The McPherson Group

Warwick was founded in 1642 by Samuel Gorton when Narragansett Indian Chief Sachem Miantonomi agreed to accept 144 fathoms of Wampumpeague for what was known as "The Shawhomett Purchase". This included the present day towns of Coventry and West Warwick. In 1648, Gorton was granted a Charter and changed the town name from Shawomett to Warwick.

In 1772, Warwick was the scene for the first violent act against the Crown when local patriots boarded the British revenue cutter HMS Gaspee. It was here that the first English blood of the American Revolution was spilled when the commanding officer of the Gaspee, Lt. Duddingston, was shot with a musket ball while resisting the taking of his ship. The patriots then stripped the Gaspee of all cannons and arms before setting her afire.

After the war, Warwick and the rest of Rhode Island voted against ratification of the Constitution as it lacked a "Bill of Rights" as was found in Rhode Island's State Constitution. Thus, when the newly inaugurated President George Washington left New York City to travel to Boston, he was required to detour around the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations as it was an "Independent and Sovereign Republic".

Warwick's 39 miles of coastline has many beautiful stretches of beachfront. This shore lured many of America's wealthiest citizens into spending their summers in Conimicut, Warwick Neck, Oakland Beach, and Buttonwoods. Before the Great Depression and the Great New England Hurricane of 1938, more millionaires called Warwick their summer home than any other location in the country.

In 1929, the State of Rhode Island began construction of Hillsgrove State Airport in the center of Warwick. When it was completed, it was called "The Most Modern Airport in the Nation". Now known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, the airport has recently undergone major renovations and is now a work of art.
Warwick was incorporated as a City in 1931 and elected its first Mayor, Pierce Brereton, in 1932. By the 1950's the textile industry had left New England and the post-war housing boom was underway. Warwick farms became subdivisions as people left cities for life in the suburbs. Today, Warwick is "the Crossroads of Southern New England" with a major airport and a modern interstate highway and rail system poised to lead the way into the 21st century. 
 

 Total Population: 85,808
Square Miles (land): 35.5

 Age Distribution
<15 years: 18%     16-24 years: 11%     25-44 years: 30%     45-64 years: 24%     >65: 17%

Education
Some college/ Associate’s Degree: 28%
Bachelor’s Degree: 17%
Master’s, Professional or Doctorate Degrees: 8%

Housing
Percent of owner-occupied units: 70%
Average Number of household members: 2.6
Average number of rooms: 6.0
Median year homes were built: 1956
Median home value(2006): 260,000

Income
Median household income: $46,483

School Data

This school is characterized as high performing with caution.

This school is characterized as high performing and improving. 

It is a Regents' Commended School.

All statistics gathered from Information Works!, Rhode Islands annual report on public education, and is from the school year 04-05.

This school is characterized as high performing with caution.   

  All census data as of 2000