Town Of Smithfield history

Located in old Georgiaville Village, near Higgins St Built in 1813, the mill was established by Samuel Nightengale, Samuel G. Arnold and Thomas Thompson as the Georgia Cotton Manufacturing Company.

Built by Noah Farnum in 1840 – the building still remains, minus the porch, at 78 Farnum Pike.

- In 1871 a part of the town of Smithfield was added to Woonsocket and other portions were set off to form the new towns of Lincoln and North Smithfield.

1873 Smithfield Tax Book (5Mb.pdf document) from the Greenville Public Library

In the early 19th century, a number of excellent Federal period homes were built, but it was after the Civil War, in about 1876, that the big building boom began.

Three new Townships arose – Smithfield, North Smithfield, and Lincoln (Lincoln later divided further into Central Falls and Lincoln in 1895) – while the northernmost area was annexed to Woonsocket.

The farm was started in 1899 and is now operated by the fourth generation of Jaswells.

The 1902 pork product exemplifies the patented Smithfield curing process.

Esmond Mills employees group shot, 1920.

Textiles in Smithfield continued to flourish until the 1930’s when the decline of the overall New England textile economy began.

Myra Appleby at the Smithfield BiCentennial 1931

The first entry was made 77 years ago, September 19, 1932.

Subsequent to the Town’s division, the population grew slowly until the 1950’s.

In stark contrast to our contemporary mobile society, seven generations of the Smith and Appleby families were in residence until 1959.

Construction of the Apple Valley Mall in the later 1960’s introduced the beginning of commercial expansion.

The entire focus of the Historical Society took a major turn in 1976, when several individuals learned that the former property of one of the Charter members, Myra Appleby, was up for sale.

Cover title: Historic and architectural resources of North Smithfield, Rhode Island, a preliminary report. "September 1980." "Author: Walter Nebiker"--Colophon.

“Historic and Architectural Resources of Smithfield, Rhode Island” (1992) from the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission.

Since 1994, the town has been administered under the Council/Manager form of government.

The museum was originally located in Chuckatuck, Virginia and was moved to Main Street in downtown Smithfield in February 2005 as part of the Jamestown 400th Anniversary Celebration.