106-642: Providence City Hall is the center of the municipal government in Providence, Rhode Island . It is located at the southwest end of Kennedy Plaza at 25 Dorrance Street in Providence. The building was constructed between 1875 and 1878, and designed by Samuel J. F. Thayer in the Second Empire style . In 1975, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places . It is also
212-528: A contributing structure to the broader Downtown Providence Historic District . Upon the city's incorporation in 1832, most city business was conducted at the Market House . The City Council, Mayor's Office, and Board of Aldermen were located on the second floor; as the city grew, the city spread to the third floor, and eventually took over the entire building, which became known as the "City Building." Before long, even this wasn't enough space, and in 1845
318-626: 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
424-685: 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
530-627: 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
636-591: 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
742-422: A high, convex, mansard slate roof that rises above the parallel-eaved parapet. Fashioned into the mansard dome are ornamental bulls-eye dormers. The mansard roof area is reached by an iron stairway from the fifth floor where, originally, large batteries were stored to generate electricity for the city-wide fire alarm system and for the operation of the clocks and bells in the building. Another flight of stairs led to
848-399: A higher area in the mansard dome which was also used for storage." Because of its central location with vast open space before it, City Hall has been the scene of a number of speeches by visiting dignitaries. 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
954-571: 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
1060-467: 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
1166-538: A month before it disbanded itself to join the advancing American army; its claimed territory later became part of the United States as a result of the Mexican Cession . The very short-lived California Republic was never recognized by the United States, Mexico or any other nation. The flag, featuring a silhouette of a California grizzly bear , a star, and the words "California Republic", became known as
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#17327764342081272-715: A number of skirmishes with Confederate troops. By the spring of 1864 the Jones County rebels had taken effective control of the county from the Confederate government, raised an American flag over the courthouse in Ellisville, and sent a letter to Union General William T. Sherman declaring Jones County's independence from the Confederacy. Scholars have disputed whether the county truly seceded, with some concluding it did not fully secede. Lack of documentation makes
1378-678: A permanent capital under the Articles of Confederation . The U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1787, and gave the Congress the power to exercise "exclusive legislation" over a district that "may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress , become the Seat of the Government of the United States." The 1st Congress met at Federal Hall in New York . In 1790, it passed
1484-478: 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
1590-548: 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
1696-468: 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 ,
1802-529: 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,
1908-591: 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
2014-744: 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
2120-474: 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
2226-630: 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,
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#17327764342082332-411: 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
2438-539: 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
2544-497: Is no evidence the prohibition was ever enforced. However, 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
2650-434: 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
2756-414: 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
2862-529: 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, 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
2968-529: 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
3074-683: The Bear Flag and was later the basis for the official state flag of California. There was one de facto capital of the California Republic: The Confederate States of America (C.S.A.) had two capitals during its existence. The first capital was established February 4, 1861, in Montgomery , Alabama, and remained there until it was moved to Richmond , Virginia, on May 29, 1861, after Virginia seceded on May 23. The individual state capitals remained
3180-535: The Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Within two months of the settlers' rebellion and the declaration of an independent nation, President James Madison sent American forces to peaceably occupy the new republic. It was formally annexed by the United States in 1812 over the objections of Spain and the land was divided between the Territory of Orleans and Territory of Mississippi . During its brief existence,
3286-530: 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
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3392-617: 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
3498-713: The Residence Act , which established the national capital at a site along the Potomac River that would become Washington, D.C. For the next ten years, Philadelphia served as the temporary capital. There, Congress met at Congress Hall . On November 17, 1800, the 6th United States Congress formally convened in Washington, D.C. Congress has met outside of Washington only twice since: on July 16, 1987, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, to commemorate
3604-693: 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
3710-675: The Seekonk River , around Fox Point and up the Providence River to the confluence of the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket Rivers. The settlement 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
3816-599: The War of 1812 , during the American Civil War in many Confederate states , and during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680–1692 in New Mexico . Twenty-two state capitals have been a capital longer than their state has been a state, since they served as the capital of a predecessor territory, colony, or republic. Boston , Massachusetts , has been a capital city since 1630; it is the oldest continuously running capital in
3922-408: The federal capital of the United States since 1800. Each U.S. state has its own capital city, as do many of its insular areas . Most states have not changed their capital city since becoming a state, but the capital cities of their respective preceding colonies, territories, kingdoms, and republics typically changed multiple times. There have also been other governments within the current borders of
4028-444: The international community . During its history as a sovereign nation ( Kingdom of Hawaii , 1795–1893; Republic of Hawaii , 1894–1898), five sites served as the capital of Hawaii: Annexed by the United States in 1898, Honolulu remained the capital, first of the Territory of Hawaii ( 1900 –1959), and then of the state ( since 1959 ). During its history as a sovereign nation ( Republic of Texas , 1836–1845), seven sites served as
4134-447: 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
4240-549: 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
4346-432: 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
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4452-572: The 200th anniversary of ratification of the Constitution; and at Federal Hall National Memorial in New York on September 6, 2002, to mark the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks . Both meetings were ceremonial. Each state has a capital that serves as the seat of its government . Ten of the thirteen original states and 15 other states have changed their capital city at least once;
4558-655: 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
4664-561: The City Council resolved to create a permanent municipal building. The community spent the next 30 years searching for a suitable location, because half the Council votes were on the east side of the Providence River, and half the votes were on the west. This resulted in what some historians have referred to as "Providence's Thirty Years War," as the council bickered over where to site the new building. The city purchased several lots for
4770-744: The Creek national government met near Hot Springs which was then part of their new territory as prescribed in the Treaty of Cusseta. Because some Creeks fought with the Confederacy in the American Civil War , the Union forced the Creeks to cede over 3,000,000-acre (1,200,000 ha) - half of their land in what is now Arkansas. Served as the National capital after the American Civil War. It
4876-675: The Federal Army, sent for the "round up", fled to the remote settlements separated from the rest of the Cherokee Territory in Georgia and North Carolina, in order to remain in their homeland. In the 20th century, their descendants organized as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians ; its capital is at Cherokee, North Carolina , in the tribally-controlled Qualla Boundary . After Removal from their Alabama-Georgia homeland,
4982-671: The General Assembly, that the only true pronunciation of the name of the state, in the opinion of this body, is that received by the French from the Native Americans and committed to writing in the French word representing the sound. It should be pronounced in three (3) syllables, with the final "s" silent, the "a" in each syllable with the Italian sound, and the accent on the first and last syllables. The pronunciation with
5088-585: The Georgia state line, in order to evade the Georgia state militia. The log cabins, limestone springs, and park-like woods of Red Clay served as the capital until the Cherokee Nation was removed to Indian Territory ( Oklahoma ) on the Trail of Tears . Tahlequah, in present-day Oklahoma, served as the capital of the original Cherokee Nation after Removal . After the Civil War, a turbulent period for
5194-664: 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
5300-824: The Longhouse", was an alliance between the Five and later Six-Nations of Iroquoian language and culture of upstate New York . These include the Seneca , Cayuga , Onondaga , Oneida , Mohawk , and, after 1722, the Tuscarora Nations. Since the Confederacy's formation around 1450, the Onondaga Nation has held privilege of hosting the Iroquois Grand Council and the status of Keepers of the Fire and
5406-421: The Messenger's Office was an ornate reception room, 23 feet by 33 feet, with large mirrors hung at each end of the room. The walls were finished in mahogany and stamped leather." The fifth floor living quarters for the janitor and his family included a kitchen, parlor, two bedrooms and a bath. The remainder of the fifth floor was used by the City Engineer and for storage. The upper levels of the building are within
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#17327764342085512-412: The Nation which was involved in its own civil war resulting from pervasive anger and disagreements over removal from Georgia, the Cherokee Nation built a new National Capitol in Tahlequah out of brick. The building served as the capitol until 1907, when the Dawes Act finally dissolved the Cherokee Nation and Tahlequah became the county seat of Cherokee County, Oklahoma . The Cherokee National government
5618-497: 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. List of capitals in the United States Population This is a list of capital cities of the United States , including places that serve or have served as federal, state, insular area, territorial, colonial and Native American capitals. Washington, D.C. has been
5724-408: 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
5830-460: 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
5936-406: The U.S. Federal Government, these capitals can be seen as officially recognized in some sense. New Echota, now near Calhoun , Georgia , was founded in 1825, realizing the dream and plans of Cherokee Chief Major Ridge . Major Ridge chose the site because of its centrality in the historic Cherokee Nation which spanned parts of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama, and because it was near
6042-450: The United States which were never officially recognized as legally independent sovereign entities; however, these nations did have de facto control over their respective regions during their existence. Prior to the independence of the United States from Great Britain , declared July 4, 1776 in the Declaration of Independence and ultimately secured in the American Revolutionary War , several congresses were convened on behalf of some of
6148-436: The United States with their own capitals, such as the Republic of Texas , Native American nations, and other unrecognized governments. The buildings in cities identified in the chart below served either as official capitals of the United States under the United States Constitution , or, prior to its ratification, sites where the Second Continental Congress or Congress of the Confederation met. The United States did not have
6254-414: The United States. Santa Fe, New Mexico , is the oldest capital city, having become capital in 1610 and interrupted only by the aforementioned Pueblo Revolt. An even older Spanish city, St. Augustine, Florida , served as a colonial capital from 1565 until about 1820, more than 250 years. The table below includes the following information: Whereas, confusion of practice has arisen in the pronunciation of
6360-423: The Wampum —which they still do at the official Longhouse on the Onondaga Reservation. Now spread over reservations in New York and Ontario , the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee preserve this arrangement to this day in what they claim to be the "world's oldest representative democracy." The Seneca Nation republic was founded in 1848 and has two capitals that rotate responsibilities every two years. Jimerson Town
6466-419: The boundaries of the St. Michaels Chapter, adjacent to the Arizona and New Mexico state line. Window Rock hosts the Navajo Nation governmental campus which contains the Navajo Nation Council, Navajo Nation Supreme Court, the offices of the Navajo Nation President and Vice President, and many Navajo government buildings. There have been a handful of self-declared or undeclared nations within the current borders of
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#17327764342086572-453: The building. The boilers also supplied energy to operate a water-powered elevator, capable of carrying up to 50 passengers at one time. The elevator was built with electric bells at each landing so that it could be summoned to the desired floor." In the pre-electricity age, "to keep clocks accurate and uniform, a central control mechanism was installed. It operated in a fashion similar to a grandfather clock, and each morning would be wound up by
6678-453: The capital of Texas: Annexed by the United States in 1845, Austin remains the capital of the state of Texas. Some Native American tribes, in particular the Five Civilized Tribes , organized their states with constitutions and capitals in Western style. Others, like the Iroquois, had long-standing, pre-Columbian traditions of a 'capitol' longhouse where wampum and council fires were maintained with special status. Since they did business with
6784-445: The capital of the Republic of West Florida was: The Republic of Indian Stream was an unrecognized independent nation within the present state of New Hampshire . Before being annexed by the United States in 1848 (following the Mexican–American War ), a small portion of north-central California declared itself the California Republic , in an act of independence from Mexico, in 1846 (see Bear Flag Revolt ). The republic only existed
6890-438: The capital until 1832 when the state of Georgia outlawed Native American assembly in an attempt to undermine the Nation. Thousands of Cherokee would gather in New Echota for the annual National Councils, camping along the nearby rivers and holding long stomp dances in the park-like woods that were typical of many Southeastern Native American settlements. The Cherokee National council grounds were moved to Red Clay, Tennessee, on
6996-455: 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
7102-493: The city is an anchor for the metro area. Fields colored light yellow denote that the population is a micropolitan statistical area. An insular area is a United States territory that is neither a part of one of the fifty states nor a part of the District of Columbia, the nation's federal district. Those insular areas with territorial capitals are listed below. Two of the 50 U.S. states, Hawaii and Texas, were once de jure sovereign states with diplomatic recognition from
7208-418: 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
7314-480: 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
7420-411: 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
7526-437: 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
7632-656: 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
7738-414: 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
7844-404: The colonies of British America . However, these bodies did not address the question of independence from England, and therefore did not designate a national capital. The Second Continental Congress encompassed the period during which the United States declared independence, but had not yet established a permanent national capital. Before joining the United States as the fourteenth state, Vermont
7950-640: The confluence of the Conasauga and Coosawattee rivers. The town's layout was partly inspired by Ridge's many visits to Washington D.C. and to Baltimore, but also invoked traditional themes of the Southeastern ceremonial complex . Complete with the Council House, Supreme Court, Cherokee syllabary printing press, and the houses of several of the Nation's constitutional officers, New Echota served as
8056-494: The construction of a new City Hall. Construction was delayed, however, and the land was leased to C.N. Harrington, who built a wood frame theater on the site. The theater was notable for lectures, performances and readings that included writer Charles Dickens . In 1869, the building was renamed "Harrington Opera House." In 1874, the structure was closed for demolition. An open call for design led to twenty one submissions, and four finalists. Samuel J. F. Thayer 's "Blue Wafer" design
8162-399: The following two decades, Providence Plantations grew into 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
8268-641: 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
8374-440: 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, 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
8480-563: The janitor. It sent battery powered signals to other clocks in the building. Although the building was wired for electricity shortly after its construction, the clock mechanism remains in place and can be seen in the fifth floor Archives." "The original main floor included a reception room and the office for the City Messenger. His office contained an elaborate array of communication devices, 50 speaking tubes, 50 electric bells and 50 annunciators which connected to all departments. Next to
8586-408: The last state to move its capital city was Oklahoma in 1910. In the following table, the "Since" column shows the year that the city began serving as the state's capital (or the capital of the entities that preceded it). The MSA/μSA and CSA columns display the population of the metro area the city is a part of, and should not be construed to mean the population of the city's sphere of influence or that
8692-606: 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
8798-633: The name of our state and it is deemed important that the true pronunciation should be determined for use in oral official proceedings. And, whereas, the matter has been thoroughly investigated by the State Historical Society and the Eclectic Society of Little Rock, which have agreed upon the correct pronunciation as derived from history, and the early usage of the American immigrants. Be it therefore resolved by both houses of
8904-629: 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
9010-573: The northern colonies. In March 1676, Providence Plantations 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
9116-478: The oldest cities in New England , founded in 1636 by Roger Williams , a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from 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
9222-549: 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 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
9328-496: The same in the Confederacy as they had been in the Union (U.S.A.), although as the advancing Union Army used those cities for military districts, some of the Confederate governments were relocated or moved out of state, traveling along with secessionist armies . In 1863 and 1864, Jones County, Mississippi revolted against Confederate rule and became practically independent under the name Free State of Jones . The Free State fought
9434-581: 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
9540-616: The situation difficult to assess. The rebellion in Jones County has been variously characterized as consisting of local skirmishes to being a full-fledged war of independence. Most of the original Thirteen Colonies had their capitals occupied or attacked by the British during the American Revolutionary War . State governments operated where and as they could. The City of New York was occupied by British troops from 1776 to 1783. A similar situation occurred during
9646-424: 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
9752-488: 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
9858-645: The state of Tennessee. Franklin was never officially admitted into the Union of the United States and existed for only four years. The State of Muskogee was a Native American state in Spanish Florida created by the Englishman William Augustus Bowles , who was its "Director General", author of its Constitution, and designer of its flag. It consisted of several tribes of Creeks and Seminoles . It existed from 1799 to 1803. It had one capital: The Republic of West Florida
9964-486: 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 ,
10070-631: 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
10176-587: Was a short-lived nation that broke away from the territory of Spanish West Florida in 1810. It comprised the Florida Parishes of the modern state of Louisiana and the Mobile District of the modern states of Mississippi and Alabama . (The Republic of West Florida did not include any part of the modern state of Florida .) Ownership of the area had been in dispute between Spain and the United States, which claimed that it had been included in
10282-532: 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
10388-703: Was an independent republic known as the Vermont Republic (1777–1791). Three cities served as the capital of the Republic: The current capital of the State of Vermont is Montpelier . The State of Franklin was an autonomous, secessionist United States territory created not long after the end of the American Revolution from territory that later was ceded by North Carolina to the federal government. Franklin's territory later became part of
10494-473: Was chosen, and he was paid $ 1000.00USD. The building, modified from its original design, would cost the city $ 1,000,000.USD. The cornerstone was laid on June 24, 1875. Inaugurated on November 14, 1878, The Providence Journal called the building "Our Municipal Palace." President Teddy Roosevelt spoke on the City Hall steps on August 23, 1902, and John F. Kennedy spoke on November 7, 1960, just before he
10600-524: Was completed in the 1990s. "The building's construction is of iron and brick, faced with Westerly granite on the Dorrance and Washington Street sides and New Hampshire granite on the other two sides. The sidewalks are granite blocks, 5 to 6 feet wide and 18 to 20 feet long. The entire structure was built on an artificial foundation set atop 3,128 pilings driven deep into the underlying hardpan." "Four coal-fired boilers of 50 horsepower each provided heat for
10706-497: Was elected president. In 2000, Friedrich St. Florian designed outdoor plaques for the building. Haven Brothers Diner , a Rhode Island landmark, is mobile cafe situated east of City Hall every evening. In 1975, after concerns began to grow about possible demolition, Mayor Buddy Cianci instigated a full restoration and rehabilitation of the deteriorating building under the guidance of historian and preservationist Antoinette Downing , Frank Mauran III and Irving B. Haynes . The project
10812-573: 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
10918-698: Was founded in the 1960s following the formation of the Allegheny Reservoir . The Senecas also have an administrative longhouse in Steamburg but do not consider that location to be a capital. Window Rock ( Navajo : Tségháhoodzání ), Arizona, is a small city that serves as the seat of government and capital of the Navajo Nation (1936–present), the largest territory of a sovereign Native American nation in North America. It lies within
11024-468: 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
11130-590: Was probably named after Ocmulgee , on the Ocmulgee river in Macon , a principle Coosa and later Creek town built with mounds and functioning as part of the Southeastern ceremonial complex . However, there were other traditional Creek "mother-towns" before removal. The Ocmulgee mounds were ceded illegally in 1821 with the Treaty of Indian Springs . The Iroquois Confederacy or Haudenosaunee , which means "People of
11236-656: Was re-established in 1938 and Tahlequah remains the capital of the modern Cherokee Nation ; it is also the capital of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians . Approximately four to eight hundred Cherokees escaped removal because they lived on a separated tract, purchased later with the help of Confederate Colonel William Holland Thomas , along the Oconaluftee River deep in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. Some Cherokees fleeing
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