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Pawtucket[putuk´ut] Pronunciation Key, city (1990 pop. 72,644), Providence co., NE R.I., on the Blackstone River at Pawtucket Falls; settled 1671, inc. 1885 after the eastern section (which was part of Massachusetts until 1862) was merged with the western section into a Rhode Island town. The third largest city in the state, Pawtucket has been a textile center since Samuel Slater built the nation's first successful water-powered cotton mill there in 1793. Among the city's manufactures are yarn and thread, wire, cable, and textile machinery. The area, deeded to Roger Williams in 1638, was a haven for religious freedom in New England. Pawtucket's first settler was an ironworker who established (1671) a forge at the falls. Metalworks and sawmills sprang up, and after Slater erected his cotton mill on the banks of the river, the textile industry boomed. After World War II, when much textile manufacturing moved south, Pawtucket shared the decline of many New England towns. The city has since retained its small industrial status, despite state efforts to boost modernization. Of principal interest is the 1793 Slater mill, now a museum. Many tourist and recreational sites are in the area.
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