EAST PROVIDENCE — It's certainly been a life well lived for Harry "Hawk" Edmonds, and the noted East Providence native received one of the highest accolades the city could offer when on Saturday, July 13, a street in the neighborhood where he grew up was named in his honor.

The measure was initially proposed by the East Providence Mayor's Advisory Council on Indigenous Affairs. From there, Mayor Bob DaSilva submitted that Leonard Avenue in the center of the city be known as well as "Harry 'Hawk' Edmonds Way," and the City Council, at its June 25 meeting, approved the resolution.

The location where some six branches of the Edmonds family tree once all resided — at Grosvenor Avenue, North Hull Street and Leonard Avenue — has come to be called colloquially by residents there as “Edmondsville."

"I'm truly honored for this recognition," Edmonds said the evening of the Council's affirmation.

Edmonds noted his family can trace its roots in East Providence back almost two centuries to when his namesake grandfather came to Rhode Island from Virginia and settled in the city.

He added later, "Having the Edmonds name represented here in the city and town where they resided is an honor to me as well as the Edmonds families. So I thank the City of East Providence for this honor and recognition. I know my family is truly happy and to know that the Edmonds family...I truly thank all the city politicians who have made this possible."

Saturday, after dodging torrential rains earlier that morning, DaSilva along with members of the Council, family, friends, neighbors and Edmonds himself gathered on an around the grounds of the Hull Street Park for a formal ceremony.

To many as of today, Edmonds is known as the “Sachem” (“Chief”) of the Pokanoket Tribal Nation, which advocates for Native American causes in the area and appears at various events celebrating their heritage.

To those of his generation, Edmonds was also known as a superb athlete, most notably in basketball. Edmonds led the East Providence High School boys' cagers to the 1953-54 Rhode Island Interscholastic League state championship. He and the Townies finished atop the Class A-Suburban Division regular season standings with an 11-1 record. EPHS then defeated Hope and Central Falls en route to the final before defeating the now defunct De La Salle Academy from Newport for the title. He continued his hoops career as an impactful member of the University of Rhode Island men's basketball team in the late 1950s.

Edmonds was later recognized as a member of the Class of 2014 inductees at the 31st Annual East Providence High School Hall of Fame ceremony.

— East Providence Post and eastbayri.com contributing photographer Julie Furtado shot the accompanying gallery of photos.