The village of Pawtucket was known formerly as the "Fields of Pawtucket," and embraced all those lands west of the river in this town, which were for more than a century a part of the town of North Providence. The "Fields of Pawtucket " date back as far as 1765. Gradually this territory became settled and was then known as the village of Pawtucket. The name Pawtucket is of Indian origin and signifies "falls of water." The Pawtucket river is called in Indian Pawtuck, which signifies "a fall." Pawtuxet, or Pawtuxent, according to Trumbull, is "a place at a little waterfall."

The towfn of Pawtucket on the eastern bank of the river was incorporated by Massachusetts, February 29th, 1828, with territorial possessions that before belonged first to Rehoboth (from 1645 to 1812) and then to Seekonk (from 1812 to 1828). The town was annexed to Rhode Island upon the settlement of the boundary question between the two states March 1st, 1862. Rehoboth embraced at the outset the town of Seekonk, the former Pawtucket, and the town which bears the original name. It was within the bounds of Rehoboth that Roger Williams first settled. He fled in haste from Massachusetts early in 1636, and in the summer of that same year to avoid displeasing the Massachusetts Bay Company, he crossed the Seekonk river and obtained a grant of land from Canonicus and Miantinomi, though somewhat indefinite in extent yet sufficient to acknowledge "lands without limits up the streams of Pawtucket and Pawtuxet." Ousamequin, who is known as Massasoit, also chief of the Pokanoket, contracted to sell the lands whereon the eastern division of Pawtucket stands but then refused to sign the deed.

About five years after Williams left the eastern side of the river the chief of the Wampanoags disposed of Williams' old claims to John Brown and Edward Winslow of Plymouth, who seem to have been acting as purchasing agents for a company at Weymouth and Hingham. In 1644 that company moved to Rehoboth. Their leader was the learned Reverend Samuel Newman. The tract of land purchased was supposed to measure eight miles square. By accurate survey it measured nearer ten miles square and embraced the three townships of Rehoboth, Seekonk and Pawtucket. The original deed of Massasoit is not extant, but that of his son and successor, the famous King Philip, quit-claiming this territory to the white settlers, bears date March 30th, 1668. In 1694 Attleboro was severed from Rehoboth. In 1746, Cumberland was taken from Attleboro, but the residue of Rehoboth remained undisturbed until 1812, when the town of Seekonk was taken from it. In 1828 the town of Seekonk was divided, its western portion taking the name of  Pawtucket on February 29th.

The act provided that "The Northwest part of the Town of Seekonk, within the following; lines, namely, beginning at the bend of the Seekonk river about forty rods south of the mouth of Beverage brook, so called, thence running a due east course till it strikes the ten mile river, so called, thence by said river till it comes to the Attleborough line, including the Island on wrhich Kent's Factory is situated, also the bridge a few rods north of said Kent's Factory. . . . Thence Westerly on the Attleborough line till it comes to the Rhode Island line, thence Southerly on said Rhode Island line till it comes to the first corner, with all the inhabitants living thereon, be incorporated into a town by the name of Pawtucket." The first town meeting held in pursuance of the foregoing act, to choose officers, and organize the town, was held in Reverend Mr. Greene's meeting house, March 17th, 1828. Oliver Starkweather, Esq., was chosen moderator, James C. Starkweather, clerk for the ensuing year, and William Allen, treasurer. Messrs. David Bucklin, Elijah Ingraham and Remember Kent, were elected selectmen. At an adjourned town meeting held on May 12th, 1828, the following sums were appropriated, in accordance with the recommendation of a committee appointed at a previous meeting, viz.: For the support of the poor, $300; for the repair of highways, $100; for the support of schools, $350; for the other town expenses, $150; total. $900.

For many years this town remained a part of Massachusetts, the business and the population in the meantime increasing on both sides of the river. Common interests bound the two villages together, but the inhabitants on each side of the stream cherished a natural state pride, and the little local jealousies of the two Pawtuckets occasioned some friction until the long standing boundary dispute between Massachusetts and Rhode Island was amicably adjusted in 1861, and the town of Pawtucket was ceded to Rhode Island.

By proclamation of Governor William Sprague under date of December 21st, 1861, the decree of the United States Court was announced to take effect on the first day of March, 1862. In the course of a dozen years public sentiment became ripe for consolidation. The town of North Providence was subjected to dismemberment. An important part of it was assigned to the city of Providence, and the village of Pawtucket was annexed to the town of that name. A major vote of the property holders in each town was given for the measure. The portion cut off from North Providence and assigned to Pawtucket is thus described:

"Beginning at a point in the centre of the Blackstone river, being the southeasterly corner of the town of Lincoln, and the northeasterly corner of the town of North Providence; and running thence westerly, on and with the line dividing said towns of Lincoln and North Providence to a point on said line, eighteen hundred feet west of the east line of the Smithfield turnpike; thence southerly on a straight line to a point on the line dividing the city of Providence and the town of North Providence, as hereinbefore provided, eighteen hundred feet, measured on said line, westerly of the east line of said Smithfield turnpike; thence along said boundary line and following the same, to the centre of the Seekonk river; thence along the centre of said river, to the place of beginning."

The act took effect May 1st, 1874. At the election of officers the following were chosen members of the town council: Olney Arnold, Claudius B. Farnsworth, John F. Adams, William T. Adams, William H. Haskell, James L. Pierce and Henry B. Metcalf. General Arnold was elected president of the board. Lewis Pearce, Esq., was chosen town clerk, and Mr. George W. Newell, treasurer. The same officers were reelected in 1875, though Mr. Metcalf resigned his position during the year. In 1876 a new town council, with two exceptions, was chosen.

Pawtucket was incorporated as a city March 27th, 1885. The act of incorporation was accepted April 1st, 1885, by a vote of 1,450 for, to 721 against. The new city government was organized on the first Monday of January, 1886. The municipal elections are held on Tuesday after the first Monday in November, annually. The first mayor was Hon. Frederic C. Sayles. He was succeeded by Major A. K. Goodwin, and the latter was followed by Hugh J. Carroll, who was mayor in 1890.

The year after the consolidation of the towns in 1874, the state register gave the number of inhabitants at 18,464. The population in 1885 was 22,906.

The following list gives the names of the principal places of interest in the town: Districts--East Side: West Side; North Bend: South Bend; Pleasant View; East Pleasant View; The Plains; Lebanon, formerly Kent s Mills; Dolly Sabin; Dunnell's; Ingrahamville; Donnybrook; The Landing; Fairmount; Woodlawn; Squatville; The Common; Park Place; The Tollgate; The Coal Yard. Rivers--Pawtucket; Blackstone; Ten Mile. Ponds--Hammond's; Bailey's; Little Pasture. Springs--Mineral; Cold. Rocks--Lamprey; Seal. Lanes.--Baptist; Cape Cod; Hedge; Quaker; Wing. Woods--Spencer's Grove; Darling's Grove; Goff's Lot. Bridges--Main Street; Division Street; Exchange Street; Pleasant View; Central; Tin (or Railroad); Log. Old Turnpikes--Pawtucket and Providence; East; Valley Falls; Lonsdale; Smithfield; Mineral Spring; Lindsey; Boston; Taunton Road. Parks--Wilkinson; Burnside; Riding. Hills--Bean; Baptist; Broken Back; Church; Central. Historic--Wheaton's Dam; Slater's Mill; Snuff Mill; First bridge built across the Pawtucket in 1713, by the colonies of Rhode Island and Massachusetts.