Rte. 146A Great Rd. North Smithfield, RI 02895

The Union Village Historic District is approximately a half-mile long
section of Great Road (Route 146A) and includes parcels encompassing many representations of 18th and early 19th century structures of historical and architectural significance, as well as several other compatible late 19th and 20th century buildings.

Union Village is fundamentally, however, a highway village. A
crossroads settlement, its history is founded in its site at the juncture of a major north-south thoroughfare linking Providence to Worcester and an east-west route running from Boston to Connecticut. Highway use prompted the establishment of several inns here. The first was opened
in 1733 by Joseph Arnold. In 1739, his brother Thomas opened a second tavern, which was later run by his son Peleg. The tavern gained renown during the Revolutionary War and was enlarged in about 1790.

The first bank in northern Rhode Island, it opened here  in 1805 for forty-six years, until its business was transferred to Woonsocket in 1851.

Historic Union Village