Population

2010: 178,042, #131 in U.S., #1 in Rhode Island

1950: 248,674, #43 in U.S.

2010 Metropolitan Area: 1,600,852, #37 in U.S.

1950 Metropolitan Area: 681,815, #22 in U.S.

Setting

Providence was founded in 1636 at the mouth of the Providence River where it enters Narragansett Bay, about 30 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. For many years, the river through downtown was covered by city streets and highways. In 1994, the river was reopened as part of Waterplace Park. A Riverwalk now follows the river for about a mile. Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design are just east of downtown.

Buildings

Tallest building: 111 Westminster Street, 428 feet (1927). The building is currently vacant. It was last used by Bank of America in 2013.

List of tallest buildings

The domed Rhode Island State House (1904) is 223 feet tall.

Stores

Providence Place (1999) is a three-story downtown mall with a Macy’s. The Nordstrom store closed in January 2019.

Trains

Providence is on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, with frequent service from Providence Station (1986) north to Boston and south to New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Nearby Union Station (1898) is now used for offices.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has commuter service between Providence and Boston’s South Station.