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Interesting Facts
- Go figure! According to law, no store in Providence is allowed to sell a toothbrush and toothpaste to the same customer on Sundays. Mouthwash and a toothbrush is fine, though!
- The founder of Providence, Roger Williams, also served as the first president of Rhode Island. As president, he welcomed Jews and Quakers that were persecuted in Massachusetts for their religious beliefs. Williams was a Seeker, one who had no specified creed but held fast to basic Christian beliefs. The only national park in Rhode Island, the Roger Williams National Park, commemorates the life of the city's founder and is the site of the original settlement.
- Providence, the state capital of Rhode Island, is also the largest city in the state. The city is situated on Providence Bay and is a major shipping center known for its silverware and jewelry industries.
- Bon Appetit! Providence is home to the prestigious Johnson and Wales Univiversity Culinary Institute and Culinary Archives and Museum. Referred to as the "Smithsonian Institution of the Food Sservice Industry," this museum likely houses the world's most complete collection of gastronomy. Their more than 400,000 artifacts from the culinary, hospitality and travel industries include early cooking and dining materials from the Third Millennium BC. Be sure to call ahead; appointments are required for tours.
- Since 1997, Providence's Waterplace has been the gathering spot in Providence's revitalized downtown. Nationally and internationally recognized for its design, the 4-acre park surrounds a tidal basin and features an amphitheater, boat landing and a multifunctional building. Downtown Providence is connected to the city's historic east side by a series of Venice inspired bridges. Be sure to take advantage of one of the water taxis!
- Brown University, an Ivy League institution, makes its home in Providence. Founded in 1764, this is the United States' seventh oldest college.
- A stroll through Federal Hill is reminiscent of traveling through a small town in Italy. Each year, the stripe running down the middle of Atwell Avenue is repainted in the traditional colors of the Italian flag: red, green and white. A huge pigna, a pinecone that serves as an Italian symbol of abundance and quality, hangs above the street.
- On the eve of the American Revolution in 1775, a house of worship was built for a congregation that had been established some 130 years earlier. The First Baptist Church in America is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture found in the U.S.
- Former Rhode Island Governor, Ambrose Burnside, also served as a general in the Civil War. Burnside led the Rhode Island army in defense of Washington. Typically remembered for his facial hair, it was for him that sideburns were named.
- When it comes to history, the Rhode Island State House is chock full. The capitol has the first unsupported marble dome in the United States and the fourth largest in the world. On the inside, you'll be captivated by the full-length portrait of George Washington. The artist, a Rhode Island native named Gilbert Stuart, is also the same artist who created the president's likeness on the $1 bill.
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