The Seekonk River is a Tide extension of the Providence River in the United States state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 5 km (3 mi). The name may be derived from an Algonquian word for skunk
Course
The Seekonk River begins after the Pawtucket River, which flows for approximately 1.5 miles from where the
Blackstone River reaches sea level below Pawtucket Falls to the border of Providence and East Providence. From there the Seekonk River flows for approximately 3 miles due south between Providence and East Providence, picks up flow from the Ten Mile River, and eventually flows into the
Providence River between
Bold Point and India Point.
Slate Rock
A prominent boulder on the west shore of the Seekonk River (near the current Gano Park) was once one of Providence's most important historic landmarks. Slate Rock was said to be the spot where a group of Narragansett people first welcomed the exiled
Roger Williams in 1636 with the famous phrase "What cheer, netop?", and directed him to his eventual settlement location at the fork of the Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck Rivers.
The historic rock was accidentally blown up by city workers in 1877. They were attempting to expose a buried portion of the stone, but used too much dynamite and the stone was "blasted to pieces."
Flora and fauna
The Seekonk River is home to numerous fauna that either migrate to the bay at some point during the year or live there year-round. Several species of
fish,
shellfish and
crab have been documented.
Birds include
loon,
cormorants,
herons,
gulls,
terns,
and
geese.
Spartina and Phragmites grasses are found in high marsh areas, while brown and green are found in the intertidal zone. Riparian vegetation includes shrubs such as Rosa rugosa and trees like willow, oak and beech.
Crossings
Below is a list of all crossings over the Seekonk River. The list starts at the headwaters and goes downstream.
-
Pawtucket
-
Main Street Bridge
-
Pawtucket River Bridge; Carries Interstate 95 and U.S. 1
-
Division Street Bridge
-
Providence
-
Henderson Bridge
-
Crook Point Bascule Bridge
-
Washington Bridge; Carries Interstate 195, U.S. 6 and U.S. 44.
Tributaries
See also
-
List of rivers in Rhode Island
-
Green Jacket Shoal, a ship graveyard at the mouth of the river
-
Maps from the United States Geological Survey
