Tuesday, January 8, 2008
About
The city of Providence was founded in 1636 and was settled as one of the first Thirteen Colonies of the United States, by religious exile, Roger Williams. Providence is geographically very compact, characteristic of eastern seaboard cities which developed prior to the use of the automobile.
Downtown Providence has numerous 19th century mercantile buildings in the Federal and Victorian architectural styles and the East Side includes the largest contiguous area of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the U.S., featuring many pre-revolutionary houses.
Providence is home to the First Baptist Church in America, founded by Roger Williams himself, the 4th largest unsupported marble dome in the world and the Westminster Arcade, which is the oldest enclosed shopping center in the U.S.
After being one of the first cities to industrialize, Providence soon became noted for its jewelry and silverware industry. Today Providence city proper alone is home to eight hospitals and seven institutions of higher learning. The city was once nicknamed the "Beehive of Industry", while today "The Renaissance City" is more common. The city's industries attracted many immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Portugal, Cape Verde and French Canada.
The city began to see a decline by the mid-1920's as industries, notably textiles, shut down. The Great Depression hit the city hard and Providence's downtown was flooded by the New England Hurricane of 1938 soon after. The city saw further decline as a result of nationwide trends, with the construction of highways and increased suburbanization.
From the 1950's to the 1980's, Providence was a notorious bastion of crime. The mafia boss Raymond L. Patriarca ruled a vast criminal enterprise.
The city's eponymous "Renaissance" began in the 1970's. From 1975 until 1982, $606 million of local and national Community Development funds were invested throughout the city and the falling population began to stabilize.
In the 1990's, Mayor Vincent Cianci, Jr. showcased the city's strength in arts and pushed for further revitalization, ultimately resulting in the opening 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, as well as construction of the Bank of America Skating Rink (larger than Rockefeller Center in NYC) and the new 1.4 million square foot Providence Place Mall.
Today, Providence is a beautiful, thriving, forward thinking city with a whole lot to offer and plenty of history! Plan your visit today!
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HOTELS
The W Providence Hotel **Under Construction**
Weybosset Street
Providence, RI 02903
The Intercontinental Hotel Providence **Under Construction**
Kennedy Plaza
Providence, RI 02903
The Providence Biltmore Hotel
11 Dorrance Street, Providence RI 02903
The Hilton Providence
21 Atwells Avenue, Providence RI 02903
Providence Marriott Hotel Downtown
1 Orms Street, Providence RI 02903
Hotel Dolce Villa
63 Despasquale Square, Providence RI 02903
The Courtyard by Marriott Providence
32 Exchange Terrace, Providence RI
The Radisson Hotel Providence Harbor
220 India Street, Providence RI 02906
The Hotel Providence
311 Westminster Street, Providence RI 02903
The Westin Providence
One West Exchange Street, Providence RI 02903
The Renaissance Providence Hotel
5 Avenue of the Arts, Providence RI 02903
The Crowne Plaza Providence T.F. Green Airport
801 Greenwich Avenue
Warwick, RI 02886
The Best Western Providence T.F. Green Airport
2138 Post Road
Warwick, RI 02886
The Hotel Sierra **Under Construction**
Washington Street
Providence, RI 02903
The Hampton Inn & Suites Providence Financial District **Opening Soon**
58 Weybosset Street
Providence, RI 02903
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Thursday, January 3, 2008
NIGHTLIFE
JEWELRY DISTRICT
Club Elements **NEW**
101 Richmond
401/626.6992
www.clubelementsri.com
Jewel
15 Elbow
401/273.7300
www.jewelprov.com
The Art Bar
171 Chestnut
401/272.0177
Ultra The Night Club
172 Pine
401/454.5483
www.ultrathenightclub.com
The Hi Hat
3 Davol Square
401/453.6500
www.thehihat.com
Club Gallery
148 Point
401/751.7166
www.girlspotri.com
Lot 401
44 Hospital
401/490.3980
www.lot401.com
The Complex
180 Pine
401/751.4263
www.thecomplexri.com
Prov
99 Chestnut
401/621.8888
www.atomiccatering.com
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
McFadden's
52 Pine
401/861.1782
www.mcfaddensprovidence.com
The Providence Eagle
401/421.1447
198 Union
www.providenceeagle.com
Mirabar
35 Richmond
401/331.6761
www.mirabar.com
Union
200 Union
401/831.5366
www.providenceeagle.com
Roxy
79 Washington
401/831.7699
www.roxyri.com
The Dark Lady
124 Snow
401/831.4297
The Alleycat
17 Snow
401/351.0448
Club Energy
71 Union
401/331.2291
Club Hell
73 Richmond
401/351.1977
DOWNTOWN
Olive's
108 N Main
401/751.1200
www.olivesri.com
NORTH END
Pearl
393 Charles
401/751.4263
www.pearlrestaurant.net
Tantric
401/273.1070
1070 N Main
www.tantriclounge.com
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Colleges & Universities
COLLEGE HILL
Brown University
45 Prospect
401/863.1000
www.brown.edu
Rhode Island School of Design
2 College
401/454.6100
www.risd.edu
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
Johnson & Wales University
8 Abbott Park Place
401/598.1000
www.jwu.edu
Community College of Rhode Island
80 Washington
401/277.5197
www.ccri.edu
The University of Rhode Island
80 Washington
401/277.5000
www.uri.edu
SMITH HILL
Providence College
549 River
401/865.1000
www.providence.edu
MOUNT PLEASANT
Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant
401/456.8000
www.ric.edu
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