Providence, Rhode Island
44186
226153193
2008-07-17T01:43:08Z
Clevelander96
3305034
[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 226152664 by [[Special:Contributions/71.161.238.50|71.161.238.50]] ([[User talk:71.161.238.50|talk]]) Fox Point is on the East Side of Providence, not the south side
{{featured article}}{{redirect|Providence}}
{{Infobox Settlement
|official_name = City of Providence
|settlement_type = [[City]]
|nickname = Beehive of Industry, The Renaissance City, The Divine City
|image_skyline = Providence skyline2crop.jpg
|imagesize =
|image_caption =
|image_flag = ProvidenceRI_flag.png
|image_seal = ProvidenceRI_seal.png
|image_map = RIMap-doton-Providence.PNG
|mapsize = 250px
|map_caption = Location in [[Rhode Island]]
|image_map1 =
|mapsize1 =
|map_caption1 =
|subdivision_type = [[List of countries|Country]]
|subdivision_type1 = [[Political divisions of the United States|State]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Rhode Island|County]]
|subdivision_name = [[United States]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Rhode Island]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Providence County, Rhode Island|Providence]]
|government_type =
|leader_title = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name = [[David Cicilline]] ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
|established_date =
|area_magnitude = 1 E8
|area_total_km2 = 53.2
|area_total_sq_mi = 20.5
|area_land_km2 = 47.8
|area_land_sq_mi = 18.5
|area_water_km2 = 5.3
|area_water_sq_mi = 2.1
|population_as_of = 2006
|population_note =
|population_total = 172,459
|population_density_km2 = 3666
|population_density_sq_mi = 9473
|population_metro = 1600856
|timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
|utc_offset_DST = -4
|latd = 41 |latm = 49 |lats = 25 |latNS = N
|longd = 71 |longm = 25 |longs = 20 |longEW = W
|elevation_m = 23
|elevation_ft = 75
|website = http://www.providenceri.com
|postal_code_type =
|postal_code =
|area_code = [[Area code 401|401]]
|blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info = 44-59000{{GR|2}}
|blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info = 1219851{{GR|3}}
|footnotes =
}}
'''Providence''' is the [[capital]] and the most populous city of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Rhode Island]], and one of the first cities established in the [[United States]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Providence-Introduction.html|publisher=Advameg, Inc.|title=Providence: Introduction|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref> Located in [[Providence County, Rhode Island|Providence County]], it is the estimated third-largest city<ref>The US Census estimates [[Worcester, Massachusetts]] to have overtaken Providence in 2006 by 199 people. Though this is well within the margin of error, this article, [[Worcester, Massachusetts]], and [[List of United States cities by population]] uses the 2006 estimates for purposes of ranking. The [[New England]] article, however, ranks by 2000 Census, which places Providence as second largest.</ref> in the [[New England]] region. Despite having an estimated population of 172,459 as of 2007, it anchors the [[List of United States metropolitan areas|36th]] largest [[Providence metropolitan area|metropolitan population]] in the country, with an estimated [[metropolitan statistical areas|MSA]] population of 1,600,856, exceeding that of Rhode Island by about 60% due to its reaching into southern [[Massachusetts]].<ref name=metro>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metro_general/2007/CBSA-EST2007-01.csv U.S Census Bureau|title=[[July 1]] [[2007]] Population Estimates|accessdate = 2008-03-02|publisher=US Census Bureau}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://stats.bls.gov/oes/current/msa_def.htm#77200 stats.bls.gov|publisher=US Department of Labor|title = May 2006 OEC Metropolitan Statistical Area definitions|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=US Census Bureau|title=Population Estimates for Places over 100,000: 2000 to 2007|url=http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2007-01.csv|accessdate=2007-06-29}}</ref> Situated at the mouth of the [[Providence River]], on [[Narragansett Bay]], the city's small footprint is crisscrossed by seemingly erratic streets and a rapidly changing demographic using them.
Providence was founded in 1636 by [[Roger Williams (theologian)|Roger Williams]], a religious exile from the [[Massachusetts Bay Colony]]. He named the area in honor of "God's merciful Providence" which he believed was responsible for his finding such a haven to settle. After being one of the first cities in the country to industrialize, Providence became noted for its [[jewelry]] and [[Silver (household)|silverware]] industry. Today, Providence city proper alone is home to eight hospitals and seven institutions of higher learning, which has shifted the city's economy into service industries, though it still retains significant manufacturing work. The city was once nicknamed the "Beehive of Industry", while today "The Renaissance City" is more common, though as of 2000 census, its poverty rate was still among the ten highest for cities over 100,000.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Leazes et. al
| title = Providence, The Renaissance City
| publisher = Northeastern University Press
| year = 2004
| isbn = 1555536042 }}</ref><ref name=poverty>{{cite web | url=http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-19.pdf | format=PDF| title=Poverty 1999 - U.S. Census Brief 2000| author=Bishaw, Alemayehu, and John Iceland | publisher=US Census Bureau | year=May 2003 | accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref>
==History==
{{main|History of Providence}}
The area which is now Providence was first settled in June 1636 by [[Roger Williams (theologian)|Roger Williams]], and was one of the original [[Thirteen Colonies]] of the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nndb.com/people/565/000050415/ nndb.com|publisher=Soylent Communications|title = Roger Williams|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref> Williams secured a title from the [[Narragansett (tribe)|Narragansett]] natives around this time and gave the city its present name. Williams also cultivated Providence as a refuge for persecuted religious dissenters, as he himself had been exiled from [[Massachusetts]].<ref name="3.5-centuries">{{cite web | url=http://www.providenceri.com/history/centuries1.html | title=Three and One-Half Centuries at a Glance | publisher=City of Providence, Rhode Island | date=May 2002 | accessdate = 2006-01-17}}</ref> Providence's growth would be slow during the next quarter-century—the subsuming of its territory into surrounding towns, difficulty of farming the land, and differing of local traditions and land conflicts all slowed development.<ref name="3.5-centuries"/>
[[Image:Providence, Rhode Island, 1858.jpg|thumb|left|Providence in the mid-nineteenth century]]
In the mid-1770s, the British government levied taxes that impeded Providence's maritime, fishing and agricultural industries, the mainstay of the city's economy. One example was the [[Sugar Act]], which impacted Providence's distilleries and its trade in rum and slaves. These taxes caused Providence to join the other colonies in renouncing allegiance to the British Crown. In response to enforcement of unpopular trade laws, Providence residents spilled the first blood of the American Revolution in the notorious [[Gaspée Affair]] of 1772.<ref name="3.5-centuries"/>
Though during the [[Revolutionary War]] the city escaped enemy occupation, the capture of nearby [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]] disrupted industry and kept the population on alert. Troops were quartered for various campaigns and [[Brown University]]'s University Hall was used as a barracks and military hospital.<ref name="3.5-centuries"/>
[[Image:Providence old.JPG|thumb|Providence in the mid-20th century]]
Following the war, the economy shifted from maritime endeavors to manufacturing, particularly machinery, tools, silverware, jewelry and textiles. At one time, Providence boasted some of the largest manufacturing plants in the country, including [[Brown & Sharpe]], Nicholson File, and [[Gorham Manufacturing Company|Gorham Silverware]], and was the country's ninth-largest city<ref name="3.5-centuries"/> The city's industries attracted many immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Sweden, England, Italy, Portugal, Cape Verde, and French Canada. Economic and demographic shifts caused social strife, notably with a series of race riots between whites and blacks during the 1820s. In response to these troubles and the economic growth, Providence residents ratified a city charter in 1831.<ref name="3.5-centuries"/>
During the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], local politics split over slavery as many had ties to Southern cotton. Despite ambivalence concerning the war, the number of military volunteers routinely exceeded quota, and the city's manufacturing proved invaluable to the Union. Providence thrived postwar, waves of immigrants and land annexations bringing the population from 54,595 in 1865 to 175,597 by 1900.<ref name="3.5-centuries"/>
The city began to see a decline by the mid-1920s as industries, notably textiles, shut down. The [[Great Depression]] hit the city hard, and Providence's downtown was subsequently flooded by the [[New England Hurricane of 1938]]. The city saw further decline as a result of nation-wide trends, with the construction of highways and increased suburbanization.<ref name="3.5-centuries"/> From the 1950s to the 1980s, Providence was a notorious bastion of [[organized crime]].<ref name=mob>{{cite web | author=May, Allan | url=http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/providence_mob/1.html | title=All About the Providence Mob | publisher=Court TV Crime Library | date=2007 | accessdate = 2007-01-24}}</ref> The mafia boss [[Raymond L.S. Patriarca]] ruled a vast criminal enterprise.
[[Image:Providenceconstruction.JPG|thumb|left|New construction in Providence (August 2006): cranes seen for [[Waterplace|Waterplace Condominium]] towers, Westin addition, and the [[GTECH]] headquarters prior to completion]]
The city's eponymous "Renaissance" began in the 1970s. From 1975 until 1982, [[United States dollar|$]]606 million of local and national Community Development funds were invested throughout the city, and the hitherto falling population began to stabilize. In the 1990s, Mayor [[Vincent Cianci, Jr]] showcased the city's strength in arts and pushed for further revitalization, ultimately resulting in the uncovering of the city's natural rivers (which had been paved over), relocation of a large section of railroad underground, creation of [[Waterplace Park]] and river walks along the river's banks, and construction of the Fleet Skating Rink (now the Bank of America Skating Rink) [[Downtown, Providence, Rhode Island|downtown]] and the 1.4 million ft² [[Providence Place]] Mall.<ref name="3.5-centuries"/>
New investment triggered within the city, with [[Current and Recent Construction Projects in Providence|new construction]] including numerous condo projects, hotels, and a new office highrise all filling in the freed space.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/news/content/c22_05-22-07_AU5NOR8.35ee4a9.html projo.com|title = Condo supplies risings as prices drop|author=Lynn Arditi|publisher=Providence Journal|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/news/content/hotl13_05-13-07_B35KBM0.370f07e.html projo.com|publisher=Providence Journal|title = Hunger for Hotels|author= Daniel Barbarisi|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref> Despite new investment, poverty remains an entrenched problem as it does in most [[post-industrial]] New England cities. Nearly 30 percent of the city population lives below the poverty line.<ref name=census>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=16000US4459000&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US44%7C16000US4459000&_street=&_county=Providence&_cityTown=Providence&_state=04000US44&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2005_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null®=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= census.gov|publisher=US Census Bureau|title = Providence City, Rhode Island|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref> Recent increases in real estate values further exacerbate problems for those at marginal income levels, as Providence had the highest rise in median housing price of any city in the United States from 2004 to 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/top25s/homeapprec.html cnnmoney.com|publisher=Cable News Network LP, LLLP|title=Money Magazine: Best Places to Live: Home Appreciation|accessdate=2007-03-06}}
</ref>
==Geography==
[[Image:Provneighlabel.JPG|right|thumb|Providence neighborhoods with major highways shown]]
The Providence city limits enclose a small geographic region, with a total area of 20.5 square miles (53.2 km²). 18.5 square miles (47.8 km²) of it is land and the remaining 2.1 square miles (5.3 km²) (roughly 10%) of it is water.
Providence is located at the head of [[Narragansett Bay]], with the [[Providence River]] running into the bay through the center of the city,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Providence-Geography-and-Climate.html |publisher=Advameg, Inc.|title=Providence: Geography and Climate|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref> formed by the confluence of the [[Moshassuck River|Moshassuck]] and [[Woonasquatucket River|Woonasquatucket]] Rivers. The [[Waterplace Park]] amphitheater and riverwalks line the river's banks through [[Downtown, Providence, Rhode Island|downtown]]. Constitution Hill (near downtown), College (or Prospect) Hill (east of the Providence River), and Federal Hill (west of downtown and is New England's largest Italian district) are the most prominent of the city's hills. The remaining hills include Tockwotten Hill at [[Fox Point, Providence, Rhode Island|Fox Point]], Smith Hill (where the State House is located), Christian Hill at Hoyle Square (junction of Cranston & Westminster Streets), and Weybosset Hill at the lower end of Weybosset Street, which was leveled in the early 1880s.
===Neighborhoods ===
{{main|Neighborhoods in Providence}}
[[Image:Textronside from college hill.jpg|thumb|The Providence skyline viewed from College Hill]]
Providence has 25 official neighborhoods, though these neighborhoods are often grouped together and referred to collectively:<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.providenceri.com/Neighborhoods/NeighborhoodMap_c.html |publisher=City of Providence | title=Providence Neighborhoods|accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref><ref name=altnames>{{cite web| url=http://204.17.79.244/profiles/altnames.html Providence Neighborhood Profiles|title=Alternative Neighborhood Names | publisher=The Providence Plan | year=2007 | accessdate = 2007-01-31}}</ref>
* The [[East Side, Providence, Rhode Island|East Side]] is a region comprising the neighborhoods of [[Blackstone, Providence, Rhode Island|Blackstone]], [[Hope, Providence, Rhode Island|Hope]] (aka Summit), [[Mount Hope, Providence, Rhode Island|Mount Hope]], [[College Hill, Providence, Rhode Island|College Hill]], Wayland, and [[Fox Point, Providence, Rhode Island|Fox Point]].
* The [[Jewelry District, Providence, Rhode Island|Jewelry District]] describes the area enclosed by I95, I195, and the [[Providence River]].
* The North End is formed by the combination of the neighborhoods of [[Charles, Providence, Rhode Island|Charles]] and Wanskuck.
* The [[South Side, Providence, Rhode Island|South Side]] (or South Providence) consists of the neighborhoods of [[Elmwood, Providence, Rhode Island|Elmwood]], [[Lower South Providence, Providence, Rhode Island|Lower South Providence]], [[Upper South Providence, Providence, Rhode Island|Upper South Providence]], and the [[West End, Providence, Rhode Island|West End]].
* West Broadway is an officially recognized neighborhood with its own association. It overlaps with the southern half of [[Federal Hill, Providence, Rhode Island|Federal Hill]] and the northern part of the West End.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wbna.org|title =West Broadway Neighborhood Association|publisher =WBNA|accessdate=2007-07-30}}</ref>
* The West Side is a vague term sometimes used to mean the [[West End, Providence, Rhode Island|West End]], [[Olneyville, Providence, Rhode Island|Olneyville]], and nearby parts of abutting neighborhoods.
===Cityscape===
[[Image:Westminsterstreet.JPG|thumb|Perspective of Westminster Street]]
The city of Providence is geographically very compact, characteristic of [[East Coast of the United States|eastern seaboard]] cities which developed prior to use of the automobile. For this reason, Providence has the [[List of U.S. cities with most pedestrian commuters|eighth-highest percentage]] of pedestrian commuters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bikesatwork.com/carfree/census-lookup.php?state_select=*&lower_pop=50000&upper_pop=250000&sort_num=2&show_rows=25&first_row=0 bikesatwork.com|publisher=Bikes At Work Inc.|title=Carfree Database Results|accessdate=2007-06-05}} Out of cities over 100,000 in population</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bikesatwork.com/carfree/census-lookup.php?state_select=*&lower_pop=250000&upper_pop=999999999&sort_num=2&show_rows=25&first_row=0 bikesatwork.com|publisher=Bikes At Work Inc.|title=Carfree Database Results|accessdate=2007-06-05}} Out of cities over 100,000 in population</ref> The street layout is somewhat chaotic—over one thousand streets (a great number for the city's size) run haphazardly, connecting and radiating from traditionally bustling places like Market Square.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rootsweb.com/~rigenweb/Providence/article271.html rootsweb.com|publisher=USGenWeb Project|title=History of the State of Rhode Island with Illustrations|author=Albert J. Wright|accessdate=2007-06-06}}</ref>
Downtown Providence has numerous 19th century mercantile buildings in the [[Federal style architecture|Federal]] and Victorian architectural styles, as well as several post-modern and modernist buildings, are located throughout this area. In particular, a fairly clear spatial separation appears between the areas of pre-1980s development and post-1980s development. West Exchange Street and Exchange Terrace serve as rough boundaries between the two.
The newer area, sometimes called "Capitol Center",<ref>{{cite book |last=Woodward |first=William McKenzie |title=PPS/AIAri Guide to Providence Architecture |year=2003 |publisher=Providence Preservation Society |location=Providence, RI |isbn=0-9742847-0-X |pages=303-304}}</ref> includes [[Providence Place Mall]] (1999), a [[The Westin Providence|Westin hotel]] (1993) and [[The Residences at the Westin]] (2007), [[GTECH]] (2006), [[Waterplace]] condominiums (2007), and [[Waterplace Park]] (1994); the area tends toward newer development since much of it is land reclaimed in the 1970s from a mass of railroad tracks which was referred to colloquially as the "Chinese Wall".<ref>{{cite book |last=Woodward |first=William McKenzie |title=PPS/AIAri Guide to Providence Architecture |year=2003 |publisher=Providence Preservation Society |location=Providence, RI |isbn=0-9742847-0-X |pages=13 }}</ref> This part of Downtown is characterized by open spaces, wide roads, and intent landscaping.
[[Image:Providence big three.jpg|thumb|Downtown Providence at [[Burnside Park, Providence, Rhode Island|Burnside Park]]]]
The historic part of downtown has many streetscapes that look as they did eighty years ago. Many of the state's tallest buildings are found here. The [[List of tallest buildings in Providence|largest structure]], to date, is the art-deco-styled former Industrial Trust Tower, currently the [[Bank of America Tower (Providence)|Bank of America Building]] at 426 [[foot (unit of length)|feet]] (130 [[metre|m]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=125380 |title=Bank of America Building, Providence| publisher=Emporis | year=2007 |accessdate = 2007-01-19}}</ref> By contrast, nearby to it is the second tallest [[One Financial Plaza]], designed in modern taut-skin cladding, constructed a half century later.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=125377 | title=One Financial Plaza| year=2006 | publisher=Emporis | accessdate = 2006-06-05}}</ref> In between the two is [[50 Kennedy Plaza]]. The [[Textron Tower]] is also a core building to the modest Providence skyline. Downtown is also the home of the [[Providence Biltmore]] and [[Westminster Arcade]], the oldest enclosed shopping mall in the U.S., built in 1828.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/?id=101896 | title=Providence Buildings, Real Estate, Architecture, Skyscrapers, and Construction Database | year=2005 | publisher=Emporis | accessdate = 2005-11-07}}</ref>
The city's southern waterfront, away from the downtown core, is the location of many oil tanks, a docking station for a ferry boat, a decommissioned Russian submarine, a non-profit sailing center, bars, strip clubs, and power plants. The [[Fox Point Hurricane Barrier]] is also found here, built to protect Providence from [[storm surge]], like that it had endured in the [[New England Hurricane of 1938|1938 New England Hurricane]] and again in 1954 from Hurricane Carol.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providencebiltmore.com/history.htm|publisher=The Providence Biltimore|title=History: A Rhode Island Tradition|accessdate=2007-07-11}}</ref>
The majority of the cityscape comprises abandoned and revitalized industrial mills, double and [[triple decker]] housing (though the [[townhome|row houses]] found so commonly in other Northeast cities, are notably rare here),<ref>{{cite book |last=Woodward |first=William McKenzie |title=PPS/AIAri Guide to Providence Architecture |year=2003 |publisher=Providence Preservation Society |location=Providence, RI |isbn=0-9742847-0-X |pages=227 }}</ref> a small number of high-rise buildings (predominantly for housing the elderly), and single family homes. [[Interstate 95 in Rhode Island|I-95]] serves as a physical barrier between the city's commercial core and neighborhoods such as [[Federal Hill, Providence, Rhode Island|Federal Hill]] and the [[West End, Providence, Rhode Island|West End]].
==Climate==
[[Image:Waterplacepark.JPG|thumb|right|Waterplace Park]]
Providence's climate is [[humid continental]], with warm summers, cool winters, and high humidity year-round. The [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] rates the city at Zone 6a, which is an "in-between" climate. The influence of the [[Atlantic Ocean]] keeps Providence, and the rest of the state of Rhode Island, warmer than many inland locales in New England.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-ne1.html | title=USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map | publisher=US Department of Agriculture - The United States National Arboretum | date=[[March 2]] [[2006]] | accessdate = 2007-01-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.growit.com/bin/USDAZoneMaps.exe?MyState=RI | title=Rhode Island ISDA Hardiness Zone Map | year=2000 | publisher=growit.com | accessdate = 2007-01-19}}</ref> January is the coldest month with average high temperatures of 37 °[[Fahrenheit|F]] (3 °[[Celsius|C]]) and average low temperatures of 20 °F (-7 °C).<ref name="weather.com-monthly-climate">{{cite web | url=http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/fitness/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/02906?from=36hr_bottomnav_fitness | title=Monthly average temperatures and precipitation | publisher=The Weather Channel | year=2007 | accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref> July is the warmest month with average high temperatures of 83 °F (28 °C) and average low temperatures of 64 °F (18 °C).<ref name="weather.com-monthly-climate"/> The record high temperature in the city was 104 °F (40 °C) recorded in 1975.<ref name="weather.com-monthly-climate"/> The record low temperature in the city was -17 °F (-27 °C) recorded in 1934.<ref name="weather.com-monthly-climate"/>
As with the rest of the northeastern seaboard, Providence receives ample precipitation year-round. Monthly precipitation ranges from a high of 4.43 [[inches]] (112.5 mm) in March to a low of 3.17 inches (80.5 mm) in July.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/USRI0050_f.html | title=Providence Weather: Records and Averages | publisher=Yahoo! Weather | year=2005 | accessdate = 2005-09-13}}</ref> Precipitation levels are generally slightly lesser in the summer months than the winter months when powerful storms known as [[Nor'easter]]s can cause significant snowfall and [[blizzard]] conditions. Though not frequent, Providence's location at the head of Narragansett Bay makes it vulnerable to Atlantic [[hurricane]]s.
<center>{{Infobox Weather
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|location = Providence, Rhode Island
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|Apr_Precip_cm = |Apr_Precip_mm = 105.7
|May_Precip_cm = |May_Precip_mm = 93.0
|Jun_Precip_cm = |Jun_Precip_mm = 85.9
|Jul_Precip_cm = |Jul_Precip_mm = 80.5
|Aug_Precip_cm = |Aug_Precip_mm = 99.1
|Sep_Precip_cm = |Sep_Precip_mm = 94.0
|Oct_Precip_cm = |Oct_Precip_mm = 93.7
|Nov_Precip_cm = |Nov_Precip_mm = 111.8
|Dec_Precip_cm = |Dec_Precip_mm = 105.2
|Year_Precip_cm = |Year_Precip_mm = 1180
|source =Weather.com<ref name=weather.com>{{cite web | url=http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/fitness/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/02906?from=36hr_bottomnav_fitness | title=Monthly average temperatures and precipitation| publisher=The Weather Channel | year=2007 | accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref>
|accessdate = Jan 2007
<!--For a second source-->
|source2=
|accessdate2 =
}}</center>
==Demographics==
{| class="toccolours" align="right" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size: 95%;"
|-
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ccccff" align="center"| '''City of Providence<br>Population by year<ref name=population/><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.census.gov/population/documentation/twps0027/tab01.txt | title=Rank by Population of the 100 Largest Urban Places, Listed Alphabetically by State: 1790-1990 | date=[[January 12]] [[2007]] | publisher=U.S. Census Bureau | accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref><ref name=population>{{cite web | author=Gibson, Campbell | date=June 1998 | url=http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0027.html |title=Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990 | publisher=U.S. Census Bureau - Population Division | accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Providence.html | title=Providence| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau | date=[[June 20]] [[2006]] | accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau - Population Division |title=Table 1: Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places Over 100,000, Ranked by July 1, 2006 Population: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006|accessdate=2008-03-06|url=http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2006-01.csv}}</ref>'''
|-
| align="center" | '''Census<br>year''' || align="center" | '''Population''' || align="center" |'''U.S. rank'''
|-
| colspan="3"|<hr>
|-
| 1790 || 6,380 || 9
|-
| 1800 || 7,614 || 9
|-
| 1810 || 10,070 || 11
|-
| 1820 || 11,767 || 13
|-
| 1830 || 16,833 || 12
|-
| 1840 || 23,171 || 14
|-
| 1850 || 41,513 || 17
|-
| 1860 || 50,666 || 16
|-
| 1870 || 68,904 || 21
|-
| 1880 || 104,857 || 20
|-
| 1890 || 132,146 || 25
|-
| 1900 || 175,597 || 20
|-
| 1910 || 223,326 || 23
|-
| 1920 || 237,595 || 27
|-
| 1930 || 252,981 || 37
|-
| 1940 || 253,504 || 37
|-
| 1950 || 248,674 || 43
|-
| 1960 || 207,498 || 56
|-
| 1970 || 179,213 || 71
|-
| 1980 || 156,804 || 100
|-
| 1990 || 160,728 || 110
|-
| 2000 || 173,618 || 119
|-
| 2006 est. || 175,255 || 128
|}
As of the [[census]]{{GR|2}} of 2000, the population comprised 173,618 people, 62,389 households, and 35,859 families.<ref name=census/> The [[population density]] was 3,629.4/km² (9,401.7/sq mi), characteristic of comparatively older cities in [[New England]] such as [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]], [[Connecticut]], [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]], and [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]], [[Connecticut]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44/4459000.html | title=Providence (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau|publisher=US Census Bureau|accessdate = 2007-01-18}}</ref> Also like these cities, its population peaked in the 1940s just prior to the nationwide period of rapid [[suburbanization]]. Providence has had a substantial Italian population since the turn of the century, evidenced by its own Little Italy in [[Federal Hill, Providence, Rhode Island|Federal Hill]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providenceri.com/Neighborhoods/fedhill.html providenceri.com|publisher=City of Providence|title = Federal Hill|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref> Irish immigrants have also had considerable influence on the city's history, with 8% of residents claiming Irish heritage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genealogyInfo.php?locIndex=13448|title=Providence—Ancestry & Family History|accessdate=2007-06-19|publisher=ePodunk Inc.}}</ref>
Belying Providence's traditionally white makeup is the sizable minority presence it has acquired in the last twenty years. Though nearby cities like Boston and Hartford have longer-standing black and Latino communities, Providence now has a higher minority percentage, with non-Hispanic whites comprising less than half (45.8%) of the population.<ref name=demographics>{{cite web|url=http://www.provplan.org/Matriarch/MultiPiecePage.asp?PageID=54&PageName=InfoDataPeopleDemographics provplan.org|publisher=The Providence Plan|title=Information and Data—People & Demographics|accessdate=2007-06-06}}</ref><ref name=hispanic>{{cite web|url=http://www.rifoundation.org/matriarch/documents/latino_1_2%281%29.pdf|format=PDF|title = Geographic Concentration of the Latino Population|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref> Though salient contributions to this growth have been among Asians and unspecified races, the most dramatic change comes from Hispanics, whose presence has increased fivefold. Having origins in [[Puerto Rico]], [[Colombia]], the [[Dominican Republic]], and [[Central America]] (particularly [[Guatemala]]), Hispanics have strong influence in the neighborhoods of [[Elmwood, Providence, Rhode Island|Elmwood]], the [[West End, Providence, Rhode Island|West End]], and [[Upper South Providence, Providence, Rhode Island|Upper]] and [[Lower South Providence, Providence, Rhode Island|Lower South Providence]].<ref name=hispanic/> Hispanic impact is even larger in the city's schools. Hispanics represent over half (55%) of all students in the city's school system while comprising only 30% of Providence's population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sreb.org/programs/hstw/publications/case_studies/05V05_Providence.pdf|format=PDF|publisher=Southern Regional Education Board|pages=2|title=The Providence Public School Department and The University of Rhode Island Partnership|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref><ref name=demographics/>
In addition, Providence, like the nearby [[Massachusetts]] cities of [[Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River]] and [[New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford]], has a considerable community of immigrants from various [[Community of Portuguese Language Countries|Portuguese-speaking countries]], living mostly in the areas of Washington Park and [[Fox Point, Providence, Rhode Island|Fox Point]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providenceri.com/Neighborhoods/foxpoint.html providenceri.com|title=Fox Point|publisher=City of Providence|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://204.17.79.244/profiles/wpk_bk.html provplan.org|title=Washington Park|publisher=The Providence Plan|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bosfed.org/commdev/c&b/2004/Fall/Immigrants.pdf|format=PDF|publisher=Federal Reserve Bank of Boston|title=Who are New England's Immigrants?|author=Manie Marcuss and Ricardo Borgos|page=4|accessdate=2007-06-06}}</ref> [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]]s constitute approximately 15% of the city with the largest percentages in [[Mount Hope, Providence, Rhode Island|Mount Hope]] and Upper and Lower South Providence neighborhoods.<ref name=racebyplace>{{cite web|url=http://204.17.79.244/profiles/cw_mrpeo.html provplan.org|publisher=The Providence Plan|title=Maps & Rankings: People|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref><ref name = census/> [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asians]] are 6% of Providence's population and have enclaves scattered thoroughout the city.<ref name=racebyplace/> Another 6% of the city has multiracial ancestry. Native Americans and Pacific Islanders make up the remaining 1.3%.<ref name=census/>
The [[Providence metropolitan area]], which includes Providence, [[Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River]], [[Massachusetts]], and [[Warwick, Rhode Island|Warwick]] is estimated to be 1,622,520.<ref name=metro/> In 2006, this area was officially added to the Boston Combined Statistical Area (CSA), the [[Table of United States Combined Statistical Areas|fifth-largest CSA in the country]]. In last fifteen years, Providence has experienced a sizable growth in its under-18 population, attributed to the influx of Hispanics.<ref name=demographics/> The median age of the city is 28 years, while the largest age [[Cohort (statistics)|cohort]] is comprised of 20 to 24 year olds owing to the city's large student population.<ref name=demographics/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://providence.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm providence.areaconnect.com|publisher=MDNH, Inc.|title=Providence Population and Demographics|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref>
The [[per capita income]], as of the [[United States Census, 2000|2000 census]], was $15,525, which is well below both the state average of $29,113,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0104652.html infoplease.com|publisher=HighBeam Research, LLC|title=Per Capital Personal Income by State|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref> and the national average of $21,587.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/c2kprof00-us.pdf|format=PDF|title=U.S. Summary: 2000|pages=4|accessdate=2007-06-10|publisher=US Census Bureau}}</ref><ref name=census/> The median income for a household was $26,867, and the median income for a family in Providence was $32,058, according to the 2000 census. The city has one of the highest rates of poverty in the nation with 29.1% of the population and 23.9% of families living below the [[poverty line]] in 2000, the largest concentrations being found in the city's [[Olneyville, Providence, Rhode Island|Olneyville]], and Upper and Lower South Providence areas.<ref name=povmap>{{cite web|url=http://204.17.79.244/profiles/cw_mrecon.html provplan.org|title=Maps & Rankings: Economics|accessdate=2007-06-10|publisher=The Providence Plan}}</ref><ref name=poverty/> Poverty has affected children at a disproportionately higher rate with 40.1% of those under the age of 18 living below the poverty line, concentrated particularly west of [[Downtown, Providence, Rhode Island|downtown]] in the neighborhoods of [[Hartford, Providence, Rhode Island|Hartford]], [[Federal Hill, Providence, Rhode Island|Federal Hill]], and Olneyville.<ref name=povmap/>
===Crime===
The rate of violent crime in the city has dropped for five consecutive years, running contrary to contemporaneous national trends in comparably-sized cities.<ref name=sharply>{{cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/news/content/Prov_Homicides21_01-21-07_HF3VCSS.18cf2e9.html|publisher=Providence Journal|title=Violent crime falls sharply in Providence|accessdate=2007-06-11|author=Gregory Smith}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rwu.edu/newsandevents/news/policechiefs051507.htm|title=Providence Police and Roger Williams Co-Host Conference on Reducing New England's Violent Crime|Publisher = Roger Williams University|accessdate=2007-06-11}}</ref> The city's 11 homicides in 2006 represented a historic low.<ref name=sharply/> Averaged over three years, murders had highest concentrations in Olneyville and the West End neighborhoods.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://204.17.79.244/profiles/tables/crime/pvdnhoodcrime02_04.pdf|format=PDF|title=murder|publisher=The Providence Plan|accessdate=2007-06-11}}</ref> Of the 239 United States cities with populations over 100,000, Providence's violent crime rate ranked 84th in 2003, as compared with New York City at 94th and Boston at 28th.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.provplan.org/Matriarch/MultiPiecePage.asp?PageID=52&PageName=InfoDataCrimePublicSafety|title=Crime & Public Safety: Crime in Providence|publisher=The Providence Plan|accessdate=2007-06-11}}</ref> Notwithstanding its comparatively low rate of violent crime, Providence has the fifth-highest rate of property crime per 100,000 inhabitants in the country,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://finance.yahoo.com/insurance/article/104025/America's-Most-Jealous-Cities|title=America's Most Jealous Cities|publisher=Forbes.com|accessdate=2007-12-14}}</ref> which is 50% above the national average, with car theft in particular at 150% higher.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Providence&state=RI|title=Providence Crime Statistics (RI)|publisher=cityrating.com|accessdate=2007-06-11}}</ref>
[[David Cicilline]], mayor since 2002, is a member of the [[Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition]],<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/about/members.shtml| title=Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Coalition Members|publisher=Mayors Against Illegal Guns|accessdate=2007-06-17}}</ref> a [[bi-partisan]] group with the goal of reducing illegal gun ownership. The Coalition is co-chaired by [[Boston]] Mayor [[Thomas Menino]] and [[New York City]] Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]].
==Economy==
Providence was one of the first cities to industrialize in the United States. By 1830, the city had manufacturing industries in metals, machinery, textiles, jewelry, and silverware. Though manufacturing has declined, the city is still one of the largest centers for [[jewellery|jewelry]] and [[Silver (household)|silverware]] design and manufacturing. Services, particularly education, health care, and finance, also make up a large portion of the city's economy. Providence also is the site of a [[Sectional center facility (SCF)|sectional center facility]], a regional hub for the U.S. Postal Service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.actonelists.com/resources/zip.html|title=
Sectional Center Facility Chart |publisher=Act One Lists|accessdate=2007-06-16}}</ref> Since it is the capital of Rhode Island, Providence's economy additionally consists of government services.
[[Image:Prov-econ.JPG|right|350px|thumb|Data from City-Data.com<ref>{{cite web | title = Providence Economy | publisher = Advameg Inc. | work = City-Data.com | date = 2007 | url = http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Providence-Economy.html | accessdate = 2007-03-13}}</ref>]]
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Largest Providence employers<ref name=economy>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Providence-Economy.html|publisher = Advameg Inc. | work = City-Data.com|title=Providence: Economy—Major Industries and Commercial Activity|accessdate=2007-06-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/snapshots/PL4459000.html| title=Best Places to Live: Providence, RI | publisher=Cable News Network LP, LLLP| year=2007 |accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref>'''
! Rank
! Employer
! Number of employees
|-
| align=center | 1
| [[Rhode Island Hospital]]<ref>Figure includes Hasbro Children's Hospital as part of Rhode Island Hospital</ref>
| align=right |5853
|-
| align=center | 2
| [[Brown University]]
| align=right | 4450
|-
| align=center | 3
| U.S. Postal Service
| align=right | 4000
|-
| align=center | 4
| Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island
| align=right | 2640
|-
| align=center | 5
| Miriam Hospital
| align=right | 1993
|-
| align=center | 6
| [[Bank of America]]
| align=right |1725<ref>(Providence only)</ref>
|-
| align=center |7
| [[Verizon]]
| align=right|1400
|}
[[Image:Providencetextronside.JPG|thumb|[[Textron Tower|Textron's headquarters]], [[Sovereign Bank Tower (Providence)|One Financial Plaza]], and the Rhode Island Hospital Trust building]]The Fortune 500 conglomerate [[Textron]] and Fortune 1000 company Nortek Incorporated are both headquartered in the city, and [[GTECH]]'s world headquarters has recently been moved to downtown Providence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gtech.com/media/fact_sheet.asp?persist=8C934E72427B4F958B9C876926B4BE4A|publisher=GTECH Corporation|title= GTECH Corporation - Company Fact Sheet|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref> [[Citizens Financial Group|Citizens Bank]] is also headquartered in Providence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citizensbank.com/au/history.aspx Citizens Bank - History|publisher=Citizens Financial Group|title= Ownership and History|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref> Another company whose origins were in the city is [[FleetBoston Financial|Fleet Bank]]. Once Rhode Island's largest bank, it moved its headquarters to [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], after acquiring Shawmut Bank in 1995. Before its acquisition by [[Bank of America]], Fleet merged with [[BankBoston]] to become New England's largest commercial bank.
The city is home to the Rhode Island Convention Center, which opened in December 1993.<ref name=convention>{{cite web|url=http://www.riconvention.com/why_us/ricc_whyus.html riconvention.com|publisher=Rhode Island Convention Center|title=Rhode Island Convention Center - About Us?|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref> Along with a hotel, the convention center is connected to the [[Providence Place|Providence Place Mall]], a major retail center, through a [[skywalk]].<ref name=convention/> The Port of Providence, the second largest deepwater [[seaport]] in New England,<ref name=economy/> handles cargo such as cement, chemicals, heavy machinery, petroleum, and scrap metal.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.provport.com/about.html | title=About Us | publisher=ProvPort, Inc. - Port of Providence | year=2007 | accessdate = 2007-03-01}}</ref>
==Government==
[[Image:Providencecityhall.jpg|thumb|Providence City Hall in the [[Second Empire|Second Empire Baroque]] style]]
[[Image:RIstatehouse.JPG|thumb|[[Rhode Island State House]] at sunset]]
Providence serves as Rhode Island's capital, housing the [[Rhode Island General Assembly]] as well as the offices of the [[Governor of Rhode Island|Governor]] and the [[Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island|Lieutenant Governor]] in the [[Rhode Island State House]].
Providence's city government has a [[Mayor-council government|mayor-council]] form of government. The [[Providence City Council]] consists of fifteen city councilors, one for each of the city's wards. The council is tasked with enacting ordinances and passing an annual budget. Providence also has probate and superior courts. The [[U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island]] is located downtown across from City Hall adjacent to [[Kennedy Plaza]].
[[David N. Cicilline]] was elected mayor by a large margin in 2002 and was re-elected without any major opposition in 2006. Cicilline is the first and only openly [[gay]] mayor of an American state capital.<ref name=firstmayor>{{cite journal | author= Dahir, Mubarak| url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2002_Dec_24/ai_95916251 |title=Leading Providence: David Cicilline becomes the first openly gay mayor of a U.S. state capital - Politics | journal=The Advocate| publisher=FindArticles|date=[[December 24]] [[2002]] | accessdate = 2007-01-20}}</ref> Providence is the largest American city to have an openly gay mayor,<ref name=firstmayor/> though [[Portland, Oregon]] now has an openly gay mayor elect.
==Education==
===Postsecondary===
[[Image:Manning Chapel.jpg|right|thumb|Hope College and Manning Hall at Brown University]]Seven of the fourteen institutions of higher learning in Rhode Island have campuses in Providence (city proper):
*[[Brown University]], an [[Ivy League]] university
*[[Community College of Rhode Island]] (Downcity and Liston campuses)
*[[Johnson & Wales University]], notable for its culinary and hospitality program
*[[Providence College]], a top master's level college and member of the [[Big East Conference]].
*[[Rhode Island College]]
*[[Rhode Island School of Design]] (RISD), one of the country's top art colleges
*[[University of Rhode Island]] (Providence campus).
Between these schools the number of postsecondary students is approximately 44,000, or 25% the population of Providence.<ref>This figure is calculated as the sum of individually given figures from school websites, see: {{cite web|url=http://www.brown.edu/web/about/facts/ brown.edu|title=facts about Brown University|publisher=Brown University|accessdate=2007-06-05}}, {{cite web|url=http://www.ccri.edu/About/general.shtml|publisher=Community College of Rhode Island|title=General Information about CCRI|accessdate=2007-06-05}} (Note: exact figures for Providence Campuses were unavailable. For this estimate two fifths of the total student body were approximated to go to two of the five campuses_, {{cite web|url=http://www.johnsonandwales.edu/prov/index.htm johnsonandwales.edu|title=Johnson & Wales Providence|publisher=Johnson & Wales University|accessdate=2007-06-05}}, {{cite web|url=http://www.providence.edu/About+PC/Fast+Facts/ providence.edu|title=Providence College - Fast Facts|publisher=Providence College|accessdate=2007-06-05}}, {{cite web|url=http://www2.ric.edu/aboutRIC/ ric.edu|title=about RIC|publisher=Rhode Island College|accessdate=2007-06-05}}, {{cite web|url=http://www.risd.edu/aboutrisd.cfm risd.edu|title=RISD: About RISD|publisher=Rhode Island School of Design|accessdate=2007-06-05}}, and {{cite web|url=http://autocrat.uri.edu/1346.html uri.edu|publisher=University of Rhode Island|title=About US|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref> Compounded by Brown University's being the second-largest employer,<ref name=economy/> higher education exerts a considerable presence in the city's politics and economy.
===Private and charter schools===
Several private schools, including [[Moses Brown School|Moses Brown]], the [[Lincoln School, Rhode Island|Lincoln School]], and the [[Wheeler School]], are in the city's [[East Side, Providence, Rhode Island|East Side]]. [[La Salle Academy, Providence|LaSalle Academy]] is located in the Elmhurst area of the city near [[Providence College]]. The public charter schools [[Time Squared Academy High School|Time Squared Academy]] (K-12) and Textron Chamber of Commerce (9-12) are funded by GTECH and [[Textron]] respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providenceschools.org/dept/news/files/9E0BC30F74514CA18DB979D75C88BEBF.pdf|format=PDF|title=The Providence Public School District at a Glance|publisher=Providenceschools.org|accessdate=2007-06-11}}</ref> In addition, the city's South Side houses Community Preparatory School, a private school serving primarily low-income students in grades 3-8.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.communityprep.org/htm/1story.htm communityprep.org|publisher=Community Preparatory School |title=About CPS|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref>
Within the semi-private schools, The Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center (The Met) and The Big Picture Company schools serve students through real world experiences and project-based learning. There are two separate centers for students with special needs. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providenceschools.org/dept/students/index.html|publisher=Providence Schools|title=About the Student Body|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref>
===Public schools===
The [[Providence Public School District]] serves about 26,000 students from pre-Kindergarten to grade 12. The district has 25 elementary schools, nine middle schools, and thirteen high schools. The Providence Public School District features [[magnet school]]s at the middle and high school level, Nathanael Greene and [[Classical High School|Classical]] respectively.
==Culture==
[[Image:Providence20June07ProvidenceTheaterB.jpg|right|thumb|The Providence Performing Arts Center]]
{{seealso|Media in Providence}}
Much of Providence culture is synonymous with [[Rhode Island#Culture|Rhode Island culture]]. Like the state, the city has a [[non-rhotic]] accent which can be heard on local media. Providence also shares Rhode Island's propensity for coffee, as the former has the most coffee/doughnut shops per capita of any city in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t5597.html |title=Chewing over why we love doughnut shops|author=Patinkin, Mark| publisher=The Providence Journal | date=[[August 10]] [[2004]] | accessdate = 2007-01-20}}</ref> Providence is also reputed to have the highest number of restaurants per capita,<ref>of major U.S cities</ref> many of which are founded and/or staffed by its own Johnson & Wales graduates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/rhode-island/providence citytowninfo.com|publisher=Moving Traffic, Inc.|title=Providence, RI|publisher=|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref>
[[Image:Providence-Federal-Hill-Pineapple.2008-05-05.imgp7906.jpg|left|thumb|The gateway arch over Atwells Avenue is a [[Federal Hill, Providence, Rhode Island|Federal Hill]] landmark. A sculpture of a Pignoli cluster, a traditional [[Italy|Italian]] emblem of welcome, hangs from the center.]]Providence has several ethnic neighborhoods, notably [[Federal Hill, Providence, Rhode Island|Federal Hill]] and the [[Charles, Providence, Rhode Island|North End]] ([[Italy|Italian]]),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providenceri.com/Neighborhoods/charles.html providenceri.com|publisher=City of Providence|title=Charles|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref> [[Fox Point, Providence, Rhode Island|Fox Point]] ([[Cape Verde]]an and Portuguese),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providenceri.com/Neighborhoods/foxpoint.html providenceri.com|publisher=City of Providence|title = Fox Point|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref> [[West End, Providence, Rhode Island|West End]] (mainly Central American and Asians),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providenceri.com/Neighborhoods/westend.html providenceri.com|publisher=City of Providence|title = West End|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref> and [[Smith Hill, Providence, Rhode Island|Smith Hill]] (Irish with miscellaneous enclaves of other groups).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providenceri.com/Neighborhoods/smhill.html providenceri.com|publisher=City of Providence|title = Smith Hil|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref> There are also many dedicated community organizations and arts associations located in the city.<ref name="hist2">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2002 | url = http://www.providenceri.com/history/centuries1.html | title = Three and One-Half Centuries at a Glance | format = | work = History & Facts: America's Renaissance City | publisher = The City of Providence, Rhode Island | accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref>
The city gained the reputation as one of the most active and growing [[LGBT]] communities in the Northeast;<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gay.com/travel/article.html?sernum=9619 | title=Providence, R.I.: The gayest city you've driven right past | year=2007 | publisher=PLANETOUT INC. | accessdate = 2007-01-17 | author=Link, Matthew}}</ref><ref name=gay>{{cite web|url=http://www.sodomylaws.org/usa/rhode_island/rinews21.htm sodomylaws.org|title = Gay Business Comfortable in R.I.|author = K. Alexa Mavromatis|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref> the rate of reported gay and lesbian relationships is 75% higher than the national average<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/gayInfo.php?locIndex=13448 epodunk.co|publisher=ePodunk Inc.|title=Providence, RI (Providence County) - city gay Index - ePodunk|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref> and Providence has been named among the "Best Lesbian Places to Live".<ref name=gay/> The current mayor, David Cicilline, won his election running as an openly gay man, making him the first openly gay mayor of a U.S. state capital.<ref name=firstmayor/> Former Mayor Cianci instituted the position of Mayor's Liaison to the Gay and Lesbian community in the 1990s.<ref name=gay/> There are numerous social and community organizations supporting the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.
[[Image:20060703 Providence State House Fireworks.jpg|right|thumb|Fireworks at the State House during the 2006 [[4 July]] celebration]]
During the summer months, the city regularly hosts [[WaterFire]], an [[environmental art]] installation that consists of about 100 bonfires that blaze just above the surface of the three rivers that pass through the middle of downtown Providence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://waterfire.org/about-waterfire/welcome waterfire.org|title = About|publisher=waterfire.org|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref> There are multiple Waterfire events that are accompanied by various pieces of [[european classical music|classical]] and [[world music]]. The public art displays, most notably sculptures, change on a regular basis.
The city is also the home of the [[Tony Awards|Tony Award]]-winning theater group [[Trinity Repertory Company]], the Providence Black Repertory Company, and the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra.<ref name=culture>{{cite web|url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=13448|title=Providence, Rhode Island RI, city profile (Providence County)|publisher=ePodunk Inc.|accessdate=2007-06-09}}</ref> Providence is also the home of several performing arts centers such as the [[Veterans Memorial Auditorium (Providence)|Veterans Memorial Auditorium]], the Providence Performing Arts Center, and the Providence Festival Ballet. The city's underground music scene, centered around artist-run spaces such as the now-defunct [[Fort Thunder]], is known in underground music circles.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.thephoenix.com/article_ektid21625.aspx | title=Keys to the Underground |publisher=Boston Phoenix | author=Fox, Andrew | date=[[August 30]] [[2006]] | accessdate = 2007-01-24}}</ref>
===Sites of interest===
{{See also|List of Registered Historic Places in Providence, Rhode Island}}
[[Image:bankandchurch.JPG|thumb|Old Stone Bank and Unitarian Church]]
Providence is home to an {{convert|1200|acre|km2|sing=on}} park system,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.providenceri.com/government/parks/ | title=Parks Department | publisher=City of Providence | accessdate = 2007-11-08}}</ref> notably [[Waterplace Park]] and Riverwalk, [[Roger Williams Park]], [[Roger Williams National Memorial]], and [[Prospect Terrace Park]], the latter featuring expansive views of the downtown area. As one of the first cities in the country, Providence is littered with [[List of Registered Historic Places in Providence, Rhode Island|historic buildings]] while the East Side neighborhood in particular includes the largest contiguous area of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the U.S. with many pre-revolutionary houses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitnewengland.com/current_category.77/current_advcategory.234/companies_list.html?print_page=1 visitnewengland.com/|publisher=Mystic Media, Inc. and Visit New England |title=Cities of New England|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref> Providence is home to the [[First Baptist Church in America]], the oldest [[Baptist]] church in the Americas, founded by [[Roger Williams]] in 1638.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fbcia.org/page116.html |publisher=fbcia.org|title=History Book|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref> Nearby is Roger Williams National Memorial. Downcity Providence is home to the [[Rhode Island State House|fourth largest unsupported dome]] in the world (the second largest marble dome after St. Peter's [[Basilica]] in Rome),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/FactFig/ |publisher=State of Rhode Island General Assembly|title=Rhode Island Facts and Figures|accessdate = 2007-01-20}}</ref> as well as the [[Westminster Arcade]], which is the oldest enclosed shopping center in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.onetenprov.com/rhode_island_highest_homes.html from Providence Journal | title=32-story condo tower would hold R.I.'s highest homes�� | publisher=Providence Journal | year=2007 | accessdate = 2007-06-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=125362 | title=Rhode Island State House | publisher=Emporis | year=2007 |accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref>
[[Image:Providence Cathedral, RI edited.JPG|left|thumb|[[Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Providence|Providence Catholic Cathedral]] and environs]]
The main art museum is the [[Rhode Island School of Design Museum]], which has the twentieth largest collection in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.risd.edu/museum_membership.cfm risd.edu|title=Museum: Membership|publisher=Rhode Island School of Design|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref> The city's southern waterfront hosts a decommissioned Cold War era [[Soviet submarine K-77|Russian submarine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://providenceri.com/special/sub/hours.html|title=Russian Sub in Providence|publisher=City of Providence|accessdate=2007-07-01}}</ref> In addition to the Providence Public Library and its nine branches, the city is home to the [[Providence Athenæum]], the fourth oldest library in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providenceathenaeum.org/|publisher=Providence Athenaem|title=America's Fourth Oldest Library and Providence's Oldest Cultural Institution|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref> Here, on one of his many visits to Providence, [[Edgar Allan Poe]], met and courted a love interest named [[Sarah Helen Whitman]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=providence@124&cur_section=sig&property_id=47270|title=Providence Athenaem|publisher=Fodor's Travel|accessdate=2007-08-16}}</ref> Poe was a regular fixture there, as was [[H. P. Lovecraft]]; both of them influential writers of [[gothic horror|gothic literature]].
The [[Bank of America]] Skating Center, formerly the Fleet Skating Center, is located near Kennedy Plaza in the downtown district, connected by pedestrian tunnel to [[Waterplace Park]], a cobblestone and concrete park below street traffic that abuts Providence's three rivers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providenceskating.com/|publisher=providenceskating.com|title=Bank of America City Center|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=86 pps.org|title=Riverwalk & Waterplace Park - Great Public Spaces|author=Lisa Palmer|publisher=Project for Public Spaces, Inc.|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref>
The southern part of the city is home to the famous roadside attraction [[Big Blue Bug|Nibbles Woodaway]] (also known as the "Big Blue Bug"), the world's largest [[termite]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bluebug.com/about_us.html bluebug.com|publisher=New England Pest Control|title=Who We Are|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref> as well as the aforementioned Roger Williams Park, which contains a [[zoo]], a botanical center, and the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org/about/main.cfm rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org|publisher=Roger Willliams Park Zoo and RI Zoological Society|title=RWP Zoo: About he Zoo|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref>
===Sports===
The city is home to the [[American Hockey League]] team [[Providence Bruins]], which plays at the [[Dunkin' Donuts Center]] (formerly the [[Providence Civic Center]]). From 1926 to 1972, the AHL's [[Providence Reds]] (renamed the Rhode Island Reds in their last years)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.azhockey.com/Pr.htm#Providence%20Reds | title=Providence Reds | date=[[October 4]] [[2005]] | publisher=A to Z Encyclopedia of Ice Hockey | accessdate = 2005-11-09}}</ref> played at the [[Rhode Island Auditorium]]. In 1972, the team relocated to the [[Dunkin' Donuts Center|Providence Civic Center]], where they played until moving to [[Binghamton, New York|Binghamton]], [[New York]], in 1977.
Providence has its own [[roller derby]] league. Formed in 2004, it currently has four teams: the Providence Mob Squad, the Sakonnet River Roller Rats, the Old Money Honeys, and the Rhode Island Riveters. The [[National Football League|NFL]]'s [[New England Patriots]] and [[Major League Soccer|MLS]]'s [[New England Revolution]] play in [[Foxborough, Massachusetts|Foxborough]], [[Massachusetts]], which is situated halfway between Providence and Boston. Providence was formerly home to two major league franchises: the NFL's [[Providence Steam Roller]] in the 1920s and 1930s, and the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[Providence Steamrollers]] in the 1940s. The city is also where [[Rocky Marciano]] won 29 of his 49 fights.<ref>{{cite web | author=Eisele, Andrew | url=http://boxing.about.com/od/records/a/marciano.htm | title=Rocky Marciano | publisher=About.com | year=2007 | accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref>
The city's defunct baseball team, the [[Providence Grays]], competed in the [[National League]] from 1879 through 1885. The team defeated the [[New York Metropolitans]] in baseball's first successful "world championship series" in [[1884 World Series|1884]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://providencegrays.org/About_Our_Project/about_our_project.html |publisher=providencegrays.org|title=About Our Project|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref> In 1914, after the [[Boston Red Sox]] purchased [[Babe Ruth]] from the then-minor league [[Baltimore Orioles (minor league)|Baltimore Orioles]], the team prepared Ruth for the major leagues by sending him to finish the season playing for a minor league team in Providence that was also known as the Grays. Today, professional baseball is offered by the [[Pawtucket Red Sox]], the AAA affiliate of the [[Boston Red Sox]] which plays in nearby [[Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket]]. Most baseball fans—along with the local media—tend to follow the Boston Red Sox.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/redsox/|title=Boston Red Sox|publisher=Providence Journal|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref>
Major colleges and universities fielding NCAA Division I athletic teams are [[Brown University]] and [[Providence College]]. The latter is a member of the [[Big East Conference]]. Much local hype is associated with games between these two schools or the [[University of Rhode Island]]. Providence has also hosted the [[Gravity Games]] alternative sports tournament during several recent summers, and was also the first host of [[ESPN]]'s [[X Games]], known in its first edition as the Extreme Games.
==Infrastructure==
===Health and medicine===
[[Image:Exitramp.JPG|thumb|right|Providence from downtown exit ramp off I-95]]
Providence is home to [[List of hospitals in Rhode Island|eight hospitals]], most prominently [[Rhode Island Hospital]], the largest general acute care hospital in the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lifespan.org/rih/ | title=Rhode Island Hospital | publisher=Lifespan | year=2007 | accessdate = 2007-01-20}}</ref> The hospital is in a complex along [[Interstate 95 in Rhode Island|I-95]] that includes Hasbro Children's Hospital and Women and Infants Hospital. The city is also home to the [[Roger Williams Medical Center]], St. Joseph Hospital For Specialty Care (a division of St. Joseph Health Services Of Rhode Island), The Miriam Hospital, a major teaching affiliate associated with [[Brown University]], as well as a [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|VA]] medical center.
Providence is home to the [[Quality Assurance Review Center]] (QARC), which performs thousands of [[radiotherapy]] reviews per year. QARC is primarily supported by grants from the [[National Cancer Institute]] (NCI) and contracts from the [[pharmaceutical]] industry. It receives radiotherapy data from around one-thousand [[hospitals]] in both the [[United States]] and abroad.<ref>{{web cite|url=http://www.qarc.org/ | title=History | publisher=Quality Assurance Review Center |accessdate = 2007-01-20}}</ref> The center also maintains a strategic affiliation with the [[University of Massachusetts Medical School]] in [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]], [[Massachusetts]].
The [http://www.ribc.org/ Rhode Island Blood Center] has its main headquarters in Providence. Since 1979, the Rhode Island Blood Center has been the sole organization in charge of [[Blood donation|blood collection]] and [[blood bank|testing and distribution]] of blood products to 11 hospitals in Rhode Island.
=== Transportation ===
[[Image:Providence train station.JPG|thumb|[[Providence Station]]]]
[[Image:Providence CityHall.jpg|thumb|RIPTA buses in front of Providence City Hall]]
Providence is served by air primarily by the commercial airfield [[T. F. Green Airport]] in nearby [[Warwick, Rhode Island|Warwick]]. [[General aviation]] fields also serve the region. Due to overcrowding and [[Big Dig (Boston, Massachusetts)|Big Dig]] complications in Boston, [[Massport]] has been promoting T.F. Green as an alternative to Boston's [[Logan International Airport]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.massport.com/airports/tfgreen.html Massport: Regional Airports:T.F. Green|title=T.F.Green|publisher=Massport|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref>
[[Providence Station]], located between the [[Rhode Island State House]] and the downtown district, is served by [[Amtrak]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Station/Station_Page&code=PVD Amtrak - Stations - Providence, RI (PVD)|publisher=Amtrak|title=Providence, RI (PVD)|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref> and [[MBTA Commuter Rail]] services, with a commuter rail running to Boston.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/lines/stations/?stopId=163 MBTA > Schedules & Maps > Commuter Rail > Providence|title=Schedules & Maps|publisher=Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref> Approximately 2400 passengers daily pass through the station.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/AmtrakBackgroundInformationFacts-022007.pdf |format=PDF|title=Amtrak Background Information Facts|pages=2|publisher=Amtrak|accessdate=2007-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.srpedd.org/03tplanch11d.pdf |format=PDF|publisher=srpedd.org|title=Chapter 11: Commuter Rail|pages=2|accessdate=2007-06-06}}</ref> Additionally, funds have been allocated to extend the commuter rail from Providence to T. F. Green Airport terminating at a [[T. F. Green Airport (MBTA station)|$222.5 million intermodal station]] to be completed in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dot.state.ri.us/news/pages/dispNews.asp?id=237 RIDOT News - RIAC breaks ground on Warwick Intermodal Facility|Publisher=Rhode Island Department of Transportation|title=RIAC breaks ground on Warwick Intermodal Facility|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref>
[[Interstate 95 in Rhode Island|I-95]] runs from north to south through Providence while [[Interstate 195 (Rhode Island)|I-195]] connects the city to eastern Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, including [[New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford]], [[Massachusetts]], and [[Cape Cod]]. [[Interstate 295 (Rhode Island)|I-295]] encircles Providence while [[RI 146]] provides a direct connection with [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]], [[Massachusetts]]. The city has commissioned and begun a long-term project, the [[Iway]], to move I-195 not only for safety reasons, but also to free up land and to reunify the Jewelry District with Downcity Providence, which had been split from one another by the highway.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dot.state.ri.us/projects/construction/195intro.htm | title=Relocating I-195 in Providence | year=2007 | publisher=Rhode Island Department of Transportation |accessdate = 2007-01-20}} </ref> The project is estimated to cost $446 million and be completed in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.providence.edu/polisci/students/indiapointpark/195background.html | title =195 Relocation Background|Publisher=Providence College|accessdate=2007-05-26}}</ref>
[[Kennedy Plaza]], in downtown Providence, serves as a transportation hub for local public transit as well as a departure point for [[Peter Pan Bus Lines|Peter Pan]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.peterpanbus.com/tickets/terminals.php#RI |publisher=Peter Pan Bus LInes| title=Tickets - Terminal Listings|accessdate = 2007-06-05}}</ref> and [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greyhound.com/scripts/en/TicketCenter/terminal.asp?city=050028&PrinterFriendly=true&BackPage=/scripts/en/TicketCenter/locations.asp?State=ri Greyhound.com|title=Greyhound: Providence, Rhode Island|publisher=Greyhound Lines, Inc.|accessdate = 2007-06-05}}</ref> bus lines. Public transit is managed by [[Rhode Island Public Transit Authority]] (RIPTA).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ripta.com/ ripta.com|title=RIPTA|publisher=Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority|accessdate=2007-06-05}}</ref> Through RIPTA alone Kennedy Plaza serves over 71,000 people a day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ripta.com/content1477.html ripta.com|publisher=Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority|title=RIPTA Accomplishments in FY2006|accessdate=2007-06-06}} 25,943,883 boardings / 365 days = 71,079 daily.</ref> The majority of the area covered by RIPTA is served by traditional buses. Of particular note is the [[East Side Trolley Tunnel]] running under College Hill, the use of which is reserved for RIPTA buses. RIPTA also operates the ''Providence LINK'', a system of [[tourist trolley]]s in downtown Providence, as well as a ferry to [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]] between May and October.[[Image:b4sunset.jpg|thumb|left|Early construction on the [[Iway]] 195 relocation project from across the [[Narragansett Bay]]]]
=== Utilities ===
Electricity and natural gas are provided by [[National Grid USA|Narragansett Electric Company]] which is owned by National Grid USA.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/business/content/projo_20060217_grid17.1d64dbea.html|publisher=Providence Journal|title=Electric utility buying R.I. gas company|author=David McPherson|accessdate=2007-06-25}}</ref> Providence Water is responsible for the distribution of drinking water, ninety percent of which comes from the [[Scituate Reservoir]] about ten miles (16 km) west of downtown, with contributions coming from four smaller bodies of water.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.provwater.com/introduction.htm|title=Introduction|Providence Water Introduction|publisher=Providence Water|accessdate=2007-06-25}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.provwater.com/watershed.htm|title=Providence Water Watershed|publisher=Providence Water|accessdate=2007-06-25}}</ref>
== Sister cities ==
Providence has four [[Town twinning|sister cities]] designated by [[Sister Cities International]]:<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.providenceri.com/press/sister_city.html | title=Mayor Announces Sister City - Meeting (7/30/2003) | publisher=Providence, RI, Office of the Mayor|accessdate = 2007-01-17}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|Cambodia}} [[Phnom Penh]], [[Cambodia]]
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Florence]], [[Italy]]
*{{flagicon|Latvia}} [[Riga]], [[Latvia]]
*{{flagicon|Dominican Republic}} [[Santo Domingo]], [[Dominican Republic]]
==See also==
*[[Notable people from Providence, Rhode Island|Notable people from Providence]]
*[[List of tallest buildings in Providence]]
*[[Neighborhoods in Providence]]
==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}
==Further reading==
*{{cite web | url=http://www.riedc.com/riedc/ri_databank/31/266/ | title=EDC Profile City of Providence | publisher=Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation | year=2006}}
*{{cite book| author= Samantha Cook, Greg Ward, Tim Perry | chapter=Providence | title=The Rough Guide USA | publisher=Rough Guides | year=2004 | id=ISBN 1-84353-262-X | pages=243-247}}
*{{cite book| author= Rich, Wilbur C. | chapter=Vincent Cianci and Boosterism in Providence, Rhode Island | title=Governing Middle-Sized Cities | publisher=Lynne Rienner Publishers | year=2000 | id=ISBN 1-55587-870-9 | pages=197-216}}
==External links==
{{sisterlinks|Providence, Rhode Island}}
*[http://www.providenceri.com The City of Providence website]
*[http://www.provchamber.com/ Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce]
*[http://www.pwcvb.com/ Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau]
*[http://www.provplan.org/ The Providence Plan]
*{{wikitravelpar|Providence}}
{{Mapit-US-cityscale|41.82355|-71.422132}}
{{Providence County, Rhode Island}}
{{Rhode Island}}
{{United_States_state_capitals}}
{{Narragansett Bay}}
[[Category:Cities in Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Providence, Rhode Island| ]]
[[Category:Settlements established in 1636]]
[[Category:Port cities in the United States]]
[[Category:Early American Industrial Centers]]
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