79-525: Downtown is the central economic, political, and cultural district of the city of Providence, Rhode Island , United States. It is bounded on the east by Canal Street and the Providence River , to the north by Smith Street, to the west by Interstate 95 , and to the south by Henderson Street. The highway serves as a physical barrier between the city's commercial core and neighborhoods of Federal Hill , West End , and Upper South Providence . Most of
158-670: A Westin hotel and Providence Convention Center (1993), Providence Place Mall (1999), Courtyard Marriott (2000), GTECH headquarters (2006), The Residences at the Westin (2007), Waterplace Towers condominiums (2007), and Capitol Cove still under construction. In 2007, the Renaissance Providence Hotel opened in the Masonic Temple building, which had been abandoned amidst the Great Depression
237-626: A humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfa ) bordering a humid subtropical climate with hot summers, and cool to cold winters. The 2023 USDA places the city in hardiness zone 7a. The influence of the Atlantic Ocean keeps the state of Rhode Island warmer than many inland locales in New England. July is the warmest month with a daily mean of 73.5 °F (23.1 °C) and highs rising to 90 °F (32 °C) or higher an average of 10 days per summer, January
316-685: A 15-foot tall granite statue of Roger Williams gazing over the city. As one of the first cities in America, Providence contains many historic buildings , while the East Side neighborhood in particular includes the largest contiguous area of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the U.S., with many pre-revolutionary houses. Providence's East Side is home to the First Baptist Church in America , which
395-627: A distributor of natural and organic foods; Fortune 1000 Nortek Incorporated; Gilbane , a construction and real estate company. Other companies with headquarters in the city include Citizens Bank , Virgin Pulse , Ørsted US Offshore Wind , and Providence Equity . Providence is the site of a sectional center facility (SCF), a regional hub for the U.S. Postal Service. Providence is also home to some of toy manufacturer Hasbro 's business operations, although their headquarters are in Pawtucket. The city
474-591: A fairly clear spatial separation appears between the areas of pre-1980s development and post-1980s development; West Exchange Street and Exchange Terrace serve as rough boundaries between the two. The newer area, sometimes called "Capitol Center", includes the Providence Place Mall (1999), Omni Providence Hotel (1993) and Residences Providence (2007), GTECH Corporation (2006), Waterplace Towers condominiums (2007), and Waterplace Park (1994). The area tends toward newer development, since much of it
553-563: A free after-school arts education program for youth. Downtown Providence has numerous 19th-century mercantile buildings in the Federal and Victorian architectural styles, as well as several post-modern and modernist buildings that are located throughout this area. In particular, a fairly clear spatial separation appears between the areas of pre-1980s and post-1980s development; Fountain Street and Exchange Terrace serve as rough boundaries between
632-589: A half century prior. The relocation of Interstate 195 (the " Iway " project) in the early 2000s sparked another boom of construction in the 2010s, including the Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial Bridge , which spans the Providence River, and the Point 225 building in 2019 (aka "Wexford Innovation Center"), designed by Ayers Saint Gross , and a riverfront park. As of September 2020, several other buildings in
711-571: A larger shift away from Newport's commercial and political dominance over the colony. In 1772, a group from Providence burned a British customs schooner south of Providence in the event known as the Gaspee Affair . This was the first act of armed resistance to British rule in America, predating the more famous Boston Tea Party by more than a year. Rhode Island was the first of the Thirteen Colonies to renounce its allegiance to
790-467: A mix of live music performances, art installations, craft markets, and food vendors showcasing global cuisines. Providence is home to a 1,200-acre (4.9 km ) park system. Notable among these are Waterplace Park and the Riverwalk, Roger Williams Park , Roger Williams National Memorial , and Prospect Terrace Park . Prospect Terrace Park features expansive views of the downtown area, as well as
869-500: A pleasant shopping environment downtown. However, this project was unable to attract shoppers away from the new suburban Midland Mall (1968) and Warwick Mall (1972). Within a decade, all the street's major department stores had closed except Woolworth's , and in 1989 the pedestrian mall was torn up, and the street was returned to vehicular traffic. During the industrialization of the late 19th century, an ever-expanding railroad industry emanated from Union Station , eventually resulting in
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#1732798770602948-478: A riverwalk; the construction of a Downtown ice rink; and the development of Providence Place Mall. In 1980, Providence's previously declining population began to grow once again. In the early 2000s, Providence developed an economic development plan that outlined a shift to a knowledge-based economy. These efforts involved the rebranding of the formerly industrial Jewelry District as a new "Knowledge District". Despite new investment, approximately 21.5-percent of
1027-462: A self-sufficient agricultural and fishing settlement, though its lands were difficult to farm and its borders were disputed with Connecticut and Massachusetts. In 1652, Providence prohibited indentured servitude for periods of longer than 10 years. This statute constituted the first anti-slavery law in the United States, though there is no evidence the prohibition was ever enforced. However,
1106-591: Is $ 42,558, over $ 10,000 above the citywide average, but 14% of families live below the poverty line while nearly 3.7% receive some form of public assistance. A further problem is that 15% of children under the age of six have been exposed to high quantities of lead. From north to south, Downtown includes portions of Wards 12, 13, 11, which are represented in the Providence City Council by Kat Kerwin , John J. Lombardi , and Balbina A. Young. All three councilors are Democrats . Providence City Hall
1185-607: Is 80 °F (26.7 °C) on June 6, 1925. Temperature readings of 0 °F or −17.8 °C or lower are uncommon in Providence and generally occur once every several years. The year which had the most days with a temperature reading of zero degrees or lower was 2015 with eight days total—one day in January and seven days in February. Conversely, temperature readings of 100 °F or 37.8 °C or higher are even rarer, and
1264-694: Is also the home of the Providence Biltmore hotel and the Westminster Arcade , the oldest enclosed shopping mall in the country, built in 1828. Kennedy Plaza is a major business and transportation hub. Surrounding the plaza are Providence City Hall, Burnside Park, the Bank of America Building, One Financial Center, 50 Kennedy Plaza, Bank of America Ice Skating Rink, and the US District Court building. The plaza itself includes
1343-468: Is based in trade, transportation, utilities, and educational and health services. As the capital of Rhode Island, the city's economy additionally consists of government services, with approximately 70,000 jobs. The unemployment rate in the city is 5.0% as of August 2022, compared to a national rate of 3.8%. Prominent companies headquartered in Providence include Fortune 500 Textron , an advanced technologies industrial conglomerate; United Natural Foods ,
1422-475: Is compact—characteristic of eastern seaboard cities that developed prior to use of the automobile. The street layout of the city is irregular; more than one thousand streets run haphazardly, connecting and radiating from traditionally bustling places such as Market Square . Downtown Providence has numerous 19th-century mercantile buildings in the Federal and Victorian architectural styles, as well as several postmodern and modernist buildings. In particular,
1501-591: Is home to the Rhode Island Convention Center , which opened in December 1993. Along with a hotel, the convention center is connected to the Providence Place Mall , a major retail center, through a skywalk . Much of Providence culture is synonymous with the culture of Rhode Island as a whole. Like the state, the city has a non-rhotic accent that can be heard on local media. Providence also shares Rhode Island's affinity for coffee, with
1580-744: Is home to the famous roadside attraction Big Blue Bug , the world's largest termite and mascot of eponymous Big Blue Bug Solutions . Roger Williams Park contains a zoo , a botanical center , and the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium . Providence is home to the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League , who play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion . From 1926 to 1972, the AHL's Providence Reds (renamed
1659-474: Is known in underground music circles. Providence is also home to the Providence Improv Guild , an improvisational theatre that has weekly performances and offers improv and sketch comedy classes, and AS220 , a long-standing non-profit arts center with exhibition, educational, and performance spaces, as well as live-work studios. A multi-day annual outdoor arts festival, PVDFest, features
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#17327987706021738-564: Is land and the remaining 2.1 square miles (5.4 km ) is water (roughly 10%). Providence is located at the head of Narragansett Bay , with the Providence River running into the bay through the center of the city, formed by the confluence of the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket Rivers. The Waterplace Park amphitheater and riverwalks line the river's banks through Downtown . Providence is one of many cities claimed to be founded on seven hills like Rome. As with many cities worldwide,
1817-411: Is land reclaimed in the 1970s from a mass of railroad tracks referred to colloquially as the "Chinese Wall". This part of Downtown is characterized by open spaces, wide roads, and landscaping. The streetscape of much of historic downtown has retained a similar appearance since the early 20th century. Many of the state's tallest buildings are found here. At 426 feet (130 m), the city's largest structure
1896-660: Is located at 25 Dorrance Street, at the corner of Dorrance and Washington Street. It is immediately next to Kennedy Plaza and the Biltmore Hotel. It houses the City Council, the Mayor's Office, and the offices of some municipal agencies. The Rhode Island State House is located on Smith Street at the northern edge of Downtown. It includes the chambers of the Rhode Island General Assembly and
1975-539: Is much lower than the percentages of these groups in Rhode Island as a whole. The city also has a sizable Jewish community, estimated at 10,500 in 2012, or roughly 5% of the city's population. In 2020, people of Hispanic or Latino origin composed 43.5% of the city's population. They formed a majority of city public school students as of 2007. The majority of Hispanics in Providence are of Dominican descent. Numbering roughly 25,000 and constituting roughly half of
2054-434: Is the art deco Industrial National Bank Building . The building contrasts with the city's second tallest structure— One Financial Plaza —which is designed in the modernist style. Other core buildings of the Providence skyline are the postmodern 50 Kennedy Plaza and late modern Textron Tower . Downtown is also the home of the historic Providence Biltmore hotel and Westminster Arcade —the oldest enclosed shopping mall in
2133-414: Is the coldest month with a daily mean of 29.2 °F (−1.6 °C) and low temperatures dropping to 10 °F (−12 °C) or lower an average of 11 days per winter. while. Extremes range from −17 °F or −27.2 °C on February 9, 1934 to 104 °F or 40 °C on August 2, 1975; the record cold daily maximum is 1 °F (−17.2 °C) on February 5, 1918, while the record warm daily minimum
2212-558: Is the headquarters of Citizens Bank . Standing at 180 ft (55 m), One Citizens Plaza is tied with the Brown University Sciences Library as the 13th-tallest building in the city. Finished in 1991, the building had been the first new high-rise in the city in over a decade. It was designed by Jung Brannen Associates of Boston and Robinson Green Beretta of Providence. Local architectural historian McKenzie Woodward does not agree aesthetically with
2291-569: Is the second largest metropolitan area in New England by a large margin with over 1.6 million residents, nearly 30% larger than metro Hartford . Providence was settled in June 1636 by Puritan theologian Roger Williams and grew into one of the original Thirteen Colonies . As a minister in the Massachusetts Bay Colony , Williams had advocated the separation of church and state and condemned colonists' confiscation of land from
2370-529: The American Civil War , as many had ties to Southern cotton and the slave trade. Despite ambivalence concerning the war, the number of military volunteers routinely exceeded quota, and the city's manufacturing proved invaluable to the Union. Providence thrived after the war, and waves of immigrants brought the population from 54,595 in 1865 to 175,597 by 1900. By the early 1900s, Providence was one of
2449-499: The Massachusetts Bay Colony . He named the area in honor of "God's merciful Providence" which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his followers. The city developed as a busy port, as it is situated at the mouth of the Providence River at the head of Narragansett Bay . Providence was one of the first cities in the country to industrialize and became noted for its textile manufacturing and subsequent machine tool, jewelry, and silverware industries. Today,
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2528-530: The North End (Italian), Fox Point (Portuguese), West End (mainly Central American and Asian), and Smith Hill (Irish). There are also many dedicated community organizations and arts associations located in the city. The city gained the reputation as one of the most active and growing gay and lesbian communities in the Northeast. The rate of reported gay and lesbian relationships is 75% higher than
2607-617: The Northeastern megacity has a large population of feral pigeons ( Columba livia ). Although expecting Providence's population genetics to be continuous with the larger megacity, Carlen & Munshi-South 2020 find Providence and Boston share one population and the rest of the region shares another. This is likely due to the intervening low urbanization zone in western Connecticut . Providence has 25 official neighborhoods, though these neighborhoods are often grouped together and referred to collectively: Geographically, Providence
2686-693: The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra , as well as groups such as The American Band , once associated with noted American composer David Wallis Reeves . Providence hosts several performing arts centers, such as the Veterans Memorial Auditorium , the Providence Performing Arts Center , and Festival Ballet Providence . The city's underground music is centered on artist-run spaces such as the now-defunct Fort Thunder and
2765-447: The poverty line . Of residents in poverty, the largest concentrations are found in the city's Olneyville, and Upper and Lower South Providence areas. Poverty has affected children at a disproportionately higher rate, with 40.1% of those under the age of 18 living below the poverty line. These residents are concentrated west of Downtown in the neighborhoods of Hartford, Federal Hill, and Olneyville. Over one third of Providence's economy
2844-549: The 1940s, just prior to the nationwide period of rapid suburbanization . The Providence metropolitan area includes Providence, Fall River, Massachusetts , and Warwick , and is estimated to have a population of 1,622,520. In 2006, this area was officially added to the Boston Combined Statistical Area (CSA), the sixth-largest CSA in the country . In recent years, Providence has experienced a sizable growth in its under-18 population. The median age of
2923-432: The 1950s to the 1980s, Providence was a notorious bastion of organized crime. From 1975 until 1982, $ 606 million of local and national community development funds were invested throughout the city. In the 1990s, the city pushed for revitalization, completing a number of major development projects. Among these were the realignment of railroad tracks; the relocation of rivers, creation of Waterplace Park , and development of
3002-716: The British Crown on May 4, 1776. It was also the last of the Thirteen States to ratify the United States Constitution on May 29, 1790, once assurances were made that a Bill of Rights would become part of the Constitution. Following the war, Providence was the nation's ninth-largest city with 7,614 people. The economy shifted from maritime endeavors to manufacturing, in particular machinery, tools, silverware, jewelry, and textiles. By
3081-472: The Capitol. A new, smaller train station was built in 1986, located 0.5 miles (0.80 km) north of its predecessor, and tracks were removed or routed underground. The new land precipitated a massive remaking of the character of the city's downtown. From 1975 until 1982, under Mayor Vincent Cianci, Jr , $ 606 million of local and national Community Development funds were invested. Roads were removed and
3160-811: The Governor's Office. The Rhode Island Department of Education is headquartered in the Shepard Company Building at 255 Westminster Street. Various universities have facilities in Downtown Providence. These include: The Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League , and the Providence College Friars men's basketball team play out of the Amica Mutual Pavilion (formerly the Dunkin' Donuts Center and Providence Civic Center) at 1 LaSalle Square. As part of
3239-664: The Grinnell Corporation, the Gorham Manufacturing Company, Nicholson File, and the Fruit of the Loom textile company. The manufacturing of jewelry and costume jewelry emerged as a dominant local industry. In the 1960s, jewelry trade magazines referred to Providence as "the jewelry capital of the world." In 1922, it was affected by the 1922 New England Textile Strike , shutting down the mills in
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3318-570: The Indians. For these and other "diverse, new, and dangerous opinions," he was convicted of sedition and heresy and banished from the colony. Williams and others established a settlement in Rumford, Rhode Island . The group later moved down the Seekonk River , around Fox Point and up the Providence River to the confluence of the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket Rivers. The settlement
3397-502: The Rhode Island General Assembly legalized African and Native American slavery throughout the colony in 1703, and Providence merchants' participation in the slave trade helped turn the city into a major port. By 1755, enslaved people made up 8% of Providence's population, below the 10% average for colonial Rhode Island, but above the 5% average for the northern colonies. In March 1676, Providence Plantations
3476-682: The Rhode Island Reds in their last years) played at the Rhode Island Auditorium . In 1972, the team relocated to the Providence Civic Center, where they played until moving to Binghamton, New York , in 1977. One Citizens Plaza One Citizens Plaza is a 13-story office building in Providence , Rhode Island situated at the confluence of the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket Rivers. It
3555-569: The U.S. The Rhode Island School of Design Museum contains the 20th-largest collection in the United States. The Providence Athenæum is the fourth oldest library in the United States, in addition to the Providence Public Library and the nine branches of the Providence Community Library. Edgar Allan Poe frequented the library, and met and courted Sarah Helen Whitman there. H. P. Lovecraft
3634-460: The U.S. The city's southern waterfront, away from the downtown core, is the location of oil tanks, ferry and sailing docks, power plants, and nightclubs. The Russian Submarine Museum was located here until 2008, when the submarine sank. The Fox Point Hurricane Barrier is also found here, built to protect Providence from storm surge like those endured by the city during the 1938 New England Hurricane and 1954 Hurricane Carol . Providence has
3713-519: The area are under construction or proposed. According to the Providence Plan, a local nonprofit aimed at improving city life, 64% of residents are white and 8.6% are Asian (both above the citywide averages of 54.4% and 6.2% respectively), 12% of the population is African-American , 11% is Hispanic , and 1% is Native American ; 43% of public school children speak a language other than English as their primary language. The median family income
3792-410: The art-deco-styled Industrial National Bank Building (commonly called the "Superman Building"), at 426 feet (130 m). A nearby contrast is the second-tallest One Financial Center (Sovereign Bank Tower), designed in modern taut-skin cladding, constructed a half-century later. In between the two is 50 Kennedy Plaza . The Textron Tower is another core building in the Providence skyline. Downtown
3871-571: The central transfer hub for the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) and a police substation. Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island . The county seat of Providence County , it is one of the oldest cities in New England , founded in 1636 by Roger Williams , a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from
3950-520: The city has multiracial ancestry. American Indians and Pacific Islanders make up the remaining 0.9%. Providence has a considerable community of immigrants from various Portuguese-speaking countries, especially Portugal, Brazil, and Cape Verde . These residents are concentrated in the Washington Park and Fox Point neighborhoods. Portuguese is the city's third-largest European ethnicity, after Italian and Irish. Cape Verdeans compose 2% of
4029-444: The city of Providence is home to eight hospitals and eight institutions of higher learning which have shifted the city's economy into service industries, though it still retains some manufacturing activity. At the 2020 census , Providence had a population of 190,934, making it the third-most-populous city in New England after Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts . The Providence metropolitan area , which extends into Massachusetts,
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#17327987706024108-490: The city over an attempted wage cut and hours increase. The city began to see a decline by the mid-1920s as manufacturing industries began to shut down. It was deeply affected by the Great Depression , which left more than a third of the city's labor force unemployed. The subsequent Recession of 1937–1938 was immediately followed by the New England Hurricane of 1938 , which flooded downtown. The hurricane
4187-480: The city population lives below the poverty line. Recent increases in real estate values have further exacerbated problems for those at marginal income levels, mirroring a statewide housing affordability crisis. From 2004 to 2005, Providence saw the highest rise in median housing price of any city in the United States. The Providence city limits enclose a small geographical region with a total area of 20.5 square miles (53 km ); 18.5 square miles (48 km ) of it
4266-411: The city was 28 years, while the largest age cohort is 20- to 24-year-olds as of 2000. Providence has a racially and ethnically diverse population. In 2020, white Americans formed 53.1% of the population, including a sizable white Hispanic community. Non-Hispanic whites were 33.8% of the total population, down from 89.5% in 1970. Providence has had a substantial Italian American population since
4345-493: The city's Hispanic population, Providence's Dominican community is the fifth largest in the United States. Other Hispanic groups present in sizable numbers include Puerto Ricans, Guatemalans, and Colombians. Hispanics are widespread in significant numbers in most of Providence, but most concentrated in the neighborhoods of Elmwood , the West End, and Upper and Lower South Providence . African Americans constitute 16.1% of
4424-463: The city's natural rivers were opened up and lined with a cobblestone-paved park called Waterplace Park in 1994, which became host to popular WaterFire festivals. Private and public developments followed, and the new area adjacent to the Capitol became known as "Capitol Center". Ushered in by the construction of the new train station (1986), development brought new buildings: The Gateway Building (1990), One Citizens Plaza (1991), Center Place (1992),
4503-656: The city's population, with their greatest concentrations found in Mount Hope and the Upper and Lower South Providence neighborhoods. Providence has small Liberian and Haitian communities in the city. Liberians compose 0.4% of the population; the city is home to one of the largest Liberian immigrant populations in the country. Asian-Americans constitute 5.6% of Providence's population. The largest Asian groups are Cambodians (1.7%), Chinese (1.1%), Indian Americans (0.7%), Laotians (0.6%), and Koreans (0.6%). Another 6% of
4582-414: The city's population. The per capita income as of the 2000 census was $ 15,525, which is well below both the state average of $ 29,113 and the national average of $ 21,587. The median income for a household was $ 26,867, and the median income for a family in Providence was $ 32,058,. The city has one of the highest rates of poverty in the nation with 29.1% of the population and 23.9% of families living below
4661-501: The complete paving over of the Great Salt Cove and the two branches of the Providence River . The result of decades of expansion was the isolation of the state Capitol from the rest of downtown by an imposing mass of railroad tracks, often locally referred to as the " Chinese Wall ". As rail traffic dropped off 75 percent by 1980, city planners saw an opportunity to open up central land for development and re-unify downtown with
4740-645: The downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Downtown Providence Historic District . Originally known as "Weybossett Neck" or "Weybossett Side", Downtown was first settled by religious dissidents from the First Congregational Society in 1746. Their settlement was located near present-day Westminster Street. Downtown did not witness substantial development until
4819-613: The early 19th century, when Providence began to compete with Newport, Rhode Island . British forces had destroyed much of Newport during the American War for Independence , making that city's merchants vulnerable to competition from Providence. This prevented the development of a commercial district along the western bank of the Providence River. Starting in 1956, construction began on both Interstate 195 and Interstate 95 . The routes of these two large highways took them directly through several established Providence neighborhoods. Over
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#17327987706024898-582: The head of Narragansett Bay makes it vulnerable to storm surges. Hurricane Carol in 1954 and the 1938 Hurricane were particularly damaging. See or edit raw graph data . As of the 2000 United States census , Providence's population consisted of 173,618 people, 162,389 households, and 35,859 families. The population density was 9,401.7 inhabitants per square mile (3,630.0/km ), characteristic of other small cities in New England such as New Haven, Connecticut ; Springfield, Massachusetts ; and Hartford, Connecticut . The city's population peaked in
4977-606: The most coffee and doughnut shops per capita of any city in the country. Providence is also reputed to have the highest number of restaurants per capita of major U.S. cities. During the summer months, the city regularly hosts WaterFire , an environmental art installation that consists of about 100 bonfires which blaze just above the surface of the three rivers that pass through the middle of Downtown Providence. There are multiple WaterFire events that are accompanied by various pieces of classical and world music . Providence has several ethnic neighborhoods, notably Federal Hill and
5056-629: The national average. Former mayor David Cicilline won his election running as an openly gay man. Former Mayor Buddy Cianci instituted the position of Mayor's Liaison to the Gay and Lesbian community in the 1990s. and Providence is home to the largest gay bathhouse in New England. The city is the home of the Tony Award -winning theater group Trinity Repertory Company , the Providence Black Repertory Company , and
5135-534: The next several years, hundreds of homes and businesses and two churches were demolished. The highways isolated Downtown from the South Providence, West End, Federal Hill, and Smith Hill neighborhoods, leaving the city divided. Providence's population declined from a peak of 253,504 in 1940 to only 179,213 in 1970. The white middle class moved away from the city center, and businesses followed. A downtown address no longer conveyed prestige. By 1970, downtown
5214-429: The performing arts: the Providence Performing Arts Center and Trinity Repertory Company . The Downcity Arts District is also home to AS220 , a non-profit community arts center that includes 53 artist live/work studios, four galleries, a performance space, a black box theatre, a dance studio, a bar, and restaurant. There is also a makerspace consisting of a print shop, fab lab , media arts lab, and darkroom , with
5293-523: The revitalization of Providence, the administrations of Mayors Vincent Cianci and David Cicilline have promoted the city, especially its "Downcity Arts District", as an artistic center. WaterFire , perhaps the most visible symbol of Providence's development, is an environmental art event created by Barnaby Evans which includes bonfires , gondolas , and music. This event has become a major attraction for both Rhode Islanders and tourists from farther away. The Downcity Arts District includes two centers for
5372-641: The sites of race riots in 1824 and 1831. Providence residents ratified a city charter in 1831 as the population passed 17,000. The seat of city government was located in the Market House in Market Square from 1832 to 1878, which was the geographic and social center of the city. The city offices soon outgrew this building, and the City Council resolved to create a permanent municipal building in 1845. The city offices moved into Providence City Hall in 1878. Local politics split over slavery during
5451-424: The start of the 20th century, Providence hosted some of the largest manufacturing plants in the country, including Brown & Sharpe , Nicholson File , and Gorham Manufacturing Company . The city's industries attracted many immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Sweden, England, Italy, Portugal, Cape Verde, and French Canada. These economic and demographic shifts caused social strife. Hard Scrabble and Snow Town were
5530-427: The start of the 20th century, with 14% of the population claiming Italian ancestry. Italian influence manifests itself in Providence's ' Little Italy ' in Federal Hill. Irish immigrants have also had considerable influence on the city's history, with 8% of residents claiming Irish heritage. The percentages of people claiming Irish and Italian ancestry, though high, has gone down considerably from historical highs, and
5609-399: The two. Downtown Providence contains several parks: In addition, Veterans Memorial Park and Market Square, along the border between Downtown and College Hill, are sometimes counted as Downtown parks. The historic part of downtown has many streetscapes that still look as they did 80 years ago. Most of the state's tallest buildings are found in this area. The largest structure , to date, is
5688-486: The wealthiest cities in the United States. Immigrant labor powered one of the nation's largest industrial manufacturing centers. Providence was a major manufacturer of industrial products, from steam engines to precision tools to silverware, screws, and textiles. Giant companies were based in or near Providence, such as Brown & Sharpe, the Corliss Steam Engine Company, Babcock & Wilcox ,
5767-631: The year with the most days in this category was 1944 with three days, all of which were in August. Monthly precipitation in Providence ranges from a high of 4.43 inches (112.5 mm) in March to a low of 3.17 inches (80.5 mm) in July. In general, precipitation levels are slightly less in the summer months than the winter months, when nor'easters can cause significant snowfall on occasion. Hurricanes have impacted Providence, and Providence's location at
5846-462: Was also a regular patron. The Bank Newport City Center is located near Kennedy Plaza in the Downtown district, connected by pedestrian tunnel to Waterplace Park, a cobblestone and concrete park below street traffic that abuts Providence's three rivers. Another downtown landmark is the Providence Biltmore , a historic hotel which stands adjacent to Kennedy Plaza. The southern part of the city
5925-508: Was burned to the ground by the Narragansetts during King Philip's War . Later in the year, the Rhode Island legislature formally rebuked the other colonies for provoking the war. In 1770, Brown University moved to Providence from nearby Warren . At the time, the college was known as Rhode Island College and occupied a single building on College Hill . The college's choice to relocate to Providence as opposed to Newport symbolized
6004-573: Was founded by Williams in 1638, as well as the Old State House which served as the state's capitol from 1762 to 1904. Nearby is Roger Williams National Memorial. The dome of the State House is the fourth-largest self-supporting marble dome in the world and the second-largest marble dome after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The Westminster Arcade is the oldest enclosed shopping center in
6083-453: Was named after "God's merciful Providence." Providence lacked a royal charter, unlike Salem and Boston. The settlers thus organized themselves, allotting tracts on the eastern side of the Providence River in 1638 allowing roughly six acres each. These home lots extended from Towne Street (now South Main Street) to Hope Street. Over the following two decades, Providence Plantations grew into
6162-468: Was particularly destructive to the struggling textile industry, with many mills never reopening following the storm. Providence's population declined from a peak of 253,504 in 1940 to only 179,213 in 1970, as the white middle class moved to the suburbs. From the 1940s to 1970s, white middle class residents vacated Providence faster than any other American city other than Detroit . The remainder of these residents were disproportionately poor and elderly. From
6241-444: Was widely seen as a dangerous place to be after dark, lacked sufficient parking, and most shopping and movie-going moved to the suburbs. A 1961 master plan called Downtown 1970 recommended massive bulldozing of properties. As hotels and stores were abandoned, Johnson and Wales University purchased many of the vacant properties. In 1964, Westminster Street was converted to the pedestrianized "Westminster Mall", in an attempt to create
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