Wakefield-Peacedale is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of South Kingstown in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 8,468 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Wakefield-Peacedale is located at 41°26′28″N, 71°29′57″W (41.441234, -71.499290).^[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.1 mi² (13.2 km²). 4.9 mi² (12.6 km²) of it is land and 0.2&nbps;mi² (0.6 Â²) of it (4.70%) is water.

History

Peace Dale was founded around 1800 by South Kingstown industrialist Rowland Hazard, who named the village after his wife, Mary Peace. Arounded 1804, Hazard reputedly pioneered the use of carding machines to process wool in Rhode Island. In 1814, Hazard was also one of the first American manufacturers to employ narrow-width power looms, and also was the first woolen manufacturer to combine all his manufacturing processes under one roof. Around 1820 Hazard renamed the nearby industrial village of Wakefield after the town and family of the same name in England, who were friends of his. Prior to this, the village had been called McCoon's or Mumford's Mill for the snuff mill that by the 1820's had been converted to manufacturing woolen textiles. Rowland Hazard II (1829-1898) was an intitial investor in the Solvay Process Company and its first president. His son, Frederick R. Hazard, succeeded him as president of the company, with works at Solvay, New York. More about the Hazard family appears in the article about Solvay, New York.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 8,468 people, 3,221 households, and 2,174 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 671.4/km² (1,739.4/mi²). There were 3,385 housing units at an average density of 268.4/km² (695.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.34% White, 2.01% African American, 3.08% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.56% from other races, and 2.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.56% of the population.

There were 3,221 households out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $50,313, and the median income for a family was $61,541. Males had a median income of $47,470 versus $26,922 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,191. About 3.9% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
2. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

Further reading

• A Stroll Through Memory Lane Vol. I by Oliver T. Stedman. West Kingston RI : Kingston Press c. 1978
• Lost South Kingstown : with a history of ten of its early villages by Kathleen Bossy and Mary Keane. Kingston, R.I. : Pettaquamscutt Historical Society, c. 2004
• History of Washington and Kent counties, Rhode Island by J.R. Cole. New York : W. W. Preston & Co., 1889

External links

• Wakefield-Peacedale, Rhode Island is at coordinates 41°26′28″N 71°29′57″W / 41.441234, -71.49929 (Wakefield-Peacedale, Rhode Island)Coordinates: 41°26′28″N 71°29′57″W / 41.441234, -71.49929 (Wakefield-Peacedale, Rhode Island)

v â€¢ d â€¢ e Municipalities and communities of Washington County, Rhode Island Towns Charlestown | Exeter | Hopkinton | Narragansett | New Shoreham | North Kingstown | Richmond | South Kingstown | Westerly CDPs Ashaway | Bradford | Hope Valley | Narragansett Pier | Wakefield-Peacedale | Westerly Other villages Alton | Kingston | Quonochontaug | Saunderstown | Watch Hill | Wickford