Warwick, Rhode Island

Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island,  United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000. Founded by Samuel Gorton in 1642, Warwick has witnessed major events in American history.

The City of Warwick (and T.F. Green Airport) is located approximately 12 mi south of downtown Providence, and 63 mi southwest of Boston, Massachusetts, and 171 mi northeast of New York City.

Warwick was decimated during King Philip's War (1675–76) and was the site of the Gaspée Affair, a significant prelude to the American Revolution. Warwick is also the home of revolutionary war general Nathanael Greene, George Washington's second-in-command, and the Civil War hero of the battle of Gettysburg, General George S. Greene.

Warwick is home to Rhode Island's main airport, T. F. Green Airport, which serves the greater Providence area and also functions as a reliever for Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. It is also the home of the 43rd Military Police Brigade of the Rhode Island Army National Guard.

Early history
Warwick was founded in 1642 by Samuel Gorton when Narragansett Indian Chief Sachem Miantonomi agreed to accept 144 fathoms of Wampumpeague for what was known as "The Shawhomett Purchase". This included the present day towns of Coventry and West Warwick. However, the purchase was not without dispute. The two sachems of the area, Sacononoco and Pumham, stated that Miantonomi had sold the land without asking for their approval. The two sachems took their case to Boston, Massachusetts where they placed their lands under Massachusetts rule. In 1643 Massachusetts sent a militia force to Shawomett to arrest Gorton and his followers. After a tense standoff, all but three of the Gortonists surrendered to the Massachusetts force. This event caused the other three towns on Narragansett Bay (Providence, Portsmouth, and Newport) to unite and get a royal charter allowing the towns on Narragansett Bay to form the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

In 1648, Gorton was granted a Charter by Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick, Lord Admiral and head of the Parliamentary Commission on Plantation Affairs. Because of this, the name of the settlement was changed from Shawhomett to Warwick. While Massachusetts continued to lay claim to the area, it made no further effort to enforce it.

In 1772, Warwick was the scene for the first violent act against the Crown. In what was to be called the Gaspée Affair, local patriots boarded HMS Gaspée, a revenue cutter charged with enforcing the Stamp Act 1765 and Townshend Acts in Narragansett Bay, where smuggling was common. It was here that the first blood of the American Revolution was spilled when the commanding officer of the Gaspée, Lt. Dudingston, was shot in his crotch while resisting the taking of his ship. The Gaspée was stripped of all cannon and arms before being torched.

During the Revolution, Warwick militiamen participated in the battles of Montreal, Quebec, Saratoga, Monmouth, and Trenton, and were present for the surrender at Yorktown.

Transportation
T. F. Green Airport is a station on the Providence/Stoughton Commuter Rail Line, providing weekday service to Providence Station and Boston's South Station.

Geography
Warwick is located at 41.71667°N, -71.41667°W (41.7181, -71.4152).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 49.6 sqmi, of which, 35.5 sqmi of it is land and 14.1 sqmi of it (28.46%) is water.

The following villages are located in Warwick:
 * Apponaug
 * Arnold's Neck
 * Brush Neck Cove
 * Buttonwoods
 * Cedar Tree Point
 * Chepiwanoxet
 * Coles
 * Conimicut
 * Cowesett
 * Dryden Heights
 * Duby Grove
 * East Natick
 * Gaspee
 * Goddard Park
 * Grant Point
 * Greenwood
 * Hillsgrove
 * Hoxsie
 * Knight
 * Lakewood
 * Lincoln Park
 * Lockwood Corner
 * Nausauket
 * Natick
 * Norwood
 * Oakland Beach
 * Old Buttonwoods
 * Pawtuxet Village (also in Cranston)
 * Pocasset
 * Pontiac (also in Cranston)
 * Potowomut
 * Riverview
 * Shawomet
 * Warwick Neck
 * Wildes Corner

Demographics
Warwick is officially a part of the Providence metropolitan area, which has a population of 1,600,852 in 2010 census. As of the census of 2000, there were 85,808 people, 35,517 households, and 22,979 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,417.2 people per square mile (933.3/km²). There were 37,085 housing units at an average density of 1,044.7 per square mile (403.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.21% White, 1.16% African American, 0.25% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.60% of the population.

There were 35,517 households out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,483, and the median income for a family was $56,225. Males had a median income of $39,455 versus $28,946 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,410. About 4.2% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Before its dissolution, Eckerd Corporation had its headquarters in Warwick.

Notable residents

 * Bill Almon, MLB Baseball player attended Warwick Veterans Memorial High School
 * Rocco Baldelli, MLB Baseball Player who attended Bishop Hendricken High School
 * Damian Costantino, NCAA record holder with hits in 60 consecutive games.
 * Sara Decosta, US Women's hockey goalie
 * George Sears Greene, Civil War general
 * Nathanael Greene, Revolutionary War general and second in command to George Washington
 * Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, paranormal investigators, founders of The Atlantic Paranormal Society, and hosts of Ghost Hunters
 * Michaela McManus, actress
 * Walter Mossberg, technology editor for the Wall Street Journal
 * Raymond Nels Nelson, Bureau Chief of the Providence Journal and Evening Bulletin in Warwick, Rhode Island and murdered Senate staffer
 * Lorraine K. Potter, Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force
 * Craig Price, murderer from Buttonwoods, attended Warwick Veterans Memorial High School
 * Chris Terreri, NHL goalie attended Pilgrim High School
 * Dan Wheeler, Major League pitcher attended Pilgrim High School
 * Doug White, former NBC 10 News Anchor
 * James Woods, actor, attended Pilgrim High School

Education
Local public schools are operated by Warwick Public Schools. Toll Gate High School, Warwick Veterans Memorial High School, and Pilgrim High School are the three comprehensive public high schools located in Warwick. The three public middle schools are Winman Junior High School, Aldrich Junior High School and Gorton Junior High School. Warwick Public Schools are headed by superintendent Peter P. Horoschak.

Bishop Hendricken High School is an all-male college preparatory Catholic high school located in Warwick. Rocky Hill School is a P-12 coed secular country day school located on Warwick's isolated Potowomut peninsula. Despite RHS being geographically included as part of the city of Warwick, the school lists an intentionally erroneous East Greenwich address.

The Community College of Rhode Island Knight Campus is also located in Warwick on the former Knight Estate.