1. What’s the name of the oldest non-profit serving the Latino community in the city? – Progreso Latino, Inc. It’s been helping the city since 1977
2. Why is there such a large Hispanic presence in the city of Central Falls, why did they arrive to Central Falls vs. other cities? -There is a large Latino community in CF because that is where the factories were, and many immigrants moved to areas near factories because that is where they could find work, and after the first immigrants came to CF, many followed because they wanted to find communities that they could relate to culturally.
3. Are there public parks? –Of course! I visited Jenks Park, but there is also River Island Park, Pierce Park, and many others.
4. Find one monument or statue. What is the history associated with it? –I found one monument while I was wandering around Central Falls, and after I looked at it, I found out that it was a WWII monument to the soldier from Central Falls who fought in the war.
5. The world famous artist is Lorenzo de Nevers.
6. The British soldier, Irish revolutionary, and fugitive from justice is James Wilson.
7. Caroline Cogswell, whose tower still stands in Jenks Park, is the woman who became wealthy during the Gold Rust of 1849.
8. Elizabeth Buffam Chace helped slaves escaping to Canada by having a “station” on the Underground Railroad in her home.
9. Other- While checking out Central Falls, I found out that a major battle in King Philip’s War occurred here. I also found that the WPA was active in Central Falls because Cogswell Tower in Jenks Park was built by it.
10. Finally, the three professional baseball players from Central Falls are Jim Siwy, Max Surkont, and Charley Basset.
During this Scavenger Hunt, I learned a lot about both the cultural past and identity of Central Falls as well as how the history of Central Falls fits into the story of Rhode Island history and US history. A lot of large movements, such as immigration, wars, and factory strikes occurred here and it was really interesting to see how this city with an area of one square mile fits into the overall story of US history.
(This isn't letting me post pictures, but I do have them, and if anyone figures out how to post pictures, let me know)
3. Between 2000 and 2015, the population of Latinos in Central Falls grew from less than 50 percent of the city’s population to nearly 70 percent. A labor shortage in the 1960’s and 70’s prompted a wave of early Latin American immigrants to the area. Subsequent immigration has continued despite the demise of the mills in Central Falls as a result of an established Hispanic population in the area, much like immigrant groups in areas of New York- immigrant groups will go where they already have family or cultural ties in the region rather than somewhere entirely “foreign” to them.
4. There are 3 secondary schools, 4 primary schools, a preK-Kindergarten school, and one Catholic school in Central Falls. The three secondary schools are Central Falls High School, Calcutt Middle School, and the Segue Institute for Learning- the first two are both public schools, while the latter is a 6-8 charter school. The four elementary schools include the Alan Shawn Feinstein Elementary School, the Ella Risk Elementary School, the Margaret Robertson Elementary School, and the Veterans Memorial Elementary School. The preK-Kindergarten school is called the Captain G. Harold Hunt School, while the city’s only private school is called the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Academy.
8. There is one post office in Central Falls, located at 575 Dexter St.
9. There is both a police station and a fire station within Central Falls- although other cities may have multiple fire stations, Central Falls is small enough in area that it doesn’t necessitate multiple stations. A professional force, the fire department prides itself on its rapid response times despite the density of the city’s population and cramped infrastructure, as well as its incorporation of the latest technology. Crime statistics for the city place Central Falls as well above average for incidents of murder, rape, assault, and other violent crimes per 100,000 people.
10. There is no movie theatre within Central Falls. It appears the closest one also happens to be the one I frequented as a child, listed as East Providence 10 Cinemas online (although I grew up with it being called Patriot Cinemas).
15. Although it is located in nearby Cumberland rather than Central Falls, a monument named “Nine Men’s Misery” is dedicated to 9 colonists from Central Falls who were kidnapped and tortured by the Narragansets during King Phillip’s War. It is particularly interesting as its construction date of 1676 is believed to make it one of the oldest monuments in the United States.
17. It appears that Latin American cuisine is very popular in Central Falls as a result of its large Hispanic population. However, I chose to eat at Village Pizza at 650 Dexter St, a popular pizza place within the community. I enjoyed the food a lot- I ordered a pizza, but I heard that the wings and french fries there are also very good.
18. As a result of its large Hispanic population, the vast majority of religious individuals currently living in Central Falls identify as Catholic. Other faiths, including other Christian faiths, Judaism, and Islam, represent less than 3% of the city’s population. There are several churches, but the city lacks places of worship for other faiths (most likely the result of their relatively small populations).
23. James Wilson was an Irish revolutionary who deserted from the British Army and became a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Captured, he was sentenced to penal servitude for life in Western Australia. Writing of his time in the penal colony to his colleagues, money was raised by a number of Irish-Americans to organize his rescue (in addition to several compatriots). A ship, the Catalpa, was soon fitted for its journey halfway across the world, and set out to rescue Wilson; the effort was successful, and Wilson settled in Central Falls upon his arrival to the United States.
24. Three professional baseball players have hailed from Central Falls; their names are Mark Surkont (active from 1949-1957), Charley Bassett (active from 1884-1892), and Jim Siwy (active from 1982-1984).
I also have my pictures from my trip to Central Falls, and will have them ready for people to see tomorrow in class. I have noticed from my experiences in Woonsocket and Pawtucket that former mill towns are often a nightmare to drive through as a result of the ill-advised infrastructure layout, and Central Falls is no exception- it was a bit of a nightmare driving everywhere. However, such a large population encompassing such a small area makes for a multitude of interesting sites. I enjoyed reading the names of stores and seeing some of the smaller Spanish shops, and I definitely would have never tried Village Pizza if it wasn't for this assignment. I enjoyed doing this project- I made a small day trip out of it- and feel a lot more in tune with the city than I did previously.
4. There are six schools in Central Falls. There is one pre-school, three elementry schools, one middle school, and one high school. There are no colleges located in Central Falls, though Rhode Island College does have a presence.
8. There is one post office in Central Falls.
9. There is a fire station and a police station. Central Falls violent crime and property crime rates are higher than both the state average and the national average.
10. There are no movie theaters in Central Falls.
12. There are multiple parks in central falls. There is Jenks Park; which features a tower, is near the high school, and will soon feature free wi-fi. There is also River Island Park and Pierce Park.
20. The two inventors are Leonard Ryszkiewicz and Ibrahima Diaw. Leonard Ryszkiewicz invented a templet system for cutting openings in panels made of either lath or plaster, and a stepladder caddy. Ibrahima Diaw invented a miniature bowling game.
21. Lorenzo de Nevers is a famous Canadian painter the immigrated to Central Falls.
23. James Wilson is the Irish revolutionary who landed in Central Falls.
24. The professional baseball players from Central Falls are Charlie Bassett, Jim Siwy, and Mark Surkont.
28. Elizabeth Buffum Chase helped slaves escape to Canada and was involved with the women's rights movement.
From this assignment I learned that Central Falls has rich history. Multiple famous people have resided in Central Falls. Overall I noticed how Central Falls feels very community centric, with it's multiple parks, multiple playgrounds, sports center, and other recreational spots.
I am also have pictures I'm having trouble uploading.
As I completed this assignment, I thought about why we were asked to do it as we learned there should be a reason behind everything we assign. I feel as though this was meant to help us understand the community in which we are observing and slowly becoming a part of. We observe students in Central Falls, and we think we know the area. When in reality, this scavenger hunt was a real eye-opener for me. I learned things I would have never known had I not done the research and took the time to get to know about the city. I think it is extremely important to get to know the city and community you are a part of. As a teacher in that city, you are a member of that community even if that is not where your house is. You impact and have a role in that community and that means you should act like it and know about it. It will only help us understand what our students deal with outside of school, and what we could do to help them in our teaching styles. In order to teach your students successfully, you must get to know them. Where people come from has a big impact on their lives, and when we know and understand this we can also understand how the community will impact their learning. I think this assignment was very worthwhile and I have the hopes to research and get to know the communities that I will teach in in the future. I think you could also use this as a first day of school assignment for students. It could provide students with that sense of community, getting to know their surrounding city and school in a way they may not be familiar with. They obviously know some things already, but I am sure they will learn new facts and that will bring them closer together as a class and as a community. These are the 10 questions I chose to answer (numbered according to the original worksheet): 4. There are six public schools in the Central Falls School District, Captain Hunt (preschool), Robertson Elementary (kindergarten), Ella Risk (grades 1-4), Veterans Memorial (grades 1-4), Calcutt Middle School (grades 5-8), and Central Falls High School (grades 9-12). There is also one private school in the city, St Elizabeth Ann Seton Academy (PK-8). There are no colleges or universities in the city, but some are as close by as Providence. 8. There is a post office in Central Falls, it is located at 575 Dexter Street. 12. There are four public parks that include Central Falls Historic District, Jenks Park, Central Falls Mill Historic District, and Central Street School Historic District. 14. The local newspaper is The Pawtucket Times. 19. The library in Central Falls is the Adams Memorial library. The events they are holding include a Halloween party on October 26, Storytime that is held on Thursdays where a librarian reads books and sings songs to help children get ready for school, Lego Club which is held on Mondays, and Read to Maggie is held on Wednesdays where children have the opportunity to read to Maggie the beagle. The resources available include multiple databases for people to search through, an ask a librarian feature, databases to find articles, access to learning a language, tax forms, an online catalog for the library, health information, local information, and different databases to search for jobs.
22. The City’s government was organized on March 18, 1895, with Charles Moies becoming the first City’s first mayor. On January 1, 2013 James Diossa was sworn in as the predominantly Latino city’s first Latino mayor.He was sworn in at the young age of twenty-seven and grew up in the city he now serves! 24. The three professional baseball players from Central Falls include Charley Bassett, Jim Siwy, and Max Surkont. 26. Becoming wealthy during the Gold Rush of 1849, Caroline Cogswell remembered her hometown and donated $50,000 to build the Cogswell Tower, whose four clock faces provide unparalleled views of the city in all four directions. 28. Elizabeth B. Chace and her husband moved to Valley Falls from Fall River in 1839 but the exodus of slaves through the Underground Railroad was already in operation. Soon after 1839 the Buffums maintained what was called a "station" on the railroad at their home at Valley Falls (now Central Falls, R. I.). 29. September 13, 1934 the National Guard was called to quell the Saylesville Workers strike riot in the Moshassuck Cemetery. A strike started on Labor Day in 1934 because workers wanted higher wages and better working conditions. When a local factory called for protection, bullets were fired and hundreds of protesters were severely injured. It will not include the pictures in this comment, but if you go to my blog I have the same post and the pictures show up there.
1) Yes, Central Falls does have a park, more than one in fact. Jenks Park is about a block down from the High School, and Pierce Park. In addition, there’s also the playground located on Illinois Street. 2) Central Falls does have a fire and police department. I’m not sure how old this scavenger hunt assignment is, but when it was written they may not have. As you can see, the police and fire departments share a building, and it appears to be a relatively new facility. Here is a link to any crime statistics you may be interested in. http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Central-Falls-Rhode-Island.html
3) Baseball reference lists 3 players born in Central Falls. They are Jim Siwy, a pitcher for the White Sox, Charley Bassett, an infielder who played for several teams in the 19th century, and Max Surkont, whom also played for the White Sox. 4) Central Falls does not currently have an operational movie theatre. 5) Founded in 1834, Central Falls is home to Children’s Friend. It is a non-profit helping all families in need. Below is a picture of the office. 6) Central Falls has a post office located on Dexter Street, though I drive right past it, I never noticed it. 7) Many people still don’t have Wi-Fi in this city. There are some who do, but it sounds like they are still the minority. A local cable company is working to install reduced premium Wi-Fi to help the students of the area. 8) So this is the coolest thing I found on my hunt, but you’ll have to pardon my history nerdiness for a moment. Moshassuck Cemetery was home to a labor demonstration, which turned into an armed conflict between workers and the National Guard. They say that some of the gravestones still have bullet holes in them, and I looked for a little while, and I couldn’t be quite sure if they were bullet holes or just natural wear and tear. 9) Why is there a large Hispanic presence in Central Falls? I really wanted to find a definitive answer to this one but couldn’t. The server at Stanley’s told me that it was a combination of things. She cited factory work, fishing work, and affordable housing (in comparison to neighboring towns). 10) I found eight schools altogether, an amazing number for a town that is slightly over one square mile. CFHS, Calcutt Middle School, a charter school named The Segue Institute, Harold Hunt School, and 4 other elementary schools.
So here’s what I noticed during my scavenger hunt in Central Falls. First, I had no idea how much history was here. I knew about Slater Mill and the Industrial Revolution, but the various monuments and historical sights kind of took me by surprise. Secondly, there is a definite sense of community. I noticed several people, whom I don’t think necessarily knew each other, say hello to each other in a “neighborly” fashion. Which brings me to three, that English is not the language of Central Falls. I had no luck asking the first 4 people I talked to in Jenks Park for help with my hunt. I stopped at Stanley’s for a burger, which was very good if you like onions and I do. The server helped me with my questions. Lastly, I noticed that what seems like every fourth or fifth residence was under construction or under some form of remodeling. I think this is a good sign for the future of the city. I know that this may lead to some fear of gentrification if it continues, but I think the city is in need of a little TLC. The city is doing better than I thought when I first started driving up here from my quaint little beach town every week. If there was a “trending arrow” for Central Falls, I’d have to say that it’s pointing up. Or at least pointing up, in reference to the average person’s perception of the city.
1. What’s the name of the oldest non-profit serving the Latino community in the city? – Progreso Latino, Inc. It’s been helping the city since 1977
ReplyDelete2. Why is there such a large Hispanic presence in the city of Central Falls, why did they arrive to Central Falls vs. other cities? -There is a large Latino community in CF because that is where the factories were, and many immigrants moved to areas near factories because that is where they could find work, and after the first immigrants came to CF, many followed because they wanted to find communities that they could relate to culturally.
3. Are there public parks? –Of course! I visited Jenks Park, but there is also River Island Park, Pierce Park, and many others.
4. Find one monument or statue. What is the history associated with it? –I found one monument while I was wandering around Central Falls, and after I looked at it, I found out that it was a WWII monument to the soldier from Central Falls who fought in the war.
5. The world famous artist is Lorenzo de Nevers.
6. The British soldier, Irish revolutionary, and fugitive from justice is James Wilson.
7. Caroline Cogswell, whose tower still stands in Jenks Park, is the woman who became wealthy during the Gold Rust of 1849.
8. Elizabeth Buffam Chace helped slaves escaping to Canada by having a “station” on the Underground Railroad in her home.
9. Other- While checking out Central Falls, I found out that a major battle in King Philip’s War occurred here. I also found that the WPA was active in Central Falls because Cogswell Tower in Jenks Park was built by it.
10. Finally, the three professional baseball players from Central Falls are Jim Siwy, Max Surkont, and Charley Basset.
During this Scavenger Hunt, I learned a lot about both the cultural past and identity of Central Falls as well as how the history of Central Falls fits into the story of Rhode Island history and US history. A lot of large movements, such as immigration, wars, and factory strikes occurred here and it was really interesting to see how this city with an area of one square mile fits into the overall story of US history.
(This isn't letting me post pictures, but I do have them, and if anyone figures out how to post pictures, let me know)
3. Between 2000 and 2015, the population of Latinos in Central Falls grew from less than 50 percent of the city’s population to nearly 70 percent. A labor shortage in the 1960’s and 70’s prompted a wave of early Latin American immigrants to the area. Subsequent immigration has continued despite the demise of the mills in Central Falls as a result of an established Hispanic population in the area, much like immigrant groups in areas of New York- immigrant groups will go where they already have family or cultural ties in the region rather than somewhere entirely “foreign” to them.
ReplyDelete4. There are 3 secondary schools, 4 primary schools, a preK-Kindergarten school, and one Catholic school in Central Falls. The three secondary schools are Central Falls High School, Calcutt Middle School, and the Segue Institute for Learning- the first two are both public schools, while the latter is a 6-8 charter school. The four elementary schools include the Alan Shawn Feinstein Elementary School, the Ella Risk Elementary School, the Margaret Robertson Elementary School, and the Veterans Memorial Elementary School. The preK-Kindergarten school is called the Captain G. Harold Hunt School, while the city’s only private school is called the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Academy.
8. There is one post office in Central Falls, located at 575 Dexter St.
9. There is both a police station and a fire station within Central Falls- although other cities may have multiple fire stations, Central Falls is small enough in area that it doesn’t necessitate multiple stations. A professional force, the fire department prides itself on its rapid response times despite the density of the city’s population and cramped infrastructure, as well as its incorporation of the latest technology. Crime statistics for the city place Central Falls as well above average for incidents of murder, rape, assault, and other violent crimes per 100,000 people.
10. There is no movie theatre within Central Falls. It appears the closest one also happens to be the one I frequented as a child, listed as East Providence 10 Cinemas online (although I grew up with it being called Patriot Cinemas).
15. Although it is located in nearby Cumberland rather than Central Falls, a monument named “Nine Men’s Misery” is dedicated to 9 colonists from Central Falls who were kidnapped and tortured by the Narragansets during King Phillip’s War. It is particularly interesting as its construction date of 1676 is believed to make it one of the oldest monuments in the United States.
ReplyDelete17. It appears that Latin American cuisine is very popular in Central Falls as a result of its large Hispanic population. However, I chose to eat at Village Pizza at 650 Dexter St, a popular pizza place within the community. I enjoyed the food a lot- I ordered a pizza, but I heard that the wings and french fries there are also very good.
18. As a result of its large Hispanic population, the vast majority of religious individuals currently living in Central Falls identify as Catholic. Other faiths, including other Christian faiths, Judaism, and Islam, represent less than 3% of the city’s population. There are several churches, but the city lacks places of worship for other faiths (most likely the result of their relatively small populations).
23. James Wilson was an Irish revolutionary who deserted from the British Army and became a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Captured, he was sentenced to penal servitude for life in Western Australia. Writing of his time in the penal colony to his colleagues, money was raised by a number of Irish-Americans to organize his rescue (in addition to several compatriots). A ship, the Catalpa, was soon fitted for its journey halfway across the world, and set out to rescue Wilson; the effort was successful, and Wilson settled in Central Falls upon his arrival to the United States.
24. Three professional baseball players have hailed from Central Falls; their names are Mark Surkont (active from 1949-1957), Charley Bassett (active from 1884-1892), and Jim Siwy (active from 1982-1984).
I also have my pictures from my trip to Central Falls, and will have them ready for people to see tomorrow in class. I have noticed from my experiences in Woonsocket and Pawtucket that former mill towns are often a nightmare to drive through as a result of the ill-advised infrastructure layout, and Central Falls is no exception- it was a bit of a nightmare driving everywhere. However, such a large population encompassing such a small area makes for a multitude of interesting sites. I enjoyed reading the names of stores and seeing some of the smaller Spanish shops, and I definitely would have never tried Village Pizza if it wasn't for this assignment. I enjoyed doing this project- I made a small day trip out of it- and feel a lot more in tune with the city than I did previously.
4. There are six schools in Central Falls. There is one pre-school, three elementry schools, one middle school, and one high school. There are no colleges located in Central Falls, though Rhode Island College does have a presence.
ReplyDelete8. There is one post office in Central Falls.
9. There is a fire station and a police station. Central Falls violent crime and property crime rates are higher than both the state average and the national average.
10. There are no movie theaters in Central Falls.
12. There are multiple parks in central falls. There is Jenks Park; which features a tower, is near the high school, and will soon feature free wi-fi. There is also River Island Park and Pierce Park.
20. The two inventors are Leonard Ryszkiewicz and Ibrahima Diaw. Leonard Ryszkiewicz invented a templet system for cutting openings in panels made of either lath or plaster, and a stepladder caddy. Ibrahima Diaw invented a miniature bowling game.
21. Lorenzo de Nevers is a famous Canadian painter the immigrated to Central Falls.
23. James Wilson is the Irish revolutionary who landed in Central Falls.
24. The professional baseball players from Central Falls are Charlie Bassett, Jim Siwy, and Mark Surkont.
28. Elizabeth Buffum Chase helped slaves escape to Canada and was involved with the women's rights movement.
From this assignment I learned that Central Falls has rich history. Multiple famous people have resided in Central Falls. Overall I noticed how Central Falls feels very community centric, with it's multiple parks, multiple playgrounds, sports center, and other recreational spots.
I am also have pictures I'm having trouble uploading.
As I completed this assignment, I thought about why we were asked to do it as we learned there should be a reason behind everything we assign. I feel as though this was meant to help us understand the community in which we are observing and slowly becoming a part of. We observe students in Central Falls, and we think we know the area. When in reality, this scavenger hunt was a real eye-opener for me. I learned things I would have never known had I not done the research and took the time to get to know about the city.
ReplyDeleteI think it is extremely important to get to know the city and community you are a part of. As a teacher in that city, you are a member of that community even if that is not where your house is. You impact and have a role in that community and that means you should act like it and know about it. It will only help us understand what our students deal with outside of school, and what we could do to help them in our teaching styles. In order to teach your students successfully, you must get to know them. Where people come from has a big impact on their lives, and when we know and understand this we can also understand how the community will impact their learning.
I think this assignment was very worthwhile and I have the hopes to research and get to know the communities that I will teach in in the future. I think you could also use this as a first day of school assignment for students. It could provide students with that sense of community, getting to know their surrounding city and school in a way they may not be familiar with. They obviously know some things already, but I am sure they will learn new facts and that will bring them closer together as a class and as a community.
These are the 10 questions I chose to answer (numbered according to the original worksheet):
4. There are six public schools in the Central Falls School District, Captain Hunt (preschool), Robertson Elementary (kindergarten), Ella Risk (grades 1-4), Veterans Memorial (grades 1-4), Calcutt Middle School (grades 5-8), and Central Falls High School (grades 9-12). There is also one private school in the city, St Elizabeth Ann Seton Academy (PK-8). There are no colleges or universities in the city, but some are as close by as Providence.
8. There is a post office in Central Falls, it is located at 575 Dexter Street.
12. There are four public parks that include Central Falls Historic District, Jenks Park, Central Falls Mill Historic District, and Central Street School Historic District.
14. The local newspaper is The Pawtucket Times.
19. The library in Central Falls is the Adams Memorial library. The events they are holding include a Halloween party on October 26, Storytime that is held on Thursdays where a librarian reads books and sings songs to help children get ready for school, Lego Club which is held on Mondays, and Read to Maggie is held on Wednesdays where children have the opportunity to read to Maggie the beagle. The resources available include multiple databases for people to search through, an ask a librarian feature, databases to find articles, access to learning a language, tax forms, an online catalog for the library, health information, local information, and different databases to search for jobs.
22. The City’s government was organized on March 18, 1895, with Charles Moies becoming the first City’s first mayor. On January 1, 2013 James Diossa was sworn in as the predominantly Latino city’s first Latino mayor.He was sworn in at the young age of twenty-seven and grew up in the city he now serves!
ReplyDelete24. The three professional baseball players from Central Falls include Charley Bassett, Jim Siwy, and Max Surkont.
26. Becoming wealthy during the Gold Rush of 1849, Caroline Cogswell remembered her hometown and donated $50,000 to build the Cogswell Tower, whose four clock faces provide unparalleled views of the city in all four directions.
28. Elizabeth B. Chace and her husband moved to Valley Falls from Fall River in 1839 but the exodus of slaves through the Underground Railroad was already in operation. Soon after 1839 the Buffums maintained what was called a "station" on the railroad at their home at Valley Falls (now Central Falls, R. I.).
29. September 13, 1934 the National Guard was called to quell the Saylesville Workers strike riot in the Moshassuck Cemetery. A strike started on Labor Day in 1934 because workers wanted higher wages and better working conditions. When a local factory called for protection, bullets were fired and hundreds of protesters were severely injured.
It will not include the pictures in this comment, but if you go to my blog I have the same post and the pictures show up there.
1) Yes, Central Falls does have a park, more than one in fact. Jenks Park is about a block down from the High School, and Pierce Park. In addition, there’s also the playground located on Illinois Street.
ReplyDelete2) Central Falls does have a fire and police department. I’m not sure how old this scavenger hunt assignment is, but when it was written they may not have. As you can see, the police and fire departments share a building, and it appears to be a relatively new facility. Here is a link to any crime statistics you may be interested in.
http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Central-Falls-Rhode-Island.html
3) Baseball reference lists 3 players born in Central Falls. They are Jim Siwy, a pitcher for the White Sox, Charley Bassett, an infielder who played for several teams in the 19th century, and Max Surkont, whom also played for the White Sox.
4) Central Falls does not currently have an operational movie theatre.
5) Founded in 1834, Central Falls is home to Children’s Friend. It is a non-profit helping all families in need. Below is a picture of the office.
6) Central Falls has a post office located on Dexter Street, though I drive right past it, I never noticed it.
7) Many people still don’t have Wi-Fi in this city. There are some who do, but it sounds like they are still the minority. A local cable company is working to install reduced premium Wi-Fi to help the students of the area.
8) So this is the coolest thing I found on my hunt, but you’ll have to pardon my history nerdiness for a moment. Moshassuck Cemetery was home to a labor demonstration, which turned into an armed conflict between workers and the National Guard. They say that some of the gravestones still have bullet holes in them, and I looked for a little while, and I couldn’t be quite sure if they were bullet holes or just natural wear and tear.
9) Why is there a large Hispanic presence in Central Falls? I really wanted to find a definitive answer to this one but couldn’t. The server at Stanley’s told me that it was a combination of things. She cited factory work, fishing work, and affordable housing (in comparison to neighboring towns).
10) I found eight schools altogether, an amazing number for a town that is slightly over one square mile. CFHS, Calcutt Middle School, a charter school named The Segue Institute, Harold Hunt School, and 4 other elementary schools.
So here’s what I noticed during my scavenger hunt in Central Falls. First, I had no idea how much history was here. I knew about Slater Mill and the Industrial Revolution, but the various monuments and historical sights kind of took me by surprise. Secondly, there is a definite sense of community. I noticed several people, whom I don’t think necessarily knew each other, say hello to each other in a “neighborly” fashion. Which brings me to three, that English is not the language of Central Falls. I had no luck asking the first 4 people I talked to in Jenks Park for help with my hunt. I stopped at Stanley’s for a burger, which was very good if you like onions and I do. The server helped me with my questions. Lastly, I noticed that what seems like every fourth or fifth residence was under construction or under some form of remodeling. I think this is a good sign for the future of the city. I know that this may lead to some fear of gentrification if it continues, but I think the city is in need of a little TLC. The city is doing better than I thought when I first started driving up here from my quaint little beach town every week. If there was a “trending arrow” for Central Falls, I’d have to say that it’s pointing up. Or at least pointing up, in reference to the average person’s perception of the city.