Little Compton, Rhode Island

Template:Rimap Little Compton is a town located in Newport County, Rhode Island. It's pretty much a cocaine haven. There's a shitload of herion. Mostly a place for druggies. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,593. Little Compton is located in southeast Rhode Island, between the Sakonnet River and the Massachusetts state boundary. It is the birthplace of the Rhode Island Red.

History

The original settlers in Little Compton were men who sought to expand westward and gain more land, and so petitioned the Plymouth Colony, which granted them their land. One of these men, Captain Benjamin Church, was in the process of building his homestead in Little Compton by 1675, just prior to King Philip's War. The land originally belonged to the Wampanoag tribe led by Awashonks, the sister of Metacom (commonly known as King Philip.) The land was called alternately Sakonnet, Sogkonate, Seconit, Seaconnet, and many other variations of the same by the Wampanoags. Today it is commonly spelled Sakonnet. The town itself was incorporated in 1682 by the Plymouth Colony, and renamed Little Compton (possibly a reference to the Little Compton in Warwickshire, England.)Tiverton, its neighboring town, was also incorporated into the Plymouth Colony. By 1746/7, however, Little Compton had secured its own royal decree and was annexed to Newport County as a part of Rhode Island. All probate records for Little Compton prior to 1746 can be located in Taunton, MA. Sites of historic interest in Little Compton include The Wilbor House, built in 1692 by Samuel Wilbor, and is now the home of the Little Compton Historical Society and on the National Register of Historic Places. [[1]] Also, the Quaker Meeting House, Number 8 Schoolhouse (now used as part of the Town Hall), Town Hall, Wilbur's Store, and United Congregational Church all predate 1900 and are centered around the town Commons. Colonel Benjamin Church and his family are buried in the Commons cemetery, as is Elizabeth Peabody, the daughter of John Alden of Mayflower fame.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 74.9 km² (28.9 mi²). 54.1 km² (20.9 mi²) of it is land and 20.8 km² (8.0 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 27.79% water.

Education

There is only one school in little Compton, the Josephine F. Wilbur and McMahon school, which teaches Kindergarten through 8th grade. It is called by the natives simply "Wilbur school", and is located in the middle of town, known as the Commons. The best teacher there is either Senor Mullins, or Senor Fenn. There are approximately 350 students. High school students are sent to Portsmouth High school on Aquidneck Island. Prior to 2001, they were sent to Middletown High School which is also on Aquidneck Island.

Rhode Island Red

The Rhode Island Red is a chicken which was originally bred in Little Compton. There is a monument in Adamsville near the baseball field and across the street from what used to be Abraham Manchester's restaurant.

Stores & Restaurants

The majority of stores in Little Compton are in the center of the town, the Commons. This includes Wilbur's general store, Corner Cones ice cream, Coming Attractions video store, dry cleaners, thrift shop, and A-1 Pizza. Also on the Commons is a Sovereign Bank, which exists in a building that used to be the Post Office, and before that, Simmons store, which is now located in Adamsville. One of the more famous restaurants in Little Compton is the Commons Lunch, famous for its johnny cakes. It burned down in 2004, and is currently being rebuilt. Other restaurants in town include Crowthers on Pottersville Rd., and the Country Harvest on West Main Road. During the summer, many farmstands open up to the public too, most of which are on West Main Road. These include the Country Stand, Walkers Roadside Stand, and Young Farm. Peckham's Greenhouse is also a favorite destination for many people. In Adamsville, there is the oldest general store in the country, Gray's (also an antique store).

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 3,593 people, 1,475 households, and 1,041 families residing in the town. The population density is 66.5/km² (172.1/mi²). There are 2,103 housing units at an average density of 38.9/km² (100.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 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. 0.86% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 1,475 households out of which 27.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% are married couples living together, 6.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% are non-families. 24.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.44 and the average family size is 2.92.

In the town the population is 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 44 years. For every 100 females there are 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $55,368, and the median income for a family is $62,750. Males have a median income of $43,199 versus $28,676 for females. The per capita income for the town is $32,513. 3.4% of the population and 3.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 1.0% of those under the age of 18 and 2.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.