When he was banished from Massachusetts for his views on religious tolerance and separation of church and state, Roger Williams named it Providence Plantation because he believed “God had sustained him and his followers and brought him to this place”. He established the first Baptist church in the country (maybe the second). To honor him, there are 430 acres of Roger Williams Park, including the famous Roger Williams Zoo.
Providence is the capital of Rhode Island and its capitol building is unique because its self-supporting marble dome is the only one like it besides St. Peter’s Basilica, India’s Taj Mahal, and St. Paul, Minnesota. There’s a lot to see in Providence. Most people are unaware until they get there and take a tour as we did. It’s the only U.S. city to be named one of the ”Top Ten Up-and-Coming Travel Destinations” by the Wall Street Journal.- I won’t say Federal Hill (Little Italy) is the main attraction, but it is a quaint little area, featuring places like the Scialo Bakery, family-owned since 1916 who gives you a baking demonstration. Everything is made from scratch on the premises in 1920’s brick ovens. Down the street, Geppetto Pizzeria will pull a grill up to your table and “grill” your pizza in front of you.
- Brown University. I mention it, not because of it’s renown as a famous Ivy League college, but because my grandson is a student there. It is alleged that the name IVY didn’t come from the ivy on the walls of the college but from the Roman numeral IV, representing the original FOUR (IV), i.e., Brown, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Believe it or not. Brown University was formerly known as College of Rhode Island but renamed in recognition of a gift from Nicolas Brown. Providence is also the home of the University of Rhode Island, Providence College, Rhode Island School of Design(RISD) and Johnson and Wales.
- The spectacular Waterfires of 100 sparkling bonfires with wood smoke aroma, the flickering firelights on the arched bridges, the torch-lit vessels traveling down the river, and the enchanting music from around the world. Ya gotta see this.
- Perhaps the main attraction is the Rhode Island Convention Center and Dunkin Donuts (do you believe it?) Center, with multi purpose facilities and attached to the Providence Place Mall, via the Skywalk. The Providence Performing Arts Center has been here since 1928 with its 24 carat gold gilded interior and past visits by Judy Garland and the Rolling Stones. It was nearly turned into a parking lot in the 70’s but saved to become a world class facility hosting touring Broadway shows, plays and concerts.
- The Dunkin Donuts Center, formerly known as the Providence Civic Center, is the home of the Providence Bruins and Big East Providence College Friars, and the Pawtucket Red Sox are just down the road. I remember seeing Frank Sinatra at the Civic Center with my sister Muriel who was a huge fan. She was a member of the “bobby sox brigade” who saw him in Boston in the ‘40’s. She incurred my father’s wrath with curlers in her hair at Sunday Mass, preparing to see him that night.
Rhode Island is the smallest of the fifty but has 1 million people, with 170,000 in Providence. It is one hour from Boston and within 500 miles of 25% of the U.S. population. A visit is well worth it. NO!!....I don’t work for the Chamber of Commerce.
September 4, 2009
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