History of Saint Antoine

In the latter half of the 1800s, Msgr. Charles Dauray, of Quebec, Canada, headed south to Woonsocket, Rhode Island where he was instrumental in the founding of Saint Antoine Community [North Smithfield, RI] as well as Precious Blood Parish [Woonsocket, RI].  In 1904, he invited the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, followed by the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, known as the “Grey Nuns,” to establish ministries, and help meet the growing spiritual and physical needs of the immigrants flooding into the area.

Established as L’Hospice du Saint Antoine in 1913, the first Saint Antoine Residence was located across the street from Precious Blood Parish on Hamlet Avenue in [Woonsocket].  A new facility was later constructed on Mendon Road [North Smithfield] in 1941.  L’Hospice du Saint Antoine changed its name to Saint Antoine Residence in 1987 with a purpose of “establishing and maintaining a home for the elderly, the sick, or impaired.”  

In 1994, more than fifty years later, a new state-of-the-art facility was erected and designed with capacity for 260 resident beds.  Services and amenities offered at The Residence include: 24/7 skilled nursing care, customized care plans, rehabilitative services [physical, occupational, and speech], wound care, dementia care, hospice support, and daily activities.   

In 2000, Saint Antoine Residence further expanded its campus with the opening of a new assisted living complex, The Villa at Saint Antoine.  This facility opened with 76 spacious apartments and capacity for 90 residents [14 semi-private units].  This French-country setting, offered a unique blend of independent and catered living with physical, social, and spiritual services.  In addition, this setting offered a continuum of care where the residents could have priority access to Saint Antoine Residence for long-term skilled nursing care and short-term rehabilitation services. 

Saint Antoine Residence has always been the largest long-term care facility in Rhode Island, as well as, the first-ever license granted by Rhode Island: License #0001. The Residence has notably been recognized as a trailblazer in the nursing home industry with the inception of the first nursing home Primary Care Program, End-of-Life Hospice Suite, and Secured Alzheimer’s/Dementia Unit.