Ashton

Ashton is a woodsy Cumberland suburb within 14 miles of Providence. The area has highly rated schools, an array of local businesses, public green spaces and community centers.

Most single-family homes fall in the $350,000 to $750,000 price range. For $320,000 you can purchase a 1950s ranch-style home with two bedrooms and one bathroom. For $400,000, you can find a 1960s ranch-style home with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a basement equipped with a washer and dryer. Valued at $700,000, you can find a newly built three-bedroom contemporary with a four-car garage and a vinyl exterior. Newly built log cabin-style two-bedroom homes can be valued as high as $750,000. Deciduous hardwoods shade the suburbs of Ashton and yards generally provide ample space for patios and even swimming pools.

Many local children attend Community Elementary School, which has an A Niche rating. Joseph L. McCourt Middle School has a B-plus Niche rating and a 10-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Kids often move on to Cumberland High School, which has a B-plus Niche rating and a 91% graduation rate.

Locals tend to knock out their weekly grocery shopping at Dave’s Fresh Marketplace. Residents enjoy breakfast and lunch at Everybody’s Favorite Family Restaurant. The establishment has a down-to-earth vibe and serves burgers, club sandwiches, steaks and a creative selection of omelets. Ravenous Brewing Company is another local favorite for its selection of in-house brewed IPAs, pilsners, stouts and ales. Ravenous Brewing Company partners with local food trucks that serve dishes like pizza and empanadas. There is also a Burger King in the area.

Various institutions and traditions bring the community together. People of all ages take classes at Pea Poddery, where you can learn how to paint ceramics. Pea Poddery also offers summer camps for children. Locals also enjoy visits to Phantom Farms, where you can pick apples from the 70-year-old orchard. You can also visit Phantom Farms’ coffee house or take part in its yearly chili cookoff. Hundreds of community members are part of the Cumberland Beagle Club, which has been a mainstay of the area since it was founded in 1946 by veterans returning from World War II. The Beagle Club offers archery ranges, trap shooting ranges, rifle ranges, pistol ranges and a fully stocked trout pond. The local Boys and Girls Club offers childcare, summer camps and multiple physical training programs for young people.

Some residents get on I-295 to commute to Providence, which is about a 20-mile drive from Ashton. The interstate runs through the community. There is also a bus system that delivers residents to Providence. If you need to take a bigger trip, Ashton is less than 6 miles from North Central Airport.

The Okonite Company has a manufacturing plant in Ashton that employs 130 people. The plant opened in 2015 and produces insulated power cables. Ashton is home to Cumberland Quarry, which produces stone, sand and gravel products. The quarry runs along a densely wooded reserve that blocks the blast noises from reaching the majority of Ashton homes. “The homeowners close to the quarry can hear and feel the blasts. It’s pretty loud, but only happens during daylight hours,” says Lynne Daigneault, an administrative assistant at the Cumberland Public Library. “We can feel it from the library. But it's not a constant thing. It barely happens even once a day.”

The building in which the library is now based was completed in 1928 by Trappists, a religious order of monks who constructed it as a monastery. The library now sits on 481 acres of public woodland that locals use for hiking, picnics and outdoor events. Locals refer to this green space simply as "The Monastery.” The area includes a playground as well as a senior center, which provides both educational and recreational opportunities for older citizens. The land is also home to Nine Men’s Misery, a stone war memorial erected in 1676 for nine Plymouth colonists killed during King Phillip’s War. The Lincoln Times has referred to it as one of the oldest war memorials in the United States. “People love The Monastery because there’s so much to do. It’s not just a regular park. You can check out books, walk around and learn about history,” says Daigneault.

Written By

William Palicia

Photography Contributed By

Fatima Johnson

Video By

Reuben Davis