Hopkinton

History

Hopkinton is named after Stephen Hopkins, a signer of the Declaration of Independence who was governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations when the town was partitioned from Westerly and incorporated in 1757. Hopkinton once featured a number of industrial villages, such as Locustville, Moscow, Centerville, and Wood River Iron Works, each being named after the mill which they surrounded. Today only Hope Valley, Rockville, Ashaway, and Bradford are recognized with a post office. The town hall is located in the village of Hopkinton City, which was once a stagecoach hub.

Geography

Hopkinton is found at 41.461 N latitude and 71.778 W longitude and borders Richmond and Charlestown. It is on the Pawcatuck River and the Ashaway River on the Connecticut border. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (2.58%) is water. Hopkinton is the southernmost town along Rhode Island's portion of Interstate 95 and is the first Rhode Island town that northbound travelers encounter. Hope Valley in the north and Ashaway in the south are the two primary villages in Hopkinton. Two of the four elementary schools in the Chariho Regional School District are located in Hopkinton, one in Hope Valley and one in Ashaway. Other villages that are located in Hopkinton include Barberville, Bethel, Bradford, Burdickville, Canonchet, Centerville, Hopkinton City, Locustville, Moscow, Rockville, South Hopkinton, Woodville, and Yawgoog. Almost all were formed from mills on rivers. Hope Valley, Ashaway, and Hopkinton (Hopkinton City) are census-designated places (CDPs).

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  17,401
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  16,867
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  16,716
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  16,351
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  15,471
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  15,030
• American herring gull, Smithsonian Gull

  Larus smithsonianus Coues, 1862 · Aves
  14,697
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  14,461

Largest nearby schools

• Chariho High School
  High · Wood River Junction · 1,043 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Chariho Regional Middle School
  Middle · Wood River Junction · 845 students · 12.1:1 ratio
• Westerly High School
  High · Westerly · 699 students · 9.7:1 ratio
• Westerly Middle School
  Middle · Westerly · 697 students · 11.1:1 ratio
• Richmond Elementary School
  Elementary · Wyoming · 405 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Hope Valley Elementary School
  Elementary · Hope Valley · 293 students · 20.9:1 ratio
• Dunn's Corners School
  Elementary · Westerly · 271 students · 11.8:1 ratio
• Springbrook Elementary School
  Elementary · Westerly · 260 students · 11.3:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.6 — 2020-11-08
  10 km S of Bliss Corner, Massachusetts
• M 2.6 — 2015-01-13
  2 km E of Wauregan, Connecticut
• M 3.3 — 2015-01-12
  0 km NE of Wauregan, Connecticut
• M 2.66 — 2014-08-14
  6 km SW of Deep River Center, Connecticut
• M 2.5 — 2002-06-07
  3 km NNW of Hopedale, Massachusetts