Chepachet is a village and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Glocester in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It is centered at the intersection of U.S. Route 44 (a.k.a. Putnam Pike) and Rhode Island Route 102 (also known as Victory Highway and Chopmist Hill Road). Chepachet’s ZIP code is 02814. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a population of 1,675.

History

“Chepachet” was originally inhabited by the Pequot and Nipmuc natives; the name means “where rivers meet”.

Leading up to the American Revolution, the area was a hotbed for supporters of independence, and the Gloucester Light Infantry was founded in the Chepachet in 1774. During the Revolutionary War Loyalists from Newport were exiled near Chepachet, including Thomas Vernon, who recorded election celebrations in Chepachet in 1776:

In 1842, Chepachet was the setting of the endgame of the Dorr Rebellion, which helped to win voting rights for non-landowners in a new state Constitution.

On 4 November 1923, horror writer H. P. Lovecraft and his fellow writer C. M. Eddy, Jr. ventured to Chepachet in search of a place known as “Dark Swamp” of which they had heard rumors. They never located it, but the region inspired at least the opening of Lovecraft’s story (novelette) “The Colour Out of Space”, and the setting contributed to Eddy’s unfinished story “Black Noon”. Chepachet is also mentioned several times in Lovecraft’s story (novelette) “The Horror at Red Hook”.

Since 1926, the town has hosted the Ancients and Horribles parade, an annual Fourth of July event, notable for its political statements and ribald humor.

In the 1940s, a US Navy auxiliary ship, the fleet fuel oil tanker, USS Chepachet, was named after the Chepachet River which runs through the village. The ship’s bell is displayed at the seat of town government, and the ship’s surviving crew had a 50th anniversary reunion in the town in 1998.

Beginning with a proclamation in 1976, May 25 is recognized as “Elephant Day”. On that date in 1826, a popular elephant known as Betty the Learned Elephant from a traveling show was shot and killed while she was crossing the bridge spanning the Chepachet River. A group of six “hooligans” led by Canton Smith of nearby North Scituate faced charges for the crime. A commemorative plaque marks the historic location on the bridge.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 1,704 people, 744 households, and 405 families in Chepachet. The population density was 309.4 per square mile (119.4/km). There were 778 housing units at an average density of 141.2 per square mile (54.5/km²). The racial makeup was 93.19% (1,588) white or European American (92.49% non-Hispanic white), 0.59% (10) black or African-American, 0.12% (2) Native American or Alaska Native, 0.35% (6) Asian, 0.0% (0) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 0.53% (9) from other races, and 5.22% (89) from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race was 1.88% (32) of the population.

Of the 744 households, 25.1% had children under the age of 18; 46.9% were married couples living together; 25.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 31.5% of households consisted of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.2. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 22.2% of the population.

17.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 110.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 111.1 males.

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $80,759 (with a margin of error of +/- $16,981) and the median family income was $67,465 (+/- $28,988). Males had a median income of $56,250 (+/- $16,409) versus $36,989 (+/- $10,754) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $50,417 (+/- $17,529). Approximately, 7.4% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under the age of 18 and 24.0% of those ages 65 or over.

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