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Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington

Rhode Island Counties

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Rhode Island Counties

There are five counties in the state of Rhode Island. Rhode Island has the second lowest number of counties of any U.S. state (only Delaware has fewer, with three counties). Although Rhode Island is divided into counties, it does not have any local government at the county level.

Providence County, Rhode Island

Providence County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat:
Year Organized: 1703
Square Miles: 413

Court House:

County does not have any form of county government.

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Named by Baptists for divine providence.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

Established: June 22, 1703

Former Name: Providence Plantations
Date of Name Change: June 16, 1729

Bristol County was created from Bristol, Mass., 1747. Kent County was made from Providence County in 1750. Newport County was originally created as Rhode Island County in 1703 and renamed in 1729. Providence County was formed as Providence Plantations County in 1703. Washington County was originally created as Kings County from Providence Plantations in 1729 and renamed in 1781. Block Island was transferred from Newport County to Washington County May 6, 1963. Although you will see the "South County" mentioned in many places, it does not exist as an actual county. Basically, Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Narragansett, North Kingstown, Richmond, South Kingstown, Westerly and West Greenwich, make up what is known as South County, RI

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 436 square miles (1,129 km²), of which, 413 square miles (1,070 km²) of it is land and 23 square miles (58 km²) of it (5.18%) is water.

The highest point in the county is Jerimoth Hill, also the highest in the state. Sea level is the lowest point.

Neighboring Counties:

Norfolk County, Massachusetts - northeast
Bristol County, Rhode Island - east
Bristol County, Massachusetts - east
Kent County, Rhode Island - south
Windham County, Connecticut - west
Worcester County, Massachusetts - northwest

Cities and Towns:

- Burrillville	town
- Central Falls	city	Incorporated Area
- Cranston	city	Incorporated Area
- Cumberland	town
- East Providence	city	Incorporated Area
- Foster	town
- Glocester	town
- Johnston	town
- Lincoln	town
- North Providence	town
- North Smithfield	town
- Pawtucket	city	Incorporated Area
- Providence	city	Incorporated Area
- Scituate	town
- Smithfield	town
- Woonsocket	city	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resources

The history of our nation was a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names given the counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of this country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."