# North Smithfield

North Smithfield is a large town in Providence County, Rhode Island. It has an abundance of historic houses, sites, landmarks and mills enriched with history to visit.

## Understand

It was settled as a farming community in the 17th century by British colonists it started out predominately as a farming community. Located along the Blackstone River, mills were later built along the river. These mills are still standing, some of them are open to public tours and others have been turned into luxury living communities or offices.
North Smithfield includes the historic villages of Forestdale, Primrose, Waterford, Branch Village, Union Village, Park Square, and Slatersville. Its population was 12,000 in 2015.
North Smithfield is in a New England upland region. The Branch and Blackstone Rivers provided much of the power for the early mills in the town.

## Get in

You can fly into T.F. Green airport (PVD) and taking either a taxi or rental car from the airport.
If you are relatively close to North Smithfield, driving would be your best bet. Because Rhode Island is so small, everything is within short driving distance.
There is also a train station in downtown Providence.

## See

* The historic Slatersville Public Library was built in the 1800s on the Blackstone River. Behind the library lies an old bridge as well as remnants of old mill engineering devices.
* The Forestdale Red School House is a one-room school house. It is no longer used for educational purposes, and is open to tours.
* The Indian Burial Grounds - On the corner of Black Plain & Greenville Rd, deep in the woods. There is a trail that has been made by passers-by, and is generally maintained, but it is not guaranteed. Throughout the trail you will be able to see what looks to be piles of rock (where Native American bodies lie) as well as caves and tunnels. If you are lucky, you may even be able to spot an arrowhead or two!
* Bryant University, Route 7, Smithfield. Bryant University is right on the North Smithfield line. This University features Division 1 sports teams. Many people come from all over to watch the Football team as well as Men's and Women's basketball. There is generally an admission fee of about $5-7. The sports schedule can be found at the University's online website.
* The historic Slatersville Congregational Church was built in the early 1800s. This historic white colonial church features an old piano, organ and the original pews and balcony. The church is open for viewing Monday - Friday from 9AM - noon, and worship is open to all on Sundays from 10-11AM with a coffee hour following the service. The service is open to all religions and all people.

## Do

* Rustic Tri-View Drive-In - Route 146, +1 401-769-7601. Apr-Sep. Seasonal outdoor movies just like the good old days! The Rustic Drive-In is a great alternative to the usual movie theater; one of the last surviving drive-in theatres in the United States, it still brings in quite the crowd every summer. Cost is by carload and each screen shows 2 movies each night with a brief intermission.
* Slatersville Reservoir - It is in Slatersville (North Smithfield), off of Providence Pike. On this body of water people are allowed to fish, and boat (electric boats). However, make sure you have a fishing and boating license if you plan on doing either.
* Pacheco Park, Main Street, Slatersville (across the street from the North Smithfield Public Library and next to the Town Hall in the heart of Slatersville). This park is open year round, from dawn to dusk. There are baseball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, and a skatepark that the public can use for free unless there is an event such as a recreational baseball game already taking place. Although the skatepark is not the best it provides an area for casual skateboarders to skate but make sure to bring a helmet, as the police have been known to throw people without them out of the park.
* Homestead Gardens, 200 Industrial Dr, ☏ +1 401-765-5700. This area is open year round and offers a nice little get away for someone looking for peace and quiet. In the winter around Christmas time there is always a trail with Christmas lights. In the summertime the ice cream shop, Killer Kones, is open and the pond in the center of the area is open for catch and release fishing.
* $^{[deadlink]}$ North Smithfield Public Library, 20 Main Street, Slatersville, ☏ +1 401-767-2782. M W Th 10AM to 8PM, Tu F Sa 10AM to 5PM. If you are looking for a quiet place to relax then this library is the place for you. Even though it is in the middle of Slatersville, it is almost never crowded and has a collection of over 50,000 volumes.
* Family Fun Center, 408 Eddie Dowling Highway (off Rt 146), ☏ +1 401-597-5544. The Monkey Shack Arcade caters to any age group with many games and prizes. There is also a laser tag arena called Lazer Wars. 1 round is $4.00, 2 rounds are $7.00, 3 rounds are $10.00, 4 rounds, $13.00, and 5 rounds is $15.00. Chef Mama's restaurant is best known for their pizza which starts at $6.00 for a personal cheese pizza.

## Buy

* Goodwin Brother's Farm Stand - Greenville Rd. This farm stand has been a part of North Smithfield tradition and history for decades and has attracted people from all over the state. This farm stand has been built with a beautiful timber frame. There is a wide variety of fruits and vegetables available for purchase. All fruit and vegetable are organic and fresh.
* Wright's Dairy Farm, 200 Woonsocket Hill Rd. A farm selling to-die-for pastries, cakes. These delicious treats are moderately priced and freshly baked daily. Fresh, organic skim, whole, chocolate and coffee milk are also available for purchase. Cakes can also be custom-made for any celebration. Not to be confused with Wright's Farm Restaurant.

## Eat

* Beef Barn, 200 Industrial Rd. If you're looking for a "quick eat" without fast food quality this would be the place for you. The name might not be the most appealing but the food is fairly decent! The menu consists of shakes, sodas, burgers, sandwiches, soups and pies for desserts. This tiny restaurant is low in price and the service is fast. Food here is also available for take out if you call ahead of time. Good to go to after having breakfast at.
* Coffee & Cream, 900 Victory Hwy. A breakfast nook next to the Beef Barn. Again, this is a quick eat with an array of crepes and pancakes on the menu as well as eggs (cooked to your preference) muffins, cereals and anything else you could imagine for breakfast! The prices are very low, and the service is friendly and fast! You might think the two food places are related, and you'd be right; they share a similar logo and are owned by a married couple.
* Parente's Restaurant 1114 Douglas Pike. Though Parente's is in Smithfield, it is on the North Smithfield line. The prices are reasonable and fair, their food is served in very good portions, and the service is always friendly. It's one of those little mom-and-pop places that is worth trying at least once, and they've got what is probably the best Greek pizza in the whole state; try it for yourself.
* Gator's Pub Corner of Main St and Victory Highway. This restaurant is also a bar and features an outdoor, sand volleyball court. The food ranges from pizza to sandwiches, steaks to fish. There is a wide range of beer on tap at the sports bar. This restaurant has a tendency to be very crowded on Fridays, yet the service is also very quick and the food is moderately priced. The majority of its clientele are elderly, but that should be no hindrance to an enjoyable dining experience.
* Hercules Pizza, 7 Main St, Slatersville. This Greek inspired pizza parlor is generally a take out atmosphere, yet if you so choose you may eat in as well. There are two pizza sizes, small and large, and you can order virtually any topping and prices range from $6-12. Grinders are also available for order as well as Greek salad.
* Lumberjack's Pizza, 1402 Victory Highway, ☏ +1 401-769-7437. Su-Th 11AM to 10PM, F Sa 11AM to 11PM. This little pizza shop is in the same building as Gator's Pub. They are best known for their pizza and wieners but they also offer a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, appetizers, and calzones. Their wieners are $1.25 a piece, sandwiches start at $4.99, salads at $3.99, and calzones from $5.99.
* Quik Stop Deli, 11 N Main St, ☏ +1 401-765-3227. Famous for their subs, Quik Stop Deli is a staple of every local's diet. It is next to Pacheco Park and the Town Hall. They serve breakfast and lunch as well as deli meats sold by their weight.
* The Village Haven, 90 School St, Forestdale, ☏ +1 401-762-4242. W Th 4-8:30PM, F Sa 4-9PM, Su noon-8PM. The Village Haven is famous for their family style chicken which is served with salad, pasta, fries, homemade cinnamon rolls, and ice cream.
* Firehouse Pizza, 639 Great Rd, ☏ +1 401-766-7171. M-Th 10AM to 10PM, F Sa 10AM to 11PM, Su 11AM to 7PM. Firehouse pizza is a little pizza shop on Great Road in North Smithfield. The pizzas start at $4.95, spaghetti at $4.30, salads at $3.50, and grinders at $3.25.

## Sleep

* All Seasons Inn & Suites, 355 George Washington Hwy, ☏ +1 401 232-2400, allseasoninn@gmail.com.
* Hampton Inn & Suites - Smithfield (Smithfield, RI Hotel), 945 Douglas Pike Smithfield.