“Washington County attractions include Gilbert Stuart’s Birthplace and History Museum, Smith’s Castle History Museum, South Country Living History Museum, the Westerly Armory and others. The largest memorial to service members in the country was erected between 1901 and 1902.

The museum displays military and community memorabilia and is home to the Westerly Band. Other attractions include the Washington County Fair, the largest fair in Rhode Island.

Area colleges and universities include the University of Rhode Island, the Community College of Rhode Island, New England Institute of Technology, Rhode Island College, Providence College and others.”

Source: HopeValleyRI-realestate.com

“First known as King’s County, the name was changed in 1781 to Washington County, although most residents still know the area as South County. Block Island, off the coast of Washington County, was originally occupied by the Manisses Indians and named after Dutch navigator Adrian Block, who discovered it in 1614.

Later, in 1661, it was settled by a party of English from the mainland. Washington County industry includes resorts, manufacturing (textiles, furniture, wood products, and food products), printing and agriculture. The county was once famous for its granite quarries. The county is drained by the Wood, Hunt, Queen and Pawcatuck rivers.”

Source:  HopeValleyRI-realestate.com

The earliest European-American settlement of the village site was by Hezekiah Carpenter, who arrived in 1770 and dammed the Wood River and built several small water-powered mills. His settlement was called Carpenter’s Mills.

Around 1818 a tannery was built at the site. The textile industry arrived in 1824, when Gardner Nichols and Russell Tháyer bought the existing mills and began to operate them for carding of wool; fulling, coloring and finishing of cloth; and manufacture of textile machinery.

The formerly separate village of Locustville, which grew up along Brushy Brook, is now part of Hope Valley. A dam and mill were built at the site of Locustville in 1820. In the late 19th century the Locustville mill property was taken over by the Nichols and Langworthy Company, which had operated the Hope Valley mills since 1835.

Source:  Wikipedia.com