Images of America series with over 200 photographs and documents. It tells the story of the 15 villages in Coventry. Released September 16, 2013
On August 21, 1741, the area west of what is now the town of West Warwick was incorporated into the Township of Coventry. The railroad would traverse Coventry in the mid-1800s, providing the gristmills, sawmills, and farmers with a quicker way to send their goods to market and to receive supplies in return. Along with the railroad came the industry of harvesting wood to supply the locomotives with fuel. In the mid-1900s the railroads disappeared and the mills began moving south where the cotton was grown. The majority of Coventry has evolved into a service town with banks, retail stores, pharmacies, convenience stores, and the like. To travel to the western portion of Coventry today, is like stepping back in time where life moves at a slower pace and the post office is still in the local general store. The eastern portion of Washington, Quidnick, and Anthony has remained a busy area where businesses have replaced the mills.