The first settlers along the Woonasquatucket River were Native Americans like the Narragansett tribe that quarried soapstone and lived in agrarian societies. Europeans arrived in the 1700's and established communities based in agricultural and industrial economies.

	(Georgiaville Pond)
	Mill activities along the river produced the many dams and reservoirs we see today, now used primarily for recreation.
(Photo courtesy of Providence Public Library Images of Rhode Island)

Recent Woonasquatucket history is a story of industry, activism, transportation, and economic reinvestment.

See Why the Woon for more details on why this is a river on the rise.