401/331-5544) is set up here; it’s fully utilized almost every evening in cold weather, with skate rentals, lockers, and a snack bar are on site. In summer the Plaza is home to special events.
Stroll the Historic Neighborhoods
To get a sense of Providence’s evolution from a colony of dissidents to a contemporary center of commerce and government, take a leisurely walk from downtown (or “Downcity,” as it’s called here) across the river toward Brown University; you’ll pass most of the prominent Providence attractions.
Start at Providence City Hall (built in 1878), at Kennedy Plaza and Dorrance Street. Walk 1 block south, turn left onto Westminster, then right in 1 block at the Arcade (see p. 432), then left onto Weybosset. Follow Weybosset until it joins Westminster, and continue along Westminster across the Providence River. Turn right, along the river on South Water Street as far as James Street, just before the I-195 overpass. Turn left onto James, cross South Main, and then turn left on Benefit Street.
Here on Benefit Street is the start of the so-called Mile of History . Lined with 18th- and 19th-century houses, it is enhanced by gas streetlamps and sections of brick herringbone sidewalks. Along the way are opportunities to visit, in sequence, the 1786 John Brown House, the Providence Athenaeum (p. 431), and the Museum of Art at the Rhode Island School of Design (p. 430). The grand Gov. Henry Lippitt House Museum (p. 430) is a half-mile from the RISD museum and worth a stop if you’re touring on a Friday.
The area from Benefit up to the right (east) is College Hill , site of the former Rhode Island College (founded in 1764), which was later renamed Brown University. Now a National Historic District, College Hill has several square miles of 18th- and 19th-century Colonial and Victorian houses lining its streets. In the middle of the Brown campus, parallel to Benefit, is Thayer Street, a funky shopping district.
The Rhode Island Historical Society (www.rihs.org; 401/331-8575) offers guided walking tours of the city’s neighborhoods starting from the John Brown House Museum (52 Power St.).
Brown University The nation’s seventh-oldest college was founded in 1764 and has a reputation as the most experimental institution among its Ivy League brethren. The evidence of its pre-Revolutionary origins is seen in University Hall, built in 1771. Free tours of the campus are intended primarily for prospective students, but anyone can join. Reservations are not necessary, but call ahead to check the schedule, which changes frequently. Tours begin at Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center located at 75 Waterman St.
Office of Admissions, 45 Prospect St. (at Angell St.). www.brown.edu. 401/863-1000.
Gov. Henry Lippitt House Museum HISTORIC HOME This 1865 mansion is as magnificently true to its grandiose Victorian era as any residence on the Continent. Expanses of stained glass, meticulously detailed stenciling, and inlaid floors make this one of the treasures of College Hill. Visits are by guided tour only.
199 Hope St. (at Angell St.). www.preserveri.org. 401/453-0688. Guided tour $10. Tours May–Oct Fri and 3rd Sat of month: 11am–3pm on the hour (last tour at 2pm); Nov–Apr by appointment only.
Museum of Art at the Rhode Island School of Design MUSEUM Prestigious RISD (pronounced Riz-dee) supports this center of fine and decorative arts. Of New England’s many excellent college and university museums, this ranks near the top for the breadth of its collection. Holdings include textile arts and French Impressionist paintings, with works by such masters as Monet, Cézanne, Rodin, Picasso, and Matisse. Allow extra time for the American wing, which contains paintings by John Singleton Copley and John Singer Sargent, and the contemporary collection, which includes sculpture by Louise Bourgeois and videos by Bruce Nauman. The Gorham silver collection, including work by Colonial silversmith Paul Revere, is itself worth the price of admission.
224 Benefit St. (at Waterman St.) or 20 N. Main St. www.risdmuseum.org. 401/454-6500. $15 adults, $12 seniors, $3 college students, free under age 18. Free to all 3rd Thurs of month 5–9pm, Sun 10am–1pm, and last Sat of month. Tues–Sun 10am–5pm (3rd Thurs of month until 9pm).
Pawtucket Red Sox Baseball at McCoy Stadium SPECTATOR SPORTS Just 6 miles north of Providence is Pawtucket, a working-class city with a great attraction: the minor league ballpark for the Pawtucket Red Sox, a Triple A baseball team. As the step just before the big leagues with the Boston Red Sox, Pawtucket is the place to catch both up-and-coming stars and big name players recovering from injuries. Baseball at McCoy Stadium is old-timey American: The crowds are friendly, the prices are modest, the baseball is good, and the music is low-key. You can even get your photo taken with the mascots (Paws and Sox) for free. Fun fact: McCoy was witness to the longest game in baseball history—33 innings, played over 2 days in 1981 (the Paw Sox won). Note: In 2018 it was announced that the PawSox will be moving to a new stadium in Worcester, Massachusetts in 2021. Goodbye PawSox, hello WooSox!
1 Columbus Ave., Pawtucket. (Take I-95 to exit 27, 28, or 29 and follow signs.) www.pawsox.com. 401/724-7300. Box seats $14; general admission $9 adults, $6 senior, military and children 12 and under. Limited free parking; paid parking nearby. Season runs Apr–Sept.
Providence Athenaeum LIBRARY The Providence Athenaeum commissioned this 1838 Greek Revival building to house its lending library, the fourth-oldest in the United States. Edgar Allan Poe courted Sarah Whitman, his “Annabel Lee,” among the stacks here. Glances through the old card catalog reveal handwritten cards dating well back into the 1800s; bibliophiles will lose themselves in this evocative place. Rotating exhibits of rare books and works by local artists are additional attractions.
251 Benefit St. (at College St.). www.providenceathenaeum.org. 401/421-6970. Free admission. Mon–Thurs 9am–7pm; Fri 9am–5pm; Sat 1–5pm. Also Sun 1–5pm Sept–May. Closed 1st 2 weeks Aug.
Rhode Island State House ARCHITECTURE Constructed of white Georgian marble that blazes in the sun, Rhode Island’s capitol building dominates the city center. This near-flawless example of neoclassical governmental architecture (by McKim, Mead & White; 1885–1904) is crowned by one of the world’s largest self-supported domes. The gilded figure on top represents “Independent Man,” the state symbol. Inside the State Room is a portrait of George Washington, one of several painted by Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828), a Rhode Island native.
