is a historic village in Little Compton, Rhode Island. It was first settled in 1675 around the time of King Phillip's War.-Historic Sites:...
, a small village that is part of Little Compton. Little Compton is the only place in the United States with a monument dedicated to a chicken. In 1925, the Rhode Island Red Club of America donated funds for an elegant monument to the Rhode Island Red in Adamsville, near the baseball field and across the street from the Barn restaurant. The monument is now on the National Register of Historic Places. A competing monument to the Rhode Island Red was erected by the state in 1954, 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Adamsville. Some claim that it was not created for the poultry fanciers, but for the farmers who raised them commercially in great numbers in Little Compton.
Notable residents
- AwashonksAwashonksAwashonks was a female sachem of the Sakonnet Indian tribe in Seconet, Rhode Island. She signed the Plymouth Agreement of 1671...
(ca. 1620 - ca. 1684), female sachemSachemA sachem[p] or sagamore is a paramount chief among the Algonquians or other northeast American tribes. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms from different Eastern Algonquian languages...
of the Sakonnet tribe - Sydney Richmond BurleighSydney Richmond BurleighSydney Richmond Burleigh was an American artist, known primarily for his watercolors but also for his oil paintings, drawings, illustrations, and building and furniture designs....
(1853–1931), artist - Captain Benjamin Church (ca. 1639 - 1718), Father of American ranging
- Christopher R. HillChristopher R. HillChristopher Robert Hill is an American diplomat who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq.On July 1, 2010, Hill was chosen to be the dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver...
(b. 1952), former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific AffairsAssistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific AffairsThe Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs is the head of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs within the United States Department of State. The Assistant Secretary guides operation of the U.S...
and current United States Ambassador to IraqUnited States Ambassador to IraqThis is a list of United States ambassadors, or lower-ranking heads of a diplomatic mission to Iraq.* Alexander K. Sloan - Chargé d'Affaires* Paul Knabenshue - Minister* Thomas M. Wilson - Minister* Loy W... - Henry Demarest LloydHenry Demarest LloydHenry Demarest Lloyd was a 19th-century American progressive political activist and a forerunner to the later muckraking journalist. He is best remembered for his exposés of the Standard Oil Company, which was written before Ida M...
(1847–1903), muckraking journalistJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A... - J. William MiddendorfJ. William MiddendorfJohn William Middendorf II was a Republican United States diplomat.-Biography:Middendorf received a Bachelor of Naval Science from College of the Holy Cross in 1945. He served in the Navy just at the end of World War II as engineer officer and navigator of USS LCS 53, being mustered out in 1946...
(b. 1924), diplomatDiplomatA diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, civil servant, and artist - Arden MyrinArden MyrinArden Myrin is an American comedian and actress known for her role on the television show MADtv.-Early years:Myrin was born in Little Compton, Rhode Island, a seaside fishing village. She was the younger of two children; her father was an accountant, and her mother was a real estate agent. As a...
(b. 1973), cast member of MADtvMADtvMADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first... - Elizabeth PabodieElizabeth PabodieElizabeth Pabodie , also known as Elizabeth Alden Pabodie or Elizabeth Peabody, was allegedly the first white woman born in New England....
(1623–1717), daughter of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, recognized as the first whiteWhite peopleWhite people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
girl born in New EnglandNew EnglandNew England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut... - Abel Head "Shanghai" PierceAbel Head "Shanghai" PierceAbel Head "Shanghai" Pierce, born June 29, 1834, in Little Compton, Rhode Island, was a Texas, United States, rancher. He was a direct descendant of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, with nine generations in between. He was related to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow as well as a president of the United...
(1834–1900), a rancher and cattleman in TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... - John SimmonsJohn Simmons (clothing manufacturer)John Simmons was a pioneer in clothing manufacturing and the founder of Simmons College, a liberal arts women's college in Boston, Massachusetts....
(1796–1870), clothing manufacturer and founder of Simmons CollegeSimmons College (Massachusetts)Simmons College, established in 1899, is a private women's undergraduate college and private co-educational graduate school in Boston, Massachusetts.-History:Simmons was founded in 1899 with a bequest by John Simmons a wealthy clothing manufacturer in Boston... - Henry Tillinghast SissonHenry Tillinghast SissonHenry Tillinghast Sisson was a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War, a Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island from 1875–1877, and inventor of the three-ring binder.-References:...
(1831–1910), Civil War hero, Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island, and inventor of the three-ring binderRing binderRing binders are folders in which punched pieces of paper may be held by means of clamps running through the holes in the paper... - Charles Edwin WilbourCharles Edwin WilbourCharles Edwin Wilbour was an American journalist and Egyptologist. He was one of the discoverers of the Elephantine Papyri. He produced the first American translation of Les Misérables.-Biography:...
(1833–1896), journalist and Egyptologist - Isaac WilbourIsaac WilbourIsaac Wilbour was an American politician from Rhode Island holding several offices, including the sixth Governor of the state....
(1763–1837), Governor of Rhode Island, member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, and Chief JusticeChief JusticeThe Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island - Paul SuttellPaul SuttellPaul Suttell is the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.Chief Justice Suttell is a 1976 graduate of Suffolk University Law School and a 1971 graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois...
(b. 1949), current Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme CourtRhode Island Supreme CourtThe Rhode Island Supreme Court, founded in 1747, is the court of last resort in the U.S. State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The Court consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. The current Justices of the Rhode Island Supreme Court are:*Chief Justice Paul A...
Stores and restaurants
The majority of stores in Little Compton are in the center of town, the Commons. A Sovereign Bank is housed in a building that used to be the Post Office. Before that, it was the Simmons store, which is located in the neighborhood of AdamsvilleAdamsville, Rhode Island
Adamsville, Rhode Island is a historic village in Little Compton, Rhode Island. It was first settled in 1675 around the time of King Phillip's War.-Historic Sites:...
. One of the more famous restaurants in Little Compton is the Commons Lunch, known for its johnny cakes. It burned down in 2004, but has since reopened. A-1 Pizza has been on the Commons in Little Compton for over 35 years and serves fresh pizzas and subs. Other restaurants in town include Crowther's on Pottersville Road. The Art Cafe serves coffee drinks in a beautiful country setting. During the summer, many farm stands open, most of which are on West Main Road. These include the Last Stand, Walker's Roadside Stand, Gray's Grist Mill http://www.graysgristmill.com/ (home of the RI Jonnycake), and Young Family Farm. Peckham's Greenhouse at West Main and Peckham Roads attracts customers for its plants and gardening supplies. In Adamsville, Gray's claims to be the oldest continually operating general store in the country (although Brown & Hopkins in Chepachet may dispute); it is now an antique store. The Stone House, a resort on 122 Sakonnet Point Road, features two gourmet restaurants. 1854, was once known as the Tap Room, and is reminiscent of the Prohibition-era speakeasy that it's cellar was once rumored to be. 1854 serves modern comfort food. Pietra is located in the Wood Barn of the Stone House and serves Tuscan inspired cuisine with a local flair.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,593 people, 1,475 households, and 1,041 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 172.1 people per square mile (66.5/km²). There were 2,103 housing units at an average density of 100.7 per square mile (38.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.75% White, 0.06% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 0.86% of the population.
There were 1,475 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $55,368, and the median income for a family was $62,750. Males had a median income of $43,199 versus a median income of $28,676 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $32,513. About 3.7% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.0% of those under the age of 18 and 2.4% of those 65 and older.
Attractions and sites on National Register of Historic Places
- Wilbor House Museum (1692)
- Friends Meeting House and CemeteryFriends Meeting House and CemeteryFriends Meeting House and Cemetery is a historic Quaker meeting house and cemetery at 234 W. Main Road in Little Compton, Rhode Island. It is operated by the Little Compton Historical Society....
(1815) - Little Compton Common Historic DistrictLittle Compton Common Historic DistrictLittle Compton Common Historic District is a historic district in Little Compton, Rhode Island.The area features a various Greek Revival and Victorian buildings, a Congregational church and a town common, one of only two remaining in Rhode Island...
- Rhode Island Red MonumentRhode Island Red MonumentThe Rhode Island Red Monument is an historic commemorative sculpture in Little Compton, Rhode Island in the village of Adamsville, Rhode Island commemorating Rhode Island's state bird, the Rhode Island Red....
(1925) - Sakonnet Light Station (1884)
- Stone House InnStone House InnThe Stone House Inn is an historic property located at 122 Sakonnet Point Road in Little Compton, Rhode Island.-History:The stone home was constructed in 1854 by David Sisson, an iron and textile manufacturer...
(1854) - William Whalley HomesteadWilliam Whalley HomesteadWilliam Whalley Homestead is an historic house at 33 Burchard Avenue, Little Compton, Rhode Island.The farm and home were built in the early nineteenth century. The house is in a federal style and was added to the National Historic Register in 1988....
- Little Compton Community Center