Learn more about Richmond

Richmond, Rhode Island – Country living in South County

With a population of about 7,700 people, Richmond is a small town in Washington County, Rhode Island, featuring farmland, nature preserves, rivers, and plenty of history.

Much of Richmond is forested, providing outstanding opportunities for locals to venture into the wilderness on a hiking excursion or to one of the fishing ponds. The town also has multiple historic districts and is divided into roughly 14 villages, many of which have a fair distance between them.

Living in Richmond, Rhode Island, puts you in a quiet community with plenty of large residential lots, so you’ll have the chance to purchase a piece of property, rather than just a home. At the same time, the town is only 35 minutes from Providence and just over an hour from large centers like Boston, Hartford, and New Haven, opening up plenty of commuting possibilities.

Richmond is a scenic gem away from the bustle of the city, which is why many people choose to call it home.

Richmond, Rhode Island’s villages

Alton – The majority of Alton sits just off Church Street in the southwest corner of Richmond. As the street’s name suggests, there is a church in Alton, along with a pond and a residential area with about 250 people.

Arcadia – The northernmost section of Richmond is called Arcadia, which the town shares with neighboring Exeter. This village has a small residential area, in addition to Browning Mill Pond and the Arcadia Management Area.

Barberville – Just south of Arcadia is Barberville, which is shared with Hopkinton. Barberville is small and entirely residential in makeup.

Carolina – The village of Carolina is in both Richmond and Charlestown, and features the Pinecrest Golf Course. This community has a large residential section, along with a few businesses along Carolina Back Road.

Kenyon and Shannock – Richmond’s southeastern section features two neighboring communities: Kenyon and Shannock. Kenyon is the smaller of the two villages, featuring a population of 136 in its residential zones, along with some commercial and industrial properties. Shannock is a small historic village built around two mill complexes with a population of just over 600.

Usquepaug – On the eastern side of Richmond, RI, you’ll find Usquepaug, a historic district built around Kenyon’s Grist Mill on the Glen Rock Reservoir. Many of the village’s homes are on the reservoir, and the neighborhood is only four miles from the University of Rhode Island.

Wood River Junction – In addition to Richmond’s middle school and high school, Wood River Junction features some residential properties and farmland. The community is just east of Alton, bordering Charlestown.

Wyoming – Richmond’s business district is in an area called Wyoming, part of which sits in Hopkinton. While you won’t find a bustling downtown area here, there are restaurants and some residential properties. More houses are located in East Wyoming, a separate nearby village.

The history of Richmond, Rhode Island

Settlement in Richmond, RI, goes back to 1661 when English colonists inhabited it along with present-day Westerly, Hopkinton, and Charlestown. These lands were often controversial because the Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island colonies had all laid claim to it.

By 1665, the King of England had awarded the land to the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and in 1669, the area was named Westerly.

Richmond remained part of Westerly until 1738 when Charlestown and Richmond formed a new town. Just a few years later, in 1747, they separated again to create the current arrangement.

Activities and places in Richmond, RI

There’s plenty of wide-open space in Richmond, so locals spend a lot of time enjoying the outdoors.

If you’re into hiking in the woods, the Arcadia Management Area, Grass Pond Management Area, and Beaver River Nature Preserve have a variety of trails and are moderate enough to take the entire family for a day in nature.

Anglers will also be happy to hear that Alton Pond Meadow and Brook Pond have outstanding trout fishing, with both locations featuring boat launches and parking lots.

Are you into golf? Well, Richmond, RI, has four courses to play. Richmond Country Club is a public course, despite its name, and was named the top open course in the entire state by Golf Digest magazine. In addition, Meadow Brook Golf Course is the second-best course in Rhode Island, according to Golf Week, and Pinecrest Golf Course is a championship-level nine-hole course. The town is also home to the Beaver River Golf Club, a diverse par-70 course with outstanding scenery.

If you’d like to explore some living history, Carolina, Shannock, and Wyoming all have historic districts, while John Hoxsie House is a historic farmstead dating back to 1784.

Richmond, RI, doesn’t have much of a downtown area, but Main Street in the Wyoming neighborhood is home to a few restaurants and shops. You’re also only minutes from Hope Valley, a village that is mostly in neighboring Hopkinton and has a large commercial area.

The Washington County Fair takes place in Richmond in mid-August, bringing a carnival, agricultural shows, concerts, displays, and exhibits to town for a five-day period. The gates are open from 8:00 AM until 11:00 PM every day, and the event takes place in a space just west of Grass Pond.

Buy a home in Richmond, RI

Buying a home in Richmond, Rhode Island, is an excellent option for anyone who wants the privacy of living in an isolated space while remaining close to the amenities of the surrounding cities and towns. You’ll have access to a little bit of everything in Richmond, and locals love this diversity of life.

When the time comes to look at homes in Richmond, RI, the experts at Compass New England can help you every step of the way. We have the answers to any questions you might have on this small Rhode Island town and many others in the surrounding area.