Providence, Rhode Island

Founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, the city of Providence, Rhode Island, began as a haven for people opposed to Puritan theocracy and exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the city grew to become a busy center of manufacturing, business, and art. Providence is the capital city and the most populous city in Rhode Island. Providence's small footprint of less than twenty square miles makes it one of the most densely populated cities in the United States.

Landscape

The impact of Narragansett Bay, which nearly splits the state in half, on Providence's development cannot be overstated. From its earliest days, Providence has taken advantage of its location, at the headwaters of the bay, by engaging in fishing, whaling, shipbuilding, and shipping. During the textile boom of the 1790s, Providence's easy access to the bay was a key factor in making it a center of the textile trade. On a darker note, Providence also served as a port-of-call in the Triangle Trade, which shipped African slaves, rum, and manufactured products across the Atlantic.

Three rivers also pass through downtown Providence: the Woonasquatucket, Moshassuck, and Providence Rivers. The Blackstone River, which served as an important trade link between Massachusetts and Rhode Island, begins in Worcester, Massachusetts, and flows into the Seekonk River, which flows east from the city before emptying into the headwaters of Narragansett Bay.

Providence's climate is northern temperate, with moderately hot summers and cold winters. The average temperature for January is 29 degrees Fahrenheit, and in July temperatures average 80 degrees, but it is not unheard of for summer temperatures to reach the high 90s. Snowstorms and blizzards are common in the winter months, and thunderstorms usually occur only during the late spring and summer months. Average annual precipitation is 47 inches a year.

Hurricanes and tornadoes have occasionally plagued the state throughout its history, and flooding can be a serious threat to life and property during violent storms. After Hurricanes Carol and Diane hit the city in 1954 and 1955 respectively, Rhode Island voters approved construction of a flood-control system in Woonsocket and a hurricane barrier across the Providence River, which has been used several times since construction was completed in 1966.

Early in its development, Providence was culturally isolated from its nearby Puritan colonial neighbors by its guarantee of religious freedom and warm relationship with the local Narragansett tribe. Today, Providence is very much connected to the neighboring states thanks to its port, the winding path of Interstate 95 through its downtown, and the train station stop on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor run. The greater metropolitan Providence area includes Fall River, Massachusetts, and Warwick, Rhode Island, an area covering 1,141 square miles. The city proper measures 18.4 square miles.

People

According to an estimate from the US Census Bureau Survey, Providence's population was 189,563 in 2022. The major racial and ethnic groups in the city are Hispanic or Latino (42.6 percent of the population), White (34.4 percent), African American or Black (15.2 percent), and Asian (6.4 percent). Although most of the population is native-born, approximately 30.2 percent of Providence residents were born outside the United States.

Like most New England cities, Providence has ethnic enclaves where the flavor of the local culture can be experienced. Federal Hill, located just outside of downtown Providence, is one of the most prominent ethnic neighborhoods and is a popular destination for both locals and tourists with its Italian restaurants and delis.

The largest Hispanic enclave is the landlocked inner-city neighborhood called West End, which borders Federal Hill and Huntington Industrial Park. The area is one of two major industrial centers built by the city in the 1970s. Elmwood, located in the southwest quadrant of the city, is home to a large number of manufacturing concerns.

The fastest growing enclaves are in the working-class Wanskuck and Smith Hill neighborhoods. Smith Hill is a historically significant neighborhood in that it was part of the city's original land grant from the American Indians living in the region. Smith Hill is divided by Interstate 95 and includes the Providence Place Mall and Foundry complex in its districts.

The College Hill neighborhood served as the nucleus of Providence in 1636 and includes a number of architecturally significant landmarks, including Brown University and the Old State House.

Most of the major annual events in Providence focus on the city's image as a center of art and commerce. The largest civic celebration is WaterFire Providence, which is held on weekends between March and October, and involves setting fire to approximately one hundred floats on the city's three downtown rivers. As part of the event, people are invited to stroll the basin among artists, musicians, and food vendors while gondoliers row passengers along the fire-lit rivers.

Economy

The introduction of textile manufacturing in 1790 changed Providence's economic base, which until that time relied primarily on farming, shipping, and fishing. Samuel Slater, an English immigrant and veteran of Great Britain's textile industry, built the first water-powered mill for spinning cotton in neighboring Pawtucket and single-handedly sparked the Industrial Revolution in America. However, it was not until the 1820s that cotton manufacturing became a core industry in the city and surrounding towns. Providence's birth as the leading manufacturer of the world's costume jewelry came in 1796 when silversmith Nehemiah Dodge and his brother, Seril, learned the art of covering cheap metals, such as brass, with gold and other precious metals.

During the War of 1812, the maritime industry began its slow decline as investors moved away from the risky enterprise and instead put their money into manufacturing concerns. By the 1830s, most of Providence's longstanding manufacturing industries were in place: cotton and woolen textiles, costume jewelry, forged metals, and silverware. Textile manufacturing began fleeing south in the 1920s to take advantage of cheaper labor. Manufacturing activity began its decline in the 1950s, following its peak during World War II, and shrank over the decades due to offshoring and the elimination of low-skilled jobs. Advanced manufacturing remains a significant industry in Providence, but in terms of employment, manufacturing has been surpassed by a number of other sectors, including education and health services; trade, transportation, and utilities; professional and business services; government; and leisure and hospitality. Life sciences, cybersecurity, defense and maritime industries, industrial design, food, and tourism had become focus areas by 2023. The city's unemployment rate in December 2023 was 4.3 percent.

Providence was particularly hard hit during the recession of the late 2000s. Its homes lost more than a quarter of their value, and its manufacturing sector was gutted. Rhode Island was the last to emerge from recession in the 2010s. By the late 2010s, the state was offering tax breaks to attract major firms, such as General Electric, some of whom established themselves or set up divisions in Providence itself.

Providence's transportation infrastructure and its location between New York City and Boston have done much to shape the city's economic history. The T. F. Green Airport, located in nearby Warwick, served more than 2.9 million passengers in 2022, more than double the number of passengers in the previous year, according to the Providence Business News. The Providence and Worcester Railroad connects the state's industrial sites and provides shipping services, and Amtrak provides passenger service on the Northeast Corridor route between Boston and Washington, DC. Several major interstate highways also pass through the city, including Interstate Routes 95, 195, and 295. The relocation of the I-95 highway was completed in 2016 and opened up approximately thirty-five acres of land making way for new development. The Port of Providence, located where the Providence River flows into Narragansett Bay, still actively serves as bulk and specialty cargo receiving and warehouse facility.

Major educational institutions in Providence include Brown University, Providence College, Rhode Island School of Design, Johnson and Wales University, Roger Williams University, and Rhode Island College. The University of Rhode Island also has a campus in the city.

Landmarks

Although it is often overlooked in favor of its larger neighbors, Providence has much to offer tourists and visitors. Roger Williams Park is a 435-acre reserve that houses the nation's third-oldest zoo, the Museum of Natural History, and a planetarium. The park also offers boat rentals to tour the nearby rivers and lakes. The Roger Williams Park Zoo is home to 160 species and more than 800 animals.

Much of Providence's heritage lies in the careful preservation of the city's architecture. Benefit Street, known as "The Mile of History," contains a large number of restored colonial-era buildings, including homes, museums, and churches, that overlook the waterfront. The John Brown House, a Georgian mansion, is a must-see for people interested in Providence's maritime past. Thayer Street on College Hill offers a wide variety of dining and shopping and offers easy access to the Brown University campus.

Top-notch museums in Providence include the Rhode Island School of Design's Museum of Art, with its collection of art from ancient Greece and Rome, China, India, Egypt, and France. Food enthusiasts might enjoy the American Diner Museum, which celebrates Providence as the 1872 birthplace of the American diner, and Johnson and Wales University's Culinary Archives and Museum. Youngsters who need a break are always welcome at the Providence Children's Museum, which offers hands-on interactive exhibits, including a trip through the state's history.

History

Providence was founded as Providence Plantations in 1636 by Roger Williams, who was cast out of the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his opposition to the theocratic government and his insistence on the separation of church and state. He described his new home as "God's merciful providence unto me in my distress," thus giving the settlement its name. Other disaffected people from the surrounding Puritan colonies soon joined Williams in his "lively experiment" on the Narragansett. Others, such as Anne and William Hutchinson, opted to start their own colonies nearby, giving Rhode Island a reputation as a haven for unconventional free-thinkers.

Williams was able to maintain good relations with his American Indian neighbors until 1675, when King Philip's War broke out. After settlers from Plymouth Colony, in present-day Massachusetts, launched an attack against the Narragansett tribe, the once friendly Narragansett retaliated against the white colonists, eventually descending upon Plymouth Plantation and setting fire to many buildings there.

Rhode Island was the first state to declare its independence from the British Crown on May 4, 1776, two months before the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia. Rhode Island was also the last state to ratify the US Constitution, holding out until 1790, when the Bill of Rights was added and George Washington became president.

Through the years, Providence has thrived and grown on the basis of its maritime and agricultural base and later on its manufacturing prowess and commercial acumen. Large-scale immigration from Europe and other regions began in the 1820s, with Irish Catholics leading the charge followed by Germans, Swedes, French Canadians, English, Italians, Portuguese, and Greeks in the latter half of the nineteenth century.

However, the switch from agriculture to an industrial base was not a smooth one. Dorr's Rebellion in 1842, named for its leader Thomas W. Dorr, forced Rhode Island to abandon the colonial charter and adopt a formal state constitution that, among other things, extended voting rights to naturalized citizens and enacted a state Bill of Rights.

Providence was officially incorporated as a city in 1832. Population growth was aided by the arrival of interstate rail service for cargo in 1847, with passenger service beginning the following year. Although the city served as one of Rhode Island's several rotating capitals for many years, it did not become the sole state capital until 1900.

Under the leadership of longtime mayor Buddy Cianci in the 1990s, the city undertook major infrastructure and construction projects, such as creating a mall and burying railways. It also revitalized the zoo.

The clergy sex-abuse scandal that came to light in the early twenty-first century particularly affected Rhode Island. By 2019, the Catholic Diocese of Providence reportedly paid some $23 million to settle or otherwise resolve over one hundred claims against parish priests and clergy at parochial schools. According to the Chicago Sun Tribune, the Catholic Diocese of Providence declined to provide information about the amount of money spent to settle claims by 2023 although it continued to settle claims.

Today, Providence is the third-largest city in New England, following Boston and Worcester. About two-thirds of Rhode Island's population lives in the Providence metropolitan area. Throughout its history, Providence has shown a unique tendency to adapt to the economic and political realities of the time, while still holding on to its founding principles of protecting personal freedoms.

Bibliography

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Conley, Patrick T., and Paul R. Campbell. "History of the City: 375 Years at a Glance." ProvidenceRI.com. City Archives, City of Providence, 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.

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Herguth, Robert. "Catholic Order, New Lenox School Pay $2 Million Over Accusation School Principal Raped a Student." Chicago Sun-Times, 24 Nov. 2023, suntimes.com/2023/11/24/23970149/augustinian-catholic-order-clergy-sex-abuse-richard-mcgrath-providence-high-school-saint-rita. Accessed 22 Feb. 2024.

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