Providence – Haven of the Odd, the Free, and the Dissenting
One of my favourite places in the United States, Providence has a particular aura that no city can match. The city, one of the oldest in the continental United States has a distinct New England feel to it. On an autumn night, where the Victorian streetlights guide the way and the auburn leaves interplay with the old cobblestone streets of College Hill, the city has the beautifully chilling feeling of a Lovecraft story.
Despite it’s small size the city displays more liveliness than some of the bigger cities I have visited. Before this I had never been to Rhode Island but I had been to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as the states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. How could a state that has so much history be so easy to skip over? The answer is simple, Rhode Island is tiny state, but for its size it sure packs a lot of punch.
Table of Contents
- A Brief History:
- A Little Geography:
- Federal Hill:
- Downtown, Brown and the Statehouse:
- Bohemians, Waterfire and Ghosts:
- Easy Road Trips from Providence:
- Take Perfect Fall Park Pictures at Roger William Williams Park
- More Pictures of Providence
- A Brief Conclusion:
A Brief History:
When discussing Providence two figures tower above all others; the first is the founder of the colony of Rhode Island, a renegade preacher named Roger Williams. The second is a businessman named John Brown, whom the famous Ivy League school of Brown University is named after.
Founded in 1636 as “the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations” by exiled religious dissenters from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts the city has a long and distinguished history. The early colony struggled until the acquisition of its royal charter from King James. The leader of the colony was Roger Williams, a man far ahead of his time with “new and dangerous ideas”. First and foremost, he believed in religious freedom, a practice he coined as liberty of conscience and he was the first in to propose separation of church and state (Jefferson may have been inspired). Lastly he was a stout abolitionist, finding the practice to be out of touch with his protestant beliefs. The last point is a great irony because Providence would later become a center of the Atlantic slave trade, something he had opposed while alive. Williams also founded the first baptist church in America and believed in fair dealings with the Narragansett Indians, the guy was way ahead of his time. If that wasn’t enough, while in England, he tutored John Milton.
The second man, John Brown, corresponds with another glorious period in Providence history – The one where Providence is one of the great commercial powers of the world. In this era the leading citizens of the city partake in the American Revolution. He laid the cornerstone to Brown University in 1770 and two years later, in 1772, he participated in the Gaspee affair where, in prelude to the Revolutionary War, a British customs ship was burned by his men. A commercial powerhouse with ties to the China Trade John grew wealthy from his shipping, banking and iron businesses. He also dabbled in the triangle trade where rum was traded for African slaves. This act caused discord in the Brown house when his brother and business partner Moses Brown converted to Quakerism. As a Quaker he would become come a staunch opponent of the practice and the brothers often squabbled in the papers. The family would maintain its prominent position in New England society for many years thereafter. In 1942 the house donated to the Rhode Island Historical Society. The house is now a National Historic Site.
By the early 1900’s, the city was one of richest cities in the US. It had a strong manufacturing economy producing anything from steam engines to textiles but by the 1920’s things changed. The textile industry took a nosedive and the great depression devastated the city. Like many American cities it suburbanised and the crime situation was exacerbated by the presence of a brutal mafia regime. The urban decay of the city is also what ensured the preservation of so many of its historic structures. The 1970’s kicked off a slow revitalization where the city focused on its ties to the arts. Several revitalization projects were initiated such as the creation of Waterplace Park and the daylighting of the Providence river.
With an artistic reputation to rival that of much larger cities, Providence seems to have attracted quite the bohemian crowd over the years. Edgar Allan Poe and Lovecraft, literary giants in their own times, both lived here. More on that later.
A Little Geography:
The downtown core is defined by its riverfront vistas, notably that of the Providence River. This important watershed is formed at the confluence of the Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck rivers just north of downtown. This waterway along with its tidal arm in East Providence, the Seekonk river, links the city to the Atlantic Ocean along with it’s famous cousin Newport. The Providence River divides Brown University and the College Hill neighborhood in the east from downtown in the west. The city is very compact and as such all sites are all within easy walking distance, with the notable exception of Roger Williams Park. A car is not required, but if you have one parking is plentiful!
Federal Hill:
We arrived in the city late at night, tired from the long car ride from Ottawa. It was thanksgiving weekend in Canada which corresponds to Columbus Day weekend in the US. We stayed in the Italian American Neighborhood called Federal Hill, located on the west side of the city. With strong ties to several ethnic communities the neighborhood has witnessed many waves of immigrants most notably the Italians and Portuguese. It is a stone’s throw from downtown, only separated by the I95 highway. Being Canadian I had no clue how important Columbus day was in the US; the main street, pedestrianized for the weekend, was packed every night and the party atmosphere was palpable. During the day the street is filled with vendors and the smell of food fills the air. I would recommend trying the nightlife here if you are so inclined.
Downtown, Brown and the Statehouse:
I started my morning with a walk by the Providence River. From here you can get a great panorama of the Providence skyline with its iconic (albeit endangered) art deco “Superman” skyscraper. It was a beautiful October day and Venetian Gondolas were crisscrossing the body of water, a surprise touch of Italy in Rhode Island and a nod to the importance of the Italian community here.
Upstream from where the previous picture was taken is the student filled neighborhood of College Hill. This is where the majority of the historic structures in the city are found. We started our tour in front of the first Baptist church in America and were greeted by a witty sign by the front door that read “Not Today, Satan” as if to announce to me that I would have fun here. Shortly after that, my travel mate announces to me that she loves a yellow house with saints painted on it. A local, overhearing us, stops us in our tracks to tell us how much Lovecraft hated that house. We have a short conversation and he tells us a few great places to hit up while we are in town. Did I mention yet how friendly people are here?
For those not familiar with Lovecraft, he is Providence’s most beloved writer and prodigal son. He penned a genre called Weird Fiction, a combination of science fiction and horror that is the basis for some of the greatest minds in Horror writing today. His best work was completed in the early 20th century. Although he died in semi-obscurity, writing for Pulp Magazines, he is now revered by a cult following of his readers. He lived in Providence for most of his life, left for New York and returned here only to die a few years after. His house can still be found in Providence today near Prospect Terrace Park.
We climbed the hill behind the church, to reach Benefit street, the main thoroughfare for the neighborhood. Along the south side was a crafts market and the street was packed with pedestrians. From here it is easy to hit the most of the important attractions. Avoiding the crowds we first headed north to Prospect Terrace Park. Overlooking the city the park makes for a great panorama of the city. A favorite walking place of H. P. Lovecraft, the park houses the body of Roger Williams in a bronze casket under his statue. In 1939, when his body was moved to the park, it was noticed that a root had grown though his body. This root, the “Williams Root” can be found in the John Brown House.
On the opposite side of Benefit street, heading south, we ventured into the crowd passing the Rhode Island School of Design and many beautiful brownstone structures. These houses now host several of the university club buildings. Below our feet was an underground transit tunnel, but I did not have a chance to take a peak.
After we passed the crowd we came upon the The Providence Athenaeum (more on that late), the first Unitarian church of Providence, as well as the Steven Hopkins house, a red wood house belonging to a governor of the state and signatory of the the Deceleration of Independence.
The last stop that we made on Benefit street was at the John Brown House. Even if you aren’t a museum person, please do this one. John Quincy Adams called it “The most magnificent and elegant private mansion that I have ever seen on this continent”. The audio tour was excellent and gives you a unique take on the history of the state, the city and the country all through the eyes of Rhode Island’s most prestigious family. A two for one Groupon may be available at the time of your visit, but the price is affordable either way. On display are many items of historic value belonging to the family. This includes the carriage that John Brown took to Washington when serving as a state representative, as well as many day to day items. Unfortunately for Mr. Brown his children were not nearly as interested in the family business as he was.
Next, we ventured into downtown for lunch, keeping the Brown campus for another day. Hungry, we stopped by the old train station, a brown brick building north of the main square. The building now houses offices, a burger joint and Union Station Brewery tucked in the back. The craft beer and food was good but I have it on good authority that there are better brew pubs in town. If you would rather a more mainstream beer, the Narragansett Lager is a good choice for you. Brewed in 1890 in Cranston, RI before operations ceased and the brand faltered. The brewery made a comeback and is now based out of Pawtucket, this beer affectionately named Gansett’s by the locals is the pride of Rhode Island. It has a distinctive red and white logo although I think I saw some cans with a lobster on it as well.
The main square facing the brewery houses the main bus stop along with some Providence landmarks like the Superman Building, a monument, a city park, a courthouse and a gorgeous stone city hall.
Other attractions around the downtown core include an old customs house, a convention center, the Strand Ballroom, The Providence Performing Arts Center and the Arcade. The performing arts center is worth visiting at night when the glow of its iconic red sign lights up the street. The arcade, built in 1828 is an architectural gem. Built in Greek Revival architecture style it is the first indoor shopping mall to open in the United States. Since it was the weekend the commercial areas were quiet, the only establishments open where a small bar and a shop called Lovecraft Arts & Sciences (or Weird Providence). The shop is well worth the visit, with an assortment of books and posters that you can only find here (I bought one).
On the north side of downtown, in the triangular area between the Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck is the imposing Statehouse as well as the iconic Renaissance Hotel. For people taking the public transit, the (ugly) brutalist train station can be found here, it offers a decent fair to Boston if you are so inclined. Other landmarks are Providence Place and Waterplace Park, both sitting right next to each other and straddling the Woonasquatucket . I’m not usually one to stop at malls but our Air BNB had a lack of clean towels so I made a quick stop and I was pretty impressed.
On my last days in Providence, I wandered the campus of Brown University. You should start your journey at College Green where many of the important buildings can be seen. I will keep this short as the topic deserves a post of its own but you should know there are two libraries on site the John Hay Library and John Carter Brown Library both containing important documents. Do stop to see the Carrie Tower and learn about the inscription “Love is Strong as Death”. Told you I would keep it short.
Bohemians, Waterfire and Ghosts:
I really wish I had a better camera as my phone struggled to catch the unsettling beauty of the city at night. I don’t believe in the supernatural but if it exists anywhere it would in Providence, specifically in College Hill. A must do is to catch the ghost tour running from prospect terrace park every night at 7pm. The tour brings you by some of the most recognizable sites in the neighborhood including the Providence Athenaeum (Library) where Edgar Allan Poe was dumped by his love interest, a building at the Brown campus still haunted by revolutionary war ghosts, sites associated with Lovecraft and the mausoleum of Anne Marie Brown a woman with a moving story. The mausoleum now hosts lectures, it must be pretty cool being a Brown student.
Another great night time activity is WaterFire, a free event taking place at Waterplace park. Check the schedule for this before coming to Providence as it is well worth seeing. Instead of doing the usual firework installation, this artistic event involves the lighting of wood bonfires on the river by means of gondolas. While this is done an interpretive art show takes place on the water. Come early as attendance is high and locals pack the park.
Easy Road Trips from Providence:
Providence is located in the center of the state as such is ideal for road trips. Currently Bus 60 running from downtown will take you to Newport for very cheap. Just a half hour north is Pawtucket, an old industrial mill city with an interesting history and the AAA farm team for the Boston Red Sox. On the other hand if you fancy Boston it is easily accessible by train for a daytrip. Finally if you have a car the coastline is gorgeous. If I could recommend two places it would be the seaside town of Narragansett and Historic Jamestown, with its beautiful lighthouse.
I haven’t had the chance to visit Fall River, New Bedford or Bristol yet, but I plan expanding on this section when I do as I think they could be great road trip options.
Take Perfect Fall Park Pictures at Roger William Williams Park
For those interested in seeing beautiful nature, a visit to the Roger Williams Park, Casino and Zoo is a must. Amid the park, a historic building serves as a planetarium and the old casino as an events center. The latter dates from 1896 and sits by the beautiful water ponds. You will find a botanical garden at the center of the park but the real show stealer among the colourful orange and red fall colors are the fake neoclassical features added by the water. Both the colonnaded “Temple to Music” and the stunning rotunda by the casino. If you have your kids with you be sure to catch the carousel!
More Pictures of Providence
If you want to see more of the city. Here some great pictures that I could not fit into the post.
Waterplace Park
Downtown
University Hill
State House
John Brown House
Federal Hill
Brown University
Assorted Streetscapes
A Brief Conclusion:
This post was very difficult to write due to the sheer number of unique sights. The city has an authentic New England feel and I would venture to say that I much prefer it to Boston, but I might be biased… I have been reading some Lovecraft lately. I hope to come back soon and something tells me I will.
