Like many neighborhoods in Providence, Silver Lake in the western part of the city was farmland through most of the 18th Century, and its growth as a residential and industrial area happened along the riverfront and along newly established streets and later trolley lines. Extensive development followed from the 1880s into the 1920s with speculative lower middle class tract housing, and, in its southern portion single family homes.

For further information on South Elmwood, consult the Providence Plan website.
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