Before northern Rhode Island was settled, the Woonsocket region was inhabited by three Native Americans in the United StatesNative American tribes — the Nipmucs, Wampanoags, and Narragansett (tribe)Narragansetts http://www.woonsocket.org/industrial.html. In 1660, Richard Arnold constructed the first sawmill on the Blackstone River, thus sparking the first European colonization of the region http://www.woonsocket.org/industrial.html. Over the course of the next two hundred years, Arnold's friends and family — as well as several other colonists — built and expanded several small villages in the area. As the 19th century dawned and the textile Industrial Revolution began in nearby Pawtucket, Rhode IslandPawtucket, the area that would become Woonsocket experienced significant changes. With the Blackstone river providing ample water power, the region became a hot spot for textile mills. Six new villages were constructed over the pre-existing settlements: Social, Jenckesville, Hamlet, Bernon, Globe, and Woonsocket Falls http://www.woonsocket.org/industrial.html. Woonsocket was soon officially formed by the integration of these six industrial villages. Countless French-Canadians and other ethnic groups entered the city at the turn of the 20th century. Consequently, the communities grew in area and population, thus changing Woonsocket from a collection of six settlements to one of the largest cities in the state. The largest of the villages — Woonsocket Falls — formed Woonsocket's downtown, while the other five communities became general neighborhoods. After World War II, most of the textile industry moved south and the city was forced to diversify its economy. The suburban migration and a shopping plaza, which is located in northeast Woonsocket on the border of Massachusetts and opened in the early 1960s, took away much business from downtown and the city's independent business. Main street and its environs have yet to recover. The North End of Woonsocket has a great number of historic houses; preservation plays a significant role in this area with several individual houses as well as groups added to the National Register of Historic Places in recent years. Sixty-four buildings are included in the South Main Street Historic District. Nevertheless, several historical structures — including the original Court Street Bridge — were recently demolished and replaced by modern design for safety reasons. http://www.woonsocket.org/depot.htm. In 1977, Woonsocket began holding Autumnfest, an annual festival held on Columbus Day weekend. The festival remains a major annual attraction and gathering place for Woonsocket residents http://www.woonsocket.org/autumnfest.htm. Because of the large numbers of French-Canadians who settled in the city, Woonsocket gained the title, "the most French place in the United Sates outside of Louisiana." Currently, the Mayor of Woonsocket is Susan Menard. She took over for Francis L. Lanctot in 1995. She is the first female mayor of the city and also is the longest serving to date, having now served 11 years. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woonsocket%2C_Rhode_Island