Providence

41.82399, -71.41283

Providence Travel Guide

City Map

City Introduction

Providence is the capital and largest city of the US state of Rhode Island. The town was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, who founded America’s first Baptist church in the town two years later. Providence grew, and after the American War of Independence in the 18th century, it was one of the ten largest cities in the United States, with more than 7,500 inhabitants.

In a few decades the population doubled, and through much of the 19th century Market Square was the center of the city’s political and social life. Providence was industrialized as well, and around the year 1900 more than 175,000 citizens lived here, and the city was one of the most prosperous in the United States.

The 1900s saw declines for Providence, with the depression of 1929, the recession of the 1930s and a Category 5 hurricane in 1938 all causing great damage to the city’s population, economy and production. Factories closed in a large number, and later many residents moved to the suburbs. From the turn of the century, downtown Providence has been revitalized.

Today, Providence is an interesting city to visit, and there are quite a few sights. You can start a stroll in the downtown area at Kennedy Plaza, where Providence City Hall stands as the southwestern end of the elongated square. The town hall was built 1875-1878 in second empire style with an impressive interior, not least in the large atrium and in the town council hall. Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy are among those who have spoken from the steps in front of the building.

Kennedy Plaza is the center of the city, and opposite the city hall you can see the Federal Building from 1908, which was built as a courthouse, post office and customs building. Between the two buildings you can notice the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument from 1871. Along the south side of the square stands a series of high-rise buildings, with the Industrial National Bank Building as the best known. The 130-meter-high construction was built 1925-1928 and opened as the state’s tallest building.

Along the north side of Kennedy Plaza was the former Providence Central Station. It burned in 1896, making way for Burnside Park, while a new railway station was built further north on the opposite side of Burnside Park. The railway station buildings are still located here, even though the tracks were rerouted in 1986 to the city’s new station, which is a little to the north-east.

From downtown, you can make a short walk to the north, where the Rhode Island State House is located. It is the government building of the state of Rhode Island and thereby the seat of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The building was built in neoclassicism in the years 1891-1901 with a large dome and the statue of the Independent Man on top. The statue symbolizes freedom and independence. In the State House you can see an impressive interior and there is also a museum.

You can visit other interesting museums in Providence as well, such as the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, which is an art museum that was established at the same time as the local school in 1877. The museum today has a wide collection with everything from antique art to contemporary art, and countless art forms and artists are represented. You can also enjoy Providence’s urban space on the tour in the city, and one of the best places is Waterplace Park with a view of the water in the Woonasquatucket River and the city skyline.

Other Attractions

Day Trips

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Boston

Boston is a city in the state of Massachusetts and thereby in so-called New England, and it is not simply because it is located in the northeastern corner of the United States close to Europe. You feel British culture here more than anywhere else in the United States, but of course the many benefits of American culture are also part of daily life and the cityscape here.

Boston’s many quaint streets and neighborhoods also hold much of the American independence history in the years of struggle with England. It was in the northeastern United States that the cradle of the present United States was, and this is where the rebellion against the colonial power of England took place.

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Hartford, Connecticut, USA

Hartford

Hartford is the capital of the US state of Connecticut. The area was explored in the early 17th century, and the Dutch West India Company established Fort Hoop in the southern part of present-day Hartford. English settlers came here in 1635 and founded the actual settlement, which in 1637 was named Hartford. In 1662, the city became the capital of the colony of Connecticut, and in the following decades and throughout the 18th century, the city grew to around 3,000 inhabitants.

From the middle of the 1800s, Hartford developed into a city with a significant industry, and among the many companies were Samuel Colt’s gun production and Albert Pope’s bicycle factory. The development brought more inhabitants, and from 13,500 citizens in 1850, the number rose to almost 80,000 in the year 1900. Growth continued through the 1900s, when downtown’s modern skyline with office buildings was also developed.

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