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Providence, Rhode Island
Image:Providence skyline.jpg
Flag Seal
Nickname: "Beehive of Industry, The Renaissance City, The Divine City"
Image:RIMap-doton-Providence.PNG Location in Rhode Island
Coordinates: 41°49′25″N, 71°25′20″W
Country	United States
State	Rhode Island
County	Providence
Mayor	David N. Cicilline (D)
Area
- City	20.5 sq. miles / 53.2 km²
- Land	18.5 sq. miles / 47.8 km²
- Water	2.1 sq. miles / 5.3 km²
Population
- City (2000)	173,618
- Density	3,629.4/km²
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Website: http://www.providenceri.com

"Providence" redirects here. For other uses, see Providence (disambiguation).

Providence is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The population within the city limits is 173,618, and is the anchor of the 35th largest metropolitan population in the country, with a MSA population of 1,622,520, exceeding that of Rhode Island by about 60%.

The city is located in Providence County and is the second-largest city in New England. Providence was once nicknamed the "Beehive of Industry" and, since the 1990s, "The Renaissance City," a label held by some to be superficial since, as of 2000 census, its poverty rate was still among the ten highest for cities over 100,000<ref>http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-19.pdf, U.S. Census 2000</ref>.

Providence was named by Roger Williams in honor of "God's merciful Providence" in his finding this spot to settle when expelled by the Puritans from Massachusetts. The official name of the state includes the name of the city, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The city was one of the first cities to industrialize in the United States and was noted for its jewelry and silverware industry. Today, Providence is the economic, cultural, and political hub of Rhode Island.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography and climate 2.1 Cityscape 2.2 Climate 3 Demographics 4 Neighborhoods 5 Economy 6 Government 6.1 Sister Cities 7 Education 8 Culture 8.1 Media 8.2 Sites of interest 8.3 Sports 9 Infrastructure 9.1 Health and medicine 9.2 Transportation 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References 13 External links

[edit] History

Main article: History of Providence

This area was first settled in 1636 by Roger Williams, and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies. Williams secured a title from the Narragansett natives around this time and gave the city its present name. Williams cultivated Providence as a refuge for persecuted religious dissenters, as he himself had been exiled from Massachusetts.

Providence's growth was slow during the next quarter-century. The Providence territory would become smaller as more and more of the land would become part of different towns. The city's slow growth was also due to the rocky, hilly, and heavily wooded land which made farming difficult, as well as the tradition of dissent and independent-mindedness.

In the mid-1770s, the British government's passage of several laws levying various taxes impeding Providence's primary economy of maritime and fishing industries caused Providence to join the other colonies in renouncing allegiance to the British Crown. One such law was the Sugar Act, which impacted Providence's distilleries and its trade in rum and slaves. In response to enforcement of unpopular trade laws, Providence residents spilled (arguably) the first blood of the American Revolution in 1772 in the notorious Gaspee Affair. During the Revolutionary War, the city suffered major interruptions in education and trade as a result of its location and facility as quarters for many troops passing through the area.

Following the war, Providence's main focus on its economy shifted from maritime endeavors to manufacturing, particularly in machine 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 Silverware. The city's industries attracted many immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Sweden, England, Italy, Portugal, Cape Verde, and French Canada. Nevertheless, the city experienced social strife, notably with a series of race riots between whites and blacks during the 1820s. In response to this and its growth, Providence residents ratified a city charter in 1831. The city became the sole capital of Rhode Island in 1900.

The city began to see a decline by the mid-1920s as industries, notably in 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 the nation-wide trends, with the construction of highways and increased suburbanization.

Providence was notorious from the 1950s into the 1980s as a bastion of organized crime. The legendary mafia boss Raymond Patriarca ruled a vast criminal enterprise from the city for over three decades, during which murders and disappearances associated with organized crime would become commonplace.<ref>May, Allan. All About the Providence Mob. CrimeLibrary.com.</ref>

The city began to revive beginning in the 1970s. From 1975 until 1982, $606 million of Community Development money, including funds from local and national sources, were invested throughout the city, and the population began to stabilize. In the 1990s, Mayor Vincent Cianci, Jr continued revitalization efforts by showcasing the city as a center for the arts and pushing further efforts. These included opening up the city's natural rivers (which had been nearly paved over), moving a large section of railroad underground, building Waterplace Park and riverwalks along the river's banks, and constructing the Fleet Skating Rink (now the Bank of America Skating Rink) in downtown and the 1.4 million ft² Providence Place Mall.

The recent Providence Renaissance has triggered new investment within the city, including many new condo projects, hotels, and a new office tower, which are quickly filling in more of the land freed up by the railroad relocation. For more detail, see Current and Recent Construction Projects in Providence.

Although the new projects will expand the Providence tax base and build its skyline, there is disapproval from some local residents fearing they will ruin the historic look of the city. Additional concerns include an equitable taxation policy for several of the new luxury highrises.

[edit] Geography and climate

Image:WaterPlace Providence.jpg Providence is located at 41°49'25" North, 71°25'20" West (41.823550, -71.422132)^GR1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 53.2 km² (20.5 mi²). 47.8 km² (18.5 mi²) of it is land and 5.3 km² (2.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 10.03% water.

Providence is located at the head of Narragansett Bay, with the Providence River running into the bay through the center of the city. The Waterplace Park amphitheater and riverwalks line the river's banks through 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 seven hills. The remaining hills include Tockwotten Hill at 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 levelled in the early 1880s.

[edit] Cityscape

The city of Providence is geographically very compact, characteristic of eastern seaboard cities which developed prior to use of the automobile. It has no discernable street grid, having been initially laid out for horse-drawn carriage. As a consequence, parts of downtown and the East Side have streets too narrow to be used for two-way traffic.

Many 19th century mercantile buildings in the Federal and Victorian architectural styles, as well as several post-modern and modernist buildings, are located throughout the Downcity area. In particular, a fairly clear spatial separation appears between the areas of pre-1980s development and post-1980s development. Fountain Street and Exchange Terrace serve as rough boundaries between the two.

The newer area includes Providence Place Mall (1999), a Westin hotel (1993), GTECH (2006), new condominium construction, 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>Woodward, Wm McKenzie. Guide to Providence Architecture. 1st ed, Oct 2003: United States. p13.</ref>. This part of Downcity is characterized by open spaces, wide roads, and intent landscaping.

The historic part of downtown has many streetscapes that look as they did eighty years ago. Most of the state's tallest buildings are found here. The largest structure, to date, is the art-deco-styled former Industrial Trust Tower, currently the Bank of America Building at 426 feet (130 m). By contrast, nearby to it is the second tallest One Financial Center, designed in modern taut-skin cladding, constructed a half century later.<ref>One Financial Plaza. Emporis.com. Accessed June 5, 2006.</ref> In between the two and completing the skyline seen in Family Guy is 50 Kennedy Plaza. The Textron Tower is also a core building to the modest Providence skyline. Downcity is also the home of the Providence Biltmore and Westminster Arcade, the oldest enclosed shopping mall in the U.S., built in 1828.<ref>Providence, Rhode Island (2004). Emporis.com. Accessed November 7, 2005.</ref>

The city's southern waterfront, away from the downcity 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 majority of the cityscape is comprised of abandoned and revitalized industrial mills, triple and double-decker housing (though the row houses found in so commonly in other Northeast cities, are notably absent here)<ref>Woodward, W^m Mackenzie. Guide to Providence Architecture. 1st ed. 2003: United States. p227.</ref> , a small number of high-rise buildings (predominantly for housing the elderly), and single family homes. I-95 serves as a physical barrier between the city's commercial core and neighborhoods such as Federal Hill and the West End.

The Providence Initiative for Psychogeographic Studies has emerged from the cityscape to investigate the urban environment of Providence in detail. Since its inauguration in 2001, this group of socially engaged artists has conducted a number of experimental activities.

[edit] Climate

Providence's climate is humid continental, with hot summers, cold winters, and high humidity year-round. The USDA rates the city at Zone 6, 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. January is the coldest month with average high temperatures of 3° C (37° F) and average low temperatures of -7° C (19° F). July is the warmest month with average high temperatures of 28° C (82° F) and average low temperatures of 18° C (64° F). The record high temperature in the city was 40° C (104° F) recorded in 1975. The record low temperature in the city was -25° C (-13° F) recorded in 1976.

As with the rest of the northeastern seaboard, Providence receives ample precipitation year-round. Monthly precipitation ranges from a high of 112.5 mm (4.43 in) in March to a low of 80.5 mm (3.17 in) in July.<ref>Records and Averages - Providence (2005). Yahoo! Weather. Accessed September 13, 2005.</ref> Precipitation levels are generally slightly lesser in the summer months than the winter months when powerful storms known as Nor'easters can cause significant snowfall and blizzard conditions. Though not frequent, Providence's location at the head of Narragansett Bay makes it vulnerable to Atlantic hurricanes.

Month<ref>Monthly average temperatures and precipitation from weather.com.</ref>	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Avg high °F (°C)	37 (3)	39 (4)	48 (9)	58 (14)	69 (21)	77 (25)	83 (28)	81 (27)	73 (23)	63 (17)	52 (11)	42 (6)	60 (15)
Avg low temperature °F (°C)	20 (-7)	23 (-5)	30 (-1)	39 (4)	49 (9)	58 (14)	64 (18)	63 (17)	55 (13)	43 (6)	35 (2)	26 (-3)	42 (6)
Rainfall inches (mm)	4.37 (111)	3.45 (87.6)	4.43 (112.5)	4.16 (105.7)	3.66 (93.0)	3.38 (85.9)	3.17 (80.5)	3.90 (99.1)	3.70 (94.0)	3.69 (93.7)	4.40 (111.8)	4.14 (105.2)	46.46 (1180)

[edit] Demographics

City of Providence Population by year<ref>Gibson, Campbell (June 1998). Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990. U.S. Bureau of the Census - Population Division.</ref><ref>http://www.census.gov/population/documentation/twps0027/tab01.txt Rank by Population of the 100 Largest Urban Places, Listed Alphabetically by State: 1790-1990</ref><ref>http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Providence.html</ref>
Census year	Population	U.S. Rank
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
2005 est.<ref>http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/SUB-EST2005.html</ref>	176,862	124

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 173,618 people, 62,389 households, and 35,873 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,629.4/km² (9,401.7/mi²). There were 67,915 housing units at an average density of 1,419.7/km² (3,677.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 54.53% Caucasian, 14.54% African American, 1.14% Native American, 6.01% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 17.55% from other races, and 6.08% from two or more races. 30.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino Hispanic from any of the above categories. Providence receives refugees in cooperation with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement. The 2000 U.S. Census estimate for the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) including Providence, Fall River, Massachusetts, and Warwick was 1,188,613.

There were 62,389 households out of which 32.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.9% were married couples living together, 20.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 18.9% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,867, and the median income for a family was $32,058. Males had a median income of $28,894 versus $23,472 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,525. 29.1% of the population and 23.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 40.1% of those under the age of 18 and 19.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

In 2006, the Providence MSA was officially added to the Boston Combined Statistical Area (CSA).

[edit] Neighborhoods

Providence has 25 official neighborhoods.

Profiles can be found at [1].

• Blackstone
• Charles
• College Hill
• Downtown
• Elmhurst
• Elmwood
• Federal Hill
• Fox Point
• Hartford
• Hope
• Lower South Providence
• Manton
• Mount Hope
• Mount Pleasant
• Olneyville
• Reservoir
• Silver Lake
• Smith Hill
• South Elmwood
• Upper South Providence
• Valley
• Wanskuck
• Wayland
• West Broadway
• West End

[edit] 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 jewelry and silverware design and manufacturing. Services, particularly education, health care, and finance, also make up a large portion of the city's economy. Since it is the capital of Rhode Island, Providence's economy also consists of government services. The three largest employers today are Hasbro Managerial Services, Rhode Island Hospital, and the Providence School Department<ref>http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/snapshots/PL4459000.html Money Magazine "Best Places to Live", Providence, RI</ref>. Providence is also home to nine hospitals.

The Fortunte 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. Another company whose origins were in the city is Fleet Bank. Once Rhode Island's largest bank, it moved its headquarters to 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. Along with a hotel, the convention center is connected to the Providence Place Mall, a major retail center, through a skywalk. Providence also maintains a seaport which handles cargo such as cement, chemicals, heavy machinery, petroleum, and scrap metal.

[edit] Government

Providence has a mayor-council form of government. There are fifteen city councilors, one for each of the city's wards. The city 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 on the opposite end of Kennedy Plaza from City Hall.

Vincent Cianci, Jr, who was often credited with Providence's 1990s renaissance, was the city's longest serving mayor and a major presence in Providence politics. Nevertheless, during Operation Plunder Dome, Cianci was indicted in April 2001 on various federal criminal charges including racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, witness tampering, and mail fraud. He was ultimately convicted of conspiracy and is currently serving his sentence in federal prison (a book written about his life in crime, The Prince of Providence, is in the process of being adapted to the big screen). In 2002, David N. Cicilline was elected mayor in a landslide, making him the first openly gay mayor of an American state capital.

[edit] Sister Cities

Providence has the following sister cities<ref>Mayor Announces Sister City - Meeting (7/30/2003). Press Release from the Office of the Mayor at www.providenceri.com/press/sister_city.html.</ref>:

• Image:Flag of Cambodia.svg Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Image:Flag of Italy.svg Florence, Italy
• Image:Flag of Latvia.svg Riga, Latvia
• Image:Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

[edit] Education

Providence (city proper) is home to the following institutions of higher learning:

• Brown University, an Ivy League university
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), one of the country's top art colleges
• Providence College, a Catholic school, one of the top master’s level colleges in the northeast United States
• Johnson and Wales University, notable for culinary program, considered one of the best such programs in the world
• Rhode Island College
• Community College of Rhode Island (Providence campus)
• University of Rhode Island (Providence campus).

Several private schools, including Moses Brown, the Lincoln School, and the Wheeler School, are in the city's East Side. La Salle Academy, a Catholic high school, is located in the Elmhurst area of the city near Providence College. There is also the evergrowing public charter school Times Square Academy that is funded by GTECH.

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 schools at the middle and high school level, Nathanael Greene and Classical respectively. There are also two centers for students with special needs.

[edit] Culture

Much of Providence culture is synonymous with Rhode Island culture including the spoken accent, propensity for coffee, and cuisine; the city's diversity, social attitudes, and events append to its local flavor.

Providence has several ethnic neighborhoods, notably Federal Hill and the North End (Italian), Elmwood (Vietnamese), Lower South Providence (Dominican and Liberian), Fox Point (Cape Verdean and Portuguese), The West End (mainly Central American and Asians.) and Smith Hill (mixed -- Irish, Bolivian, Cambodian). There are also many dedicated community organizations and arts associations located in the city.<ref>http://www.providenceri.com/history/centuries1.html Three and One-Half Centuries at a Glance (May 2002)]. ProvidenceRI.com - History and Fact.</ref>

The city gained the reputation as one of the most active and growing LGBT communities in the Northeast.<ref>http://www.gay.com/travel/article.html?sernum=9619</ref> 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. Former Mayor Cianci instituted the position of Mayor's Liaison to the Gay and Lesbian community in the 1990s. There are numerous social and community organizations supporting the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.

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. There are multiple Waterfire events that are accompanied by various pieces of 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 winning theater group Trinity Repertory Company and the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. Providence is also the home of several performing arts centers such as the Veterans Memorial Auditorium and the Providence Performing Arts Center. The city's underground music scene, centered around artist-run spaces such as the now-defunct Fort Thunder, is internationally known<ref>http://www.thephoenix.com/article_ektid21625.aspx Keys to the Underground, Boston Phoenix article</ref>.

Providence and the surrounding area have been used as a backdrop for several movies and television series and the city remains invested in bringing filmmakers to its location, as is evidenced by a 25% tax credit on all Rhode Island spending offered to motion picture companies.<ref>http://www.film.ri.gov/taxcredit.html, RI Film & TV Office accessed September 10, 2006</ref>

The animated television series Family Guy takes place in Quahog, a fictional suburb of Providence and prominently features the most pronounced segment of Providence's skyline several times an episode (the buildings are One Financial Plaza, 50 Kennedy Plaza, and the Bank of America Building respectively). The city and its name were used in the television series Providence, and Showtime's new series, Brotherhood, was also filmed and set in Providence. The upcoming CBS show Waterfront will also take place in and be filmed in Providence.

The Farrelly brothers used the city as a backdrop for several of their movies, notably Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary. Peter Farrelly places Outside Providence in Pawtucket, adjacent to Providence. The 1991 American/Canadian film Providence (1991 film) is also set in Providence. Although not set in Providence, the movie Amistad used the exterior of the Rhode Island State House as the United States Capitol exterior, while Meet Joe Black was also filmed on location in Providence.<ref>In the footsteps of Amistad. Katharine Imbrie. Accessed April 19, 2006.</ref> Providence is currently the primary filming grounds for the upcoming Underdog movie.

[edit] Media

The city is served by the daily newspaper The Providence Journal, which is also available throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. The arts and entertainment newspaper Providence Phoenix also serves Providence and the surrounding area. Additionally, the community paper The Providence Agenda serves as a vehicle for reflection on development, music, and the arts in the city. The Providence Business News is a weekly business journal, catering to the state's business community.

Providence is the center of Rhode Island's broadcasting market, which also encompasses New Bedford, Massachusetts. The city is served by television stations representing every major American television network as well radio stations originating from Providence and Boston. The major network-affiliated television stations based in Providence are WLNE-TV (ABC and licensed to New Bedford), WJAR (NBC), WPRI-TV (CBS), and WNAC-TV (FOX). Other stations serving the Providence market include WLWC (UPN/The WB and licensed to New Bedford), WRIW-LP (Telemundo), and WPXQ (i). WSBE-TV is Rhode Island's PBS member station.

[edit] Sites of interest

The East Side neighborhood of Providence includes the largest contiguous area of National Historic Society-designated buildings in the U.S. featuring many pre-revolutionary houses. Providence is home to the First Baptist Church in America, the oldest Baptist church in the Americas, founded by Roger Williams in 1638. Nearby is Roger Williams National Memorial. Downcity Providence is home to the fourth largest unsupported dome in the world (the second largest marble dome after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome), as well as the oldest enclosed shopping center in America<ref>Rhode Island Facts and Figures.</ref> <ref>Rhode Island State House.</ref> The newly completed Providence Place mall is also downtown.

The main art museum is the RISD Museum, which has the 20th largest collection in the country. In addition to the Providence Public Library and its nine branches, the city is home to the Providence Athenæum, which is one of the oldest lending libraries in the world. Edgar Allan Poe, a longtime Providence resident, was a regular fixture there, as was H. P. Lovecraft; both of them influential writers of gothic literature in their time.

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.

The southern part of the city is home to the famous roadside attraction Nibbles Woodaway (also known as the "Big Blue Bug"), the world's largest termite, as well as Roger Williams Park. The park contains a zoo and the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium.

See: Providence on Wikitravel

[edit] 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>Providence Reds (10/4/2005). A to Z Encyclopedia of Ice Hockey. Accessed November 9, 2005.</ref> played at the Rhode Island Auditorium. In 1972, the team relocated to the Providence Civic Center, where they played until moving to 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 NFL's New England Patriots and MLS's New England Revolution play in 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 NBA's Providence Steamrollers in the 1940s. The city is also where Rocky Marciano won 29 of his 49 fights.<ref>Eisele, Andrew. Rocky Marciano. About.com.</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. In 1914, after the Boston Red Sox purchased Babe Ruth from the then-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. Most baseball fans — along with the local media — tend to follow the Boston Red Sox.

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.

The city is also the birthplace of professional wrestler Matt Hyson, who currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

[edit] Infrastructure

[edit] Health and medicine

Providence is home to Rhode Island Hospital, one of the largest medical centers in the state. The hospital is in a complex along 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), and The Miriam Hospital, a major teaching affiliate associated with Brown University. A VA medical center is located in Providence.

[edit] Transportation

Providence is served by air primarily by the commercial airfield T. F. Green Airport (IATA: PVD) in nearby Warwick. The general aviation fields North Central State Airport, in neighboring Lincoln, Rhode Island and Smithfield, Rhode Island, and Quonset State Airport in North Kingstown, Rhode Island also serve the region. Due to overcrowding and Big Dig complications in Boston, Massport has been promoting T.F. Green as an alternative to Boston's Logan International Airport.

Providence Station, located between the Rhode Island State House and the downtown district, is served by Amtrak and MBTA Commuter Rail services, with a commuter rail running to Boston. Additionally, funds have been allocated to extend the commuter rail from Providence to T. F. Green Airport terminating at a $222.5 million intermodal station to be completed in 2009.

I-95 runs from north to south through Providence while I-195 connects the city to eastern Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, including New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Cape Cod. I-295 encircles Providence while RI 146 provides a direct connection with Worcester, Massachusetts. The city has commissioned and begun a long-term project 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.

Image:Providence CityHall.jpg Kennedy Plaza, in downtown Providence, serves as a transportation hub for local public transit as well as a departure point for Peter Pan and Greyhound bus lines. Public transit is managed by Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA). 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 trolleys in downtown Providence, as well as a ferry to Newport between May and October.

[edit] See also

• Notable people from Providence, Rhode Island
• Roger Williams
• History of Providence
• Rhode Island

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Profile: City of Providence (2005). Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation - RI Databank.
• Three and One-Half Centuries at a Glance (May 2002). ProvidenceRI.com - History and Fact.
• Samantha Cook, Greg Ward, Tim Perry (2004). “Providence”, The Rough Guide USA. Rough Guides, 243-247. ISBN 1-84353-262-X.
• Rich, Wilbur C. (2000). “Vincent Cianci and Boosterism in Providence, Rhode Island”, Governing Middle-Sized Cities. Lynne Rienner Publishers, 197-216. ISBN 1-55587-870-9.

[edit] External links

• Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce
• Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau
• ProvPort, Inc. - Port of Providence
• The Providence Plan
• The City of Providence website featuring events and information
• Rhode Island Film and Television office
• Providence travel guide from Wikitravel
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 41.82355° -71.422132°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

Image:Flag of Rhode Island.svg	State of Rhode Island
Topics	Culture · Geography · Government · History · Images
Capital	Providence
Regions	Blackstone Valley · Block Island · East Bay · Newport County · Providence · South County · Warwick/West Bay
Counties	Bristol · Kent · Newport · Providence · Washington
Cities	Central Falls · Cranston · East Providence · Newport · Pawtucket · Providence · Warwick · Woonsocket
Towns	Barrington · Bristol · Burrillville · Charlestown · Coventry · Cumberland · East Greenwich · Exeter · Foster · Glocester · Hopkinton · Jamestown · Johnston · Lincoln · Little Compton · Middletown · Narragansett · New Shoreham (Block Island) · North Kingstown · North Providence · North Smithfield · Portsmouth · Richmond · Scituate · Smithfield · South Kingstown · Tiverton · Warren · West Greenwich · West Warwick · Westerly
Reservations	Narragansett Indian Tribe

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bg:Провидънс

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