Hall was built in the village. A bank and several other major businesses arrived in the 1880s. By 1895, Wakefield had a population of 1,543, and had begun to coalesce with the villages of Peace Dale and Rocky Brook, forming a roughly contiguous settlement with a total population of 3,285. The Wakefield Mill underwent several ownership changes and expansions in the 20th century. In 1903, it was sold to the Wakefield Woolen Company, which installed new looms and carding equipment for producing high-grade woolen fabrics. It sold again in 1922 and four more times between World War II and 1984. Beginning in the 1950s, parts of the mill complex began to be converted to other uses, but as of 1984, much of the complex was still used for textile manufacturing. Wakefield's first hospital was started in a house in 1919, and a new South County Hospital building was built in 1925 on a tract that formerly had been the town farm. Beginning in the late 1950s, commercial activity in Wakefield migrated away from the central business district to new commercial areas on the periphery of the community. As of 1984, the village was considered the largest shopping area in South County. Economy Much of Wakefield's economy is driven by seasonal tourism, as the main central business district of South Kingstown runs from the Saugutucket River up to Old Tower Hill. Arts and culture Buildings in Wakefield listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Rhode Island include Wakefield Baptist Church, Nathaniel C. Armstrong House, John H. Armstrong House, Hera Gallery, and Bell Block. Education Wakefield is part of the South Kingstown School District. Schools in Wakefield include South Kingstown High School, Broad Rock Middle School, Curtis Corner Middle School, and Wakefield Elementary School. Media The Narragansett Times, a twice-weekly paper serving Narragansett and South Kingstown, is published in Wakefield. Notable people Ron Locke, baseball player Bob Rathbun, play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Hawks References External links Villages in Washington County, Rhode Island Villages in Rhode Island Queen Anne architecture in Rhode Island Historic districts in Washington County, Rhode Island South Kingstown, Rhode Island Providence metropolitan area Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island National Register of Historic Places in Washington County, Rhode Island