Fun Facts!

  • Around 1890 the City was spotted with small ponds, one near Cross Street, another between Crossman St. & Lonsdale Ave. Dwyer's Pond was down in a hallow, between Washington & Perry St.

  • The Little City was a large producer of many different items such as brooms, aprons, art goods, badges, soda bottles, candy, stationery, tools, braid & hosiery, lace, webbing, belting, spools, rayon, mill supplies, monuments and knitting machines. The most important industries of the City were Wheaterhead & Thompson Tannery Firm (1858); E.L. Freeman Co. (1869-1889) which owned and operated the "Central Falls Weekly; Conant's Mill (later known as Coats Thread Mills (1868); Pawtucket Hair Cloth Co. and National Haircloth; The Weyboset Textile Mill which was perhaps the largest employer during the mid to late 1800's.

     
  • June 10, 1921 - Baseball, a must-see sport in Central Falls, saw in attendance 16,000 viewers for a Holy Trinity Baseball Team victory over J.C. Potter School (Pawtucket) with a score of 14-9.

     
  • November 24, 1926 - The first automotive fire truck was purchased and the horse-drawn truck was placed in service at the Kendall Street fire station.

     
  • July 8, 1929 - First Sunday Baseball game held at the Weyboset Stadium.

     
  • September 4, 1929 - First Sunday Football game.

     
  • October 7, 1929 Pulaski Square dedicated.

     
  • August 6, 1930 - "The McCarthy Ouster" - Chief James McCarthy (1908-1931) of Central Falls Police Department was suspended by Mayor Labrosse in 1915. The Chief was reinstated by a decision of the Superior Court in 1929 the "Franco-Polish" Bloc of Aldemen and City Councilmen refused to attend meeting and held up City business until Chief McCarthy was removed. Three times Mayor St. George fired him and three times the Supreme Court reinstated him. The Kennedy bill, passed in 1931, making mandatory retirement, cost Chief McCarthy his position.

     
  • June 11, 1933 - Quinn Square was dedicated in honor of James H. Quinn.

     
  • September 13, 1934 - National Guard called to quell Saylesville Workers strike riot in the Moshassuck Cemetery.

     
  • March 26, 1945 - SS Central Falls Victory christened by Mrs. Healy, the wife of Mayor Healy. The Victory was named in honor of Central Falls Residents who purchased an outstanding number of War Bonds.

     
  • April 7, 1947 - The Central Falls City Council pass a Resolution vindicating the "Fearless Four."  These four were Officers John Gorman, John Byrnes, Frank Klich and Lucien Tessier who presented evidence of illegal slot machines in Central Falls. Chief George Collette suspended them but the public outcry was so great that they were re-instated in good standing.

     
  •  April 5, 1948 - Franco American Square Dedicated.

     
  •  April 4, 1949 - Public Playground Act officially enacted.

     
  •  June 4, 1952 - Fluoridation of water supply established.

     
  •  August 31, 1954 - The area was scene to one of the area's Hurricane's which left the City with a great deal of damage and property loss, the worse since the great 1938 hurricane.

     
  •  November 20, 1957 - Macomber Field dedicated in memory of Raymond Macomber who bought the field, located on Blackstone & High Streets, from the Weyboset Mfg. Co. for $10.00 on July 6, 1934 and was known at that time as Municipal Stadium.

     
  •  1995 - To showcase its powerful diversity, Central Falls had more than 100 countries represented when the city celebrated its 100th anniversary with a parade. 

     
  •  August 1, 2011 - The City of Central Falls is officially brought into federal bankruptcy along with its already existing state receivership.

     
  •  January 1, 2013 - James A. Diossa is sworn in as the City's first Latino Mayor.

     
  •  April 15, 2013 - The City officially is no longer under state receivership and federal bankruptcy and sets a course towards a comeback.
  • January 4, 2021 Maria Rivera is sworn in as the City’s first woman and first Latina Mayor.