EAST PROVIDENCE, a town of Providence county, Rhode Island, U.S.A., on the east side of the Seekonk and Providence rivers, opposite Providence. It is served by the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad. The population in 1930 was There are four sections of the town : Watchemoket, the largest ; Phillipsdale, containing most of the manufacturing; Rumford, which has a large chemical works; and Riverside, with attractive summer resorts. Oysters are shipped, and the output of the manu facturing works in 1927 was valued at $19,445,334. Roger Wil liams established himself here in the spring of 1636, but left when he learned that he was within the jurisdiction of the Plymouth colony. Permanent settlement dates from 1644. In 1861 it was decided that the territory belonged to Rhode Island, and the town was incorporated in 1862.