Potowomut, Rhode Island
Encyclopedia
Potowomut is an isolated neighborhood and a peninsula in Warwick
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...

, 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...

. It borders the Town of East Greenwich to the southwest, North Kingstown to the southeast, and Greenwich Bay
Greenwich Bay (Rhode Island)
Greenwich Bay, is a bay on the coast of Rhode Island in the United States near East Greenwich, Rhode Island off of Narragansett Bay.The United States Navy seaplane tender USS Greenwich Bay, in commission from 1945 to 1966, was named for the bay....

 on all other sides.

Potowomut's name translates to "land of fires", the Narragansett
Narragansett
Narragansett may refer to:*Narragansett , a Pennsylvania Railroad train*Narragansett , an Amtrak train*Narragansett **Narragansett land claim*Narragansett, Rhode Island, a town*Narragansett Bay*Narragansett...

 Indian name for the neck of land.

History

It was originally a village in the Warwick Township of Kent County
Kent County, Rhode Island
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 167,090 people, 67,320 households, and 44,969 families residing in the county. The population density was 982 people per square mile . There were 70,365 housing units at an average density of 414 per square mile...

. It can be called an exclave, since there is no overland connection to the rest of the city of Warwick. It is often mistakenly referred to as being part of the Town of East Greenwich. Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...

, a general in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

 was born here on Forge Farm
Forge Farm
Forge Farm is an historic farm at 40 Forge Road in Warwick, Rhode Island and is one of the oldest farms in Rhode Island.The farm was founded in 1684 by the Greene family. It was the birthplace of General Nathanael Greene. The farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974....

 in 1742.

In the 1680s, the first white settlers arrived with James Greene at what came to be known as Greene's River. Here, his son, Jabez, built a dam and a mill, later; his descendants established an anchor forge, now located at the foot of Old Forge Road. The Greene family mainly used the land to raise cattle and harvest hay, which was then shipped across Greenwich Bay to the wharf in Apponaug, Rhode Island
Apponaug, Rhode Island
Apponaug is a neighborhood in central Warwick, Rhode Island, situated on Apponaug Cove, a tributary to Greenwich Bay and nearby Narragansett Bay. The name Apponaug is a derivation of the Narragansett Indian word for "place of oysters"...

. Upon James' death, the property passed to his son Richard. A fondness for lavish hospitality and fancy living plunged Richard Greene into deep debt.

Geography

To visit Potowomut by land, one must leave the City of Warwick to get to it. The most common route follows US Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Rhode Island
In the U.S. state of Rhode Island, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway through Providence. Staying close to the Atlantic Ocean and Narragansett Bay, it is a longer route than Interstate 95, and many portions are a four-lane divided highway....

 (Post Rd.), and entering East Greenwich, takes Forge Road.

Emergency services

Potowomut's Fire Fighting services are provided by the town of East Greenwich for a yearly fee. Police Services are provided by the Warwick Police Department.

Features and attractions

Today, Potowomut is a reminder of Warwick's past. The peninsula's eastern tip gives a view of Greenwich Bay. The narrow streets have a mix of older and newer houses.

Unique to Potowomut is Goddard Memorial State Park
Robert Hale Ives Goddard
Robert Hale Ives Goddard was a prominent banker, industrialist, U.S. Army officer, state senator and philanthropist.-Biography:...

. Goddard Park attracts thousands of visitors each year as Rhode Island’s most popular metropolitan park. Its facilities include a 9 hole golf course designed by Donald Ross, a horse barn where the public can rent and ride horses, a beach with bathhouse, sprawling open fields, and a carousel building for functions. Located next to the park is Potowomut Country Club, a private club.

Potowomut is a peninsula on Narragansett Bay which can only be accessed via East Greenwich and/or the town of North Kingston, both of which have municipal sewer lines. Potowomut cannot be accessed regarding a municipal sewer line due to geography. The city has attempted numerous times to reach a viable agreement with both towns which would enable it to access either of both municipal sewer lines, upon a viable agreement. Potowomut, located on the Narragansett Bay, consists of multiple residential neighborhoods resulting in a catalyst of sewage over-spill into Narragansett Bay. There is no solution at this time.
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