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Providence and Worcester Railroad

Woonsocket's Railroad Battle

In the 1830’s and 1840’s the demand for a railroad to Woonsocket grew. Agitation for a community rail link was led by the village businesses and supported enthusiastically by most of the area citizens. Most realized the advantage a railroad would bring to Woonsocket.

Yet, there were some who were against a railroad coming to Woonsocket. As plans for the construction of the Providence and Worcester Railroad, through Woonsocket, were formulated the readers of the Woonsocket Patriot heard from a resident who signed himself simply J.C.M.

According to this writer, a railroad would take away the trade Woonsocket enjoyed with surrounding communities, such as Waterford, Blackstone and Mendon, and transfer it to Providence. “Who would stop in our villages to spend their money when they could step into cars and in 45 minutes be landed where they could find a large assortment of goods.”

The Woonsocket Railroad Depot
Furthermore, noted J.C.M., a railroad would hurt area farmers and put the local feed and grain industry out of business. Then asked J.C.M., “Where would the 200 horses who now feed here daily then feed? Would an equal amount of grain be devoured by a locomotive?”. J.C.M. concluded, “A railroad would bring hard coal as a fuel, and thus kill the market for locally cut fuel wood.”

In spite of J.C.M.’s arguments, the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages, and the Providence and Worcester Railroad came to Woonsocket in 1847. Connecting Woonsocket with railroad links across the rest of the nation, it helped play a major role in creating an industrial community out of six separate mill villages that became the Town and later the City of Woonsocket.

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