Providence: Recreation

Sightseeing

The Providence River partially separates the commercial district on the west side from the historic district on the eastern bank. A good place to begin a tour of the historic district is at the State Capitol, which stands on Smith Hill overlooking the downtown area. An impressive structure built of Georgian marble, the capitol is surmounted by what is believed to be the second largest self-supported dome in the world. A statue of the Independent Man atop the dome represents Rhode Islanders' independent spirit. The building contains historic relics, flags, cannons, and a Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington. Nearby, the Roger Williams National Memorial contains a Visitor Center featuring exhibits and slides about Williams's life and the history of Providence. Historic buildings in the area include the Old State House, the First Baptist Church, where Brown University commencement ceremonies are held, and the Joseph Brown House. Benefit Street, laid out in the 1750s, preserves a mile-long stretch of historic houses in a variety of styles, including John Brown House, considered one of the finest eighteenth-century houses in the country and now the headquarters of the Rhode Island Historical Society. The College Green at Brown University is lined with Colonial and Greek Revival buildings. Market House in Market Square was the focal point of colonial Providence where townspeople gathered to buy produce and exchange news and gossip. The Governor Henry Lippitt House Museum, an impeccably preserved Renaissance Revival mansion, is available for tours on Fridays or by appointment.

West of the downtown area, the 430-acre Victorian-style Roger Williams Park contains a chain of 10 lakes; flower gardens; 9 miles of drives; and a zoo with an aviary, tropical greenhouses, and an African Savannah exhibit. The zoo is the third oldest zoo in the country, and works with the American Zoo and Aquarium Association to protect and breed endangered species, including red wolves and Madagascar lemurs. Juliett 484, a former Soviet cruise missile submarine, is open for tours at Collier Point Park.

Arts and Culture

Providence has been hosting concerts and dramatic performances since 1761. Continuing this tradition, the Providence Performing Arts Center and the Providence Civic Center offer Broadway shows, classical, rock, and pop music concerts, and dance performances throughout the year. The Rhode Island Philharmonic presents concerts throughout the year at Veteran Memorial Auditorium. The nationally acclaimed Trinity Repertory Company, the largest and oldest permanent ensemble in the country and recipient of a Tony award, presents classic and contemporary works at the restored Lederer Theater during a 12-production season. The Providence Performing Arts Center, a former Loews theater built in 1928, hosts touring Broadway productions, music, dance and film programs. Other performing groups include the Festival Ballet, Newgate Theater, the Sandra Gamm-Feinstein Theatre, and the Perishable Theatre, at the AS220 Arts Complex.

The history, architecture, and decorative arts of Rhode Island are interpreted through changing exhibits at the Museum of Rhode Island History, housed in an 1822 Federal mansion. The Museum of Art of the Rhode Island School of Design features a wide-ranging collection of works from ancient to modern times from cultures around the world. The Providence Children's Museum features hands-on exploration exhibits in a former textile factory in the Jewelry District. The Museum of Natural History and Planetarium Rhode Island Black Heritage Society holds periodic displays on local history and sponsors discovery tours of African American roots in the state. A small collection of American furniture, silverware, and paintings is on display at Pendleton House adjacent to the museum. The school also maintains Woods-Gerry Mansion as an example of nineteenth-century residential architecture; exhibit galleries are located on the ground floor. At Brown University, the David Winton Bell Gallery presents permanent and loan exhibits of historical and contemporary art.

Many of the local galleries and museums have banded together to create a monthly event called Gallery Night. A free art trolley loops throughout the city and stops at participating galleries, art shops, and museums for visitors to come and go as they please.

Festivals and Holidays

Gardeners eager for the planting season await the the Rhode Island Spring Flower and Garden Show at the Convention Center in February. Providence begins its festival season with Columbus Day on Federal Hill, celebrating the city's Italian community. June brings the Festival of Historic Houses, including candlelight house and garden tours, and Convergence X, a week-long celebration of the arts. Also in June is Festival del Sancocho, celebrating Latino culture, music and food. On select evenings throughout the spring and summer, the city's Waterfire exhibit features about 100 "singing bonfires" mounted along the newly revitalized riverfront in downtown Providence. Burning torches are accompanied by music designed specifically for the display. Volunteers move up and down the river on a small barge rekindling the torches as they burn during the course of an evening's performance. In August the juried Rhode Island International Film Festival is held in various venues in the area.

In late October or early November is the Great International Beer Competition, held at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Special holiday festivities are held throughout the month of December, culminating in First Night Providence on December 31, a city-wide, family-oriented welcome to the New Year featuring music, art, dance, parades, and fireworks.

Sports for the Spectator

The Providence Civic Center is home to the American Hockey League's Providence Bruins, playing in the Atlantic Division. It is also home to the Providence College Friars basketball team. Rhode Islanders enthusiastically follow the University of Rhode Island, Brown University, and Providence College intercollegiate football and basketball teams. Nearby Pawtucket is the home of the Pawtucket Red Sox Triple-A farm team of baseball's American League Boston Red Sox. The dogs run year-round at Lincoln Greyhound Park in nearby Lincoln. The Montfgolfier Day Balloon Regatta is held in November.

Sports for the Participant

An abundance of fresh and salt water make Rhode Island and the Providence area a boating, swimming, fishing, and skin diving paradise. More than 60 percent of the state is woodlands and meadows, and Providence itself maintains 104 parks, offering opportunities for camping, picnicking, horseback riding, hiking, bicycling, tennis, and golf. Facilities for winter sports of all kinds are easily accessible from Providence. The Harvard Health Downtown 5-K run is held in October. The Fleet Skating Center, a rink twice the size of the one in New York's Rockefeller Center in the heart of downtown at Kennedy Plaza, is a 14,000-square-foot year-round outdoor facility which offers both ice-skating and roller-skating, as well as skating lessons.

Shopping and Dining

America's first enclosed shopping mall, the Arcade, built in 1820, is located in downtown Providence. Cited by the Metropolitan Museum of Art as one of the finest commercial buildings in historic American architecture, the three-story Grecian structure offers 40 shops and restaurants. The Providence Place Mall features anchor stores Nordstrom's, Filene's, and Lord & Taylor, and houses a food court, a restaurant complex, a 16-screen movie complex, and a 400-seat IMAX theater.

Providence's Little Italy section is a friendly neighborhood of Italian shops and restaurants. The Davol Square Marketplace, formerly a rubber factory, has been restored and now houses upscale shops and restaurants. The area around the Rhode Island School of Design has grown into a thriving art community. Nearby towns Lincoln, Cranston, and Warwick contain large malls.

Providence's ethnic tradition is reflected in the wide variety of ethnic restaurants in the city, featuring Italian, Greek, Portuguese, and Chinese cuisines, among others. Because of the city's proximity to the Atlantic coast, seafood is a local specialty.

Visitor Information: Providence/Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1 Exchange Street, Providence, RI 02903; telephone (401)274-1636. Rhode Island Tourism Division, One West Exchange, Providence, RI 02903; telephone (401)222-2601; toll-free (800)556-2484

Providence: Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

The overall responsibility for public education in Rhode Island is delegated to the Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education, consisting of nine members appointed by the mayor. School committees govern local schools, meeting uniform standards set by the board. Providence secondary schools are part of the College Board's "Pacesetter" pilot program, which uses the latest consensus by educators on what students should know in mathematics, English, science, Spanish, and world history to develop a curriculum and test for high school students.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Providence public schools as of the 2004–2005 school year.

Total enrollment: 25,742

Number of facilities

elementary schools: 22

junior high/middle schools: 6

senior high schools: 7

charter: 2

Student/teacher ratio: 26:1

Teacher salaries

minimum: $33,521

maximum: $63,185

Funding per pupil: $11,592

Public Schools Information: Providence School Department, 797 Westminster St., Providence, RI 02903; telephone (401)456-9100

Colleges and Universities

Providence is home to seven institutions of higher education and is within 50 miles of dozens more. Brown University, the nation's seventh oldest college and a member of the Ivy League, is noted for its medical school and its engineering, liberal arts, and science programs; it contains more than 40 academic departments. The Rhode Island School of Design, founded in 1877, offers programs in art, architecture, and design, and it shares a cooperative arrangement with Brown University. Providence College offers liberal arts and science programs under the auspices of the religious order of Dominicans. Johnson and Wales University is noted for its culinary arts program. Technical and career education is provided by New England Institute of Technology and Rhode Island College. Roger Williams University's continuing education department provides part-time classes for adult learners. The University of Rhode Island's College of Continuing Education is in Providence, while its main campus is in Kingston.

Libraries and Research Centers

The Providence Public Library, second largest public library in New England, maintains collections on whaling, printing, architecture, Civil War and slavery, ship models, early children's books, and Irish and Italian culture. It consists of a main library and 10 branches, with holdings of more than 800,000 items. It is a Patent Depository Library with computer access to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and is also a U.S. and State Documents Depository.

Among the 15 private and public libraries in Providence are those maintained by Brown University, such as the John Carter Brown Library, a center for advanced research in the humanities, and the Annmary Brown Memorial, which exhibits early printed matter. The renovated John Hay Library is the location of most of Brown's rare books, manuscripts, special collections, and archives. The Providence Athenaeum, where Edgar Allan Poe courted the woman who later did not become his wife, is a private library built in 1838 to resemble a Greek temple. The Rhode Island Historical Society maintains a library containing printed and graphic materials relating to state history and genealogy. The Rhode Island School of Design Library is an important resource for art, architecture, and design information in the state.

A major center for research activity is Brown University, where research is being carried out in areas such as medicine, sociology, astronomy, political science, and psychology. Rhode Island College studies evaluation and research, and nature conservancy. Medical research is performed by the Veterans Administration Medical Center Research Service and Roger Williams Cancer Center.

Public Library Information: Providence Public Library, 225 Washington St., Providence, RI 02903; telephone (401)455-8000, Fax (401)455-8080

Providence city (1990 pop. 160,728), state capital and seat of Providence co., NE R.I., a port at the head of Providence Bay; founded by Roger Williams 1636, inc. as a city 1832. The largest city in the state and one of the three largest in New England, it is a port of entry and a major trading center. The bay receives the Seekonk and other rivers, opens into Narragansett Bay, and forms an excellent harbor from which oil and coal are shipped. Providence is widely known as a silverware- and jewelry-manufacturing, banking, insurance, and medical center. Textiles, machinery, metal products, electronic equipment, plastic goods, and machine tools are also made, and there are printing and publishing enterprises.

Roger Williams chose this site in 1636 after he was exiled from Massachusetts. He secured title to the land from Narragansett chiefs and named the place in gratitude for "God's merciful providence." The settlement grew as a refuge for religious dissenters. Many of its buildings were burned in King Philip's War (1675–76). Prosperity came in the 18th cent. with foreign commerce, and after the American Revolution, industrial development was rapid. The Brown brothers, John, Nicholas, and Moses, played leading roles in the growth of the town, prospering in foreign trade and fostering the textile and other industries. In 1842, Thomas W. Dorr led a rebellion that collapsed after an abortive assault on the armory there. The city became sole capital of Rhode Island in 1900 (Newport had been joint capital until then). In 1901 the state legislature began to meet in the impressive marble-domed capitol designed by McKim, Mead, and White.

Providence is the seat of the noted Rhode Island School of Design, some of whose work is related to the city's famous silverware and jewelry industry; and of Brown Univ., Johnson and Wales Univ., Providence College, Rhode Island College, and the New England Institute of Technology. It has several noted libraries, including the John Carter Brown Library of Brown Univ. and the Atheneum (1753), one of the oldest libraries in the United States. Among the city's many historic structures are the old statehouse (where the general assembly met 1762–1900; now a courthouse), the old market building (1773), the Stephen Hopkins House (c.1755), the John Brown House (1786), and the First Baptist Meetinghouse (1775; the congregation was organized in 1638). The city has monuments to Oliver Hazard Perry (1928) and Nathanael Greene (1931). On Prospect Terrace is Leo Friedlander's heroic statue of Roger Williams (1939). Another memorial to the founder is in Roger Williams Park, which contains a museum of natural history and a natural amphitheater. The Capital Center District, where construction began in the early 1980s, and Waterplace Park have contributed to the city's downtown revival. Providence suffered severely in hurricanes in 1938 and 1954; a hurricane barrier was completed in 1966.

Bibliography: See G. F. Kimball, Providence in Colonial Times (1912, repr. 1972); P. Conley and P. Campbell, Providence: A Pictorial History (1983); J. N. Arnold, Vital Record of Providence, Rhode Island (1988).

Providence: Health Care

Rhode Island's largest health care system is Lifespan, which serves as an umbrella for several hospitals and related services. Providence hospitals within Lifespan are Rhode Island Hospital, the Miriam Hospital, Hasbro Children's Hospital, and Bradley Hospital. Care New England, the other major network of local hospitals, recently announced its intention to be part of the Lifespan system, pending regulatory approval. Care New England's Providence partners include Women and Infants' Hospital and Butler Hospital.

Rhode Island Hospital is the state's oldest (built in 1863) and largest health care facility. It is the region's trauma center and referral hospital for complex specialty surgical procedures, including open heart surgery, kidney transplants, and non-invasive procedures performed with the gamma knife—one of only 20 in the world. Hasbro Children's Hospital, named in recognition of a major financial gift by the Rhode Island-based toy manufacturer, is an 87-bed child- and family-centered pediatric medical facility. HCH is the region's referral hospital for complex pediatric cases. The Miriam Hospital was founded by the Jewish community in 1926 and is the major teaching affiliate of Brown University. Its research programs include studies in cardiovascular disease, shock and trauma, and behavioral disorders. St. Joseph Health Service, the state's only Roman Catholic hospital, offers a complete range of acute inpatient and outpatient care, specializing in ambusurgery, orthopedic neurosurgery, and maternity services.

Women and Infants' Hospital is the eleventh largest hospital in the country for obstetrics, with over 9,700 births in 2003. It is home to several centers for clinical care and research including the Breast Health Center, the Program in Women's Oncology, and the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology. Butler Hospital is the only psychiatric and substance abuse hospital in the state offering short-term specialty programs for children, adolescents, and adults. In 2004 it was named by US News & World Report as one of the top 30 psychiatric hospitals in the country.

Roger Williams Medical Center is noted for its oncology, bone marrow transplant, and clinical pharmacology research programs. The 220-bed acute-care hospital also operates the Roger Williams-Edgehill Substance Abuse Treatment Center, and has taken its services to the community with affiliations into extended care and assisted living facilities. The U.S. Veterans Medical Center is also located in Providence.

Brown University currently has affiliations with six Providence Hospitals: Rhode Island, Miriam, Bradley, New England Medical Center, Womens and Infants', and Butler. There is no Brown University-owned hospital.

Providence: Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents

1980: 919,000

1990: 1,134,350

2000: 1,188,613

Percent change, 1990–2000: 4.8%

U.S. rank in 1980: 41st

U.S. rank in 1990: 36th (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 2000: 40th

City Residents

1980: 156,804

1990: 160,281

2000: 173,168

2003 estimate: 176,365

Percent change, 1990–2000: 8.3%

U.S. rank in 1980: 99th

U.S. rank in 1990: 110th (State rank: 1st)

U.S. rank in 2000: 119th

Density: 9,401.7 people per square mile (2000)

Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)

White: 94,666

Black or African American: 25,243

American Indian and Alaska Native: 1,975

Asian: 10,432

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 270

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 52,146

Other: 30,477

Percent of residents born in state: 42.8% (2000)

Age characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 12,607

Population 5 to 9 years old: 13,463

Population 10 to 14 years old: 12,290

Population 15 to 19 years old: 17,957

Population 20 to 24 years old: 21,766

Population 25 to 34 years old: 27,165

Population 35 to 44 years old: 22,570

Population 45 to 54 years old: 17,281

Population 55 to 59 years old: 5,741

Population 60 to 64 years old: 4,623

Population 65 to 74 years old: 8,476

Population 75 to 84 years old: 6,856

Population 85 years and older: 2,823

Median age: 28.1 years

Births (2000)

Total number: 8,934

Deaths (2000)

Total number: 3,457 (of which, 28 were infants under the age of 1 year)

Money income (1999)

Per capita income: $15,525

Median household income: $26,867

Total number of households: 62,327

Number of households with income of . . .

less than $10,000: 13,430

$10,000 to $14,999: 6,173

$15,000 to $24,999: 9,749

$25,000 to $34,999: 7,842

$35,000 to $49,999: 8,704

$50,000 to $74,999: 8,143

$75,000 to $99,999: 3,917

$100,000 to $149,999: 2,312

$150,000 to $199,999: 861

$200,000 or more: 1,196

Percent of families below poverty level: 23.9% (52.1% of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 12,478

Providence: Communications

Newspapers and Magazines

The city's principal daily newspaper is The Providence Journal, which is published mornings. Providence Business News, a weekly tabloid, covers business, politics, and the arts in southeastern New England. Other publications include Rhode Island Monthly, the Providence Phoenix, and College Broadcaster. The American Mathematical Society publishes several journals in Providence.

Television and Radio

Television viewers in Providence may choose from five network affiliates, one public broadcasting station, and two independent stations. Cable service is also available. Twelve AM and FM radio stations, including a college station, provide formats ranging from big band music to progressive rock, talk, ethnically-oriented, and public radio programming.

Media Information: The Providence Journal, 75 Fountain Street, Providence, RI 02902; telephone (401)277-7000

Providence Online

City of Providence home page. Available www.providenceri.com

Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. Available www.provchamber.com

Providence Journal. Available www.projo.com

Providence Public Library. Available www.provlib.org

Providence Schools. Available www.providenceschools.org

Providence/Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau. Available www.providencecvb.com

Waterfire. Available www.waterfire.org

Selected Bibliography

Arnold, James N., ed. Narragansett Historical Register: A Magazine Devoted to the Antiquities, Genealogy and Historical Matter Illustrating the History of the State of RI and Providence Plantations (Heritage Books, 1994)

Avi, The Man Who Was Poe: A Novel (New York: Orchard Books, 1989)

Providence

The City in Brief

Founded: 1636 (incorporated, 1832)

Head Official: Mayor David N. Cicilline (D) (since 2003)

City Population

1980: 156,804

1990: 160,281

2000: 173,618

2003 estimate: 176,365

Percent change, 1990–2000: 8.3%

U.S. rank in 1980: 99th

U.S. rank in 1990: 110th (State rank: 1st)

U.S. rank in 2000: 119th (State rank: 1st)

Metropolitan Area Population (PMSA)

1980: 919,000

1990: 1,134,350

2000: 1,188,613

Percent change, 1990–2000: 4.8%

U.S. rank in 1980: 41st (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 1990: 35th (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 2000: 40th (CMSA)

Area: 18.5 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 80 feet above sea level

Average Annual Temperature: 51.1° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 46.45 inches total; 36.0 inches snowfall

Major Economic Sectors: Health care, information, manufacturing, tourism, wholesale and retail trade, services

Unemployment Rate: 4.3% (May 2005)

Per Capita Income: $15,525 (1999)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 12,478

Major Colleges and Universities: Brown University;

Rhode Island School of Design; Providence College; Johnson and Wales University; Rhode Island College

Daily Newspaper: The Providence Journal

Providence: Convention Facilities

The Rhode Island Convention Center offers a total of 365,000 square feet, with 100,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 20,000-square-foot ballroom, and an additional 17,000 square feet of meeting space. The Center is within walking distance of 1,500 hotel rooms. Five major hotels in the city offer meeting space; a 345-room Westin Hotel offers 17,000 square feet of meeting space, including two ballrooms, and can accommodate groups up to 800 people. Another interesting facility is the Roger Williams Park Casino, a historic preserved social hall, with the park's bandstand available and a seating capacity of 300.There are dozens of lodging establishments within a short distance of the downtown area. Campus meeting facilities at area colleges are also available.

Convention Information: Providence/Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1 West Exchange Street, Providence, RI 02903; telephone (401)274-1636; toll-free (800)233-1636. Rhode Island Convention Center Authority, telephone (401)458-6000; fax (800)458-6500

Providence: Geography and Climate

Providence is located at the head of Narragansett Bay on the Providence River near the Atlantic coast. The city is intersected by two rivers and is built on three hills. Summer weather is seasonably warm and tempered by ocean breezes. Spring and autumn are mild and sunny, and winters are moderately cold.

Area: 18.5 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 80 feet above sea level

Average Temperatures: January, 28.7° F; August 71.9° F; annual average, 51.1° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 46.45 inches total; 36.0 inches snowfall

Providence: Introduction

Providence is the state capital, the largest city in Rhode Island, and one of the first cities established in America. Once a seafaring and trading town, the city has survived the economic decline that began after World War II to become one of New England's major commercial, financial, and industrial centers as well as one of the largest jewelry manufacturers in the country. A relaxed and cosmopolitan city, Providence in recent years turned two rivers back to their natural courses and created a riverwalk and a downtown park called Waterplace.

Providence: Municipal Government

Providence is the county seat of Providence County, the largest in the state. The mayor and fifteen council members are elected to four-year terms.

Head Official: Mayor David N. Cicilline (D) (since 2003; current term expires January 2007)

Total Number of City Employees: 6,500 (2004)

City Information: Providence City Hall, 25 Dorrance Street, Providence, RI 02903-3215; telephone (401)421-7740

Providence Capital of Rhode Island, USA, a port on Providence Bay in ne Rhode Island. The city founded in 1636 as a refuge for religious dissenters from Massachusetts. It later enjoyed great prosperity through trade with the West Indies. The city played an active role in the American Revolution. Industries: jewellery, electrical equipment, silverware, machine tools, rubber goods. Pop. (2000) 173,618.

Providence, Grenada, Guyana, USA USA (Rhode Island): founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, who had been ejected from Plymouth Colony for his unacceptable religious beliefs. With other like‐minded colleagues he moved away and bought land from the Narraganset people. He named it for ‘God's merciful providence to me in my distress’.

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