At the intersection of College St and Memorial Blvd in Downtown Providence you can find this nice…read morebridge built in 1979. Its neighbor bridge, the Crawford Street Bridge was narrowed around the same time of this ones' completion. College Street is a historic street in Providence. This is the street that leads directly to Brown University from Memorial Boulevard on the west side of the Providence River. From Memorial Boulevard, visitors will walk across this pedestrian bridge. A brick column showing College Street in bronze letters is topped with a street lamp that stays brightly lit at night. The pedestrian bridge gives a perfect view of WaterFire on the nights when the showcase of braziers and waves is on. There's also a vehicular section of this bridge, which runs in between the two pedestrian sections. In the colonial days, the site of this bridge was the site of the Weybosset bridge, which was a wooden colonial toll bridge built by the early settlers across the Providence River at the entrance to the Cove prior to 1660. Roger Williams (1603-1683), founder of Providence and the Rhode Island Colony, served for a time as the toll taker at Weybosset in his elderly years. Gradually the Cove was filled in and built upon in what is now called Downtown Providence. Lot of history around this part of town !!!!

Rolling Rock is one of those oddball type attractions, like the 'world's biggest ball of yarn', or…read more'world's biggest thermometer' that you don't necessarily seek out but if you have the opportunity to check it out you do so. And so brings to me Rolling Rock. Apparently, a local landmark, Rolling Rock, is in a neighborhood and dates to glacier times if you believe the local lore. And for a while, it also apparently did rock back and forth before being permanently anchored. Is it something to make a special trip over? No. But having been to Battleship Cove in the morning and being relatively close by, it was worth it for me. So while I wouldn't seek it out, it's definitely one of those oddities that is fun to explore.

Thompson was the home of the Vernon Stiles Inn, a popular stopover for travelers moving between…read moreBoston, Hartford, Providence and Springfield. Other than that, there isn't a lot of scintillating info here. This is a 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It's located on a very nice Town Green at the corner of Thompson Road and Thompson Hill Road. The marker was dedicated in 1975. The front side is in pretty good condition, while the reverse is showing quite a bit of fading in the blue background.

This World War II memorial is located in Memorial Park on South Main Street. Amongst various other…read morememorials, this was another large sculpture built to commemorate the 96,000 Rhode Islanders who served. There were 8 granite columns on the rotunda; all engraved with different battles. There was a walkway throughout and a wall engraved with Rhode Island cities and towns. There were four benches and honor roll walls; 2,560 men and women who lost their lives are honored and their names inscribed on the walls. This is a beautiful and heartfelt memorial. The river is adjacent to it and it's close to everything. A lovely walk in the park and a great place to pay your respects. Thank you to the veterans for the ultimate sacrifice which in turn, gave us freedom. As President Roosevelt stated, "Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear."

The WWII Memorial in Memorial Park was dedicated on Veteran's Day, 2007. It is comprised of a giant…read morerotunda, two walls of veteran's names, and a small wall commemorating how many people each town in Rhode Island sent to war, as well as multiple benches placed around the rotunda and in front of the name walls. The language in the memorial revolved mostly around the refusal to forget those who lost their lives. The benches in front of the names walls highlight the (American) values people presumedly died fighting for: freedom of speech, freedom from want, etc. There is a section with the code of arms of every town/city in Rhode Island. The memorial is a beautiful architectural piece in Memorial Park, just adjacent to the Riverwalk.

One of the most prominent landmarks at Brown University are the "Gates"…read more The Van Wickle Gates were dedicated on June 18, 1901 as a main entrance to the Brown University campus. The gates were built of iron with brick and stone piers. The Brown University seal is over the center gate, which is adorned by the entwined letters B and U and circular handles in the mouths of two lions. The seals of the State of Rhode Island and the City of Providence are reproduced in stone on the brick piers at either side of the center gate, and above them are stone ornaments depicting an hour-glass, a lamp upon a book, an owl, and a globe. In 1905 it was decided to inscribe the stone tablet at the right entrance, which had been left blank for a bulletin board, with an inscription from Cicero selected by Professor Albert Granger Harkness, "Haec studia adolescentium alunt, senectutem oblectant, secundas res ornant, adversis perfugium ac solacium praebent," translated, "These studies fortify one's youth, delight one's old age; amid success they are an ornament, in failure they are a refuge and a comfort." The gates were built with the bequest of Augustus Stout Van Wickle 1876, president of a bank and several coal corporations, who was killed in a skeet shooting accident in 1898. He also provided in his will for a gate and fence at Princeton University as a memorial to his ancestor Nathaniel Fitz Randolph, who gave the land on which Nassau Hall was built. The center gates remain closed except for two special occasions. They are opened inward to admit students at the beginning of the college year and at the beginning of the second semester and on Commencement Day are opened outward to allow the procession. We have admired the gates many times as we have strolled around the campus and the have always used the side smaller entrances since the main gates have been closed during our strolls.

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Providence located right in front of City Hall has a carved…read morerelief inscription that reads "Erected by the people of Rhode Island to the memory of the brave men who died so that their country might live"; this monument is dedicated mostly to the 1st Rhode Island Regiment (which was made up of white and black soldiers) and the 14th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery (African-American) who fought in the Civil War, but other soldier's names are also included here. At the top of the monument is a female figure holding a laurel wreath in her outstretched right arm and a sword in her left hand; the four buttresses of the base hold four bronze statues representing infantry, cavalry, artillery and naval veterans. The large bronze plaques on the base list the residents killed in the Civil War; the bronze bas-relief plaques with carved releif depictions representing war, victory, peace and history illustrated with African-American women; the monument was designed by Randolph Rogers; the figures were sculpted in Rome and cast in Munich before being assembled in Providence; the monument was dedicated in 1871. One of those names belongs to Roswell Saltonstall (who fought in the calvary division), a great-great-great grandfather of my husband A restoration project is in the works, which will include refurbishing the stone and bronze that makeup the monument, making new cannonballs to replace ones that have been lost and repairing lighting for the monument. Another improvement that is planned is to erect a low fence around the memorial, in keeping with the original design. The fence will prevent people from climbing on the monument. After plaques on the face of it are cleaned, passersby will be able to read the names of those who died.

This corner in Providence's Kennedy Plaza that stands in front of City Hall is a little…read moreunderutilized and it is unfortunate because this massive Civil War memorial isn't getting as much foot traffic as it deserves. The monument features a female allegorical with a laurel wreath in an outstretched right arm. A dedication on the monument's front (northeast) face reads, "Rhode Island pays tribute to the memory of the brave men who died that their country might live." A dedication plaque on the monument's west base, erected by the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society. "This monument commemorates the members of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment and the 14th Rhode Island Regiment Heavy Artillery (Colored) who fought and died in War of the Rebellion.: The monument's base includes four buttresses topped with bronze figures representing infantry, cavalry, artillery and naval veterans. Large bronze plaques on the monument's base list residents killed in the war. The names are arranged by rank within their regimental affiliation. Bronze bas-relief plaques also depict allegorical representations of war, victory, peace and history (illustrated as a African-American woman holding broken shackles). The monument was dedicated in its present location in 1871, and was moved in 1913 when Kennedy Plaza (then named Exchange Place) was constructed. It was returned to its original location in 1997 as part of renovations to the plaza. [Review 15274 overall, 776 of 2021, number 38 in Rhode Island.]

The City of Cranston holds a spot next to my heart; I lived there for 20 years…read more It has approximately 82,000 people living there and the second largest city in Rhode Island; it was the third largest up until 2017. It became a city in 1910. There are two high schools; Cranston East and Cranston West. In the western side of the city, it's a little bit more rural with nicer/larger houses; it's the ritzy side of Cranston. In the eastern side, it's more suburban to urban. I grew up in the eastern side. Schools were ok but nothing to write home about. There were plenty of things to do and very close proximity to the capital city, Providence. A popular spot is the Garden City Shopping plaza. The annual St. Mary's Feast Festival which started in 1905, is a popular event; it has a carnival, vendors, food, and fireworks. What I loved about growing up there was the diversity. Del's Lemonade is a very popular and tasty frozen lemonade; its first stand opened in Cranston. I had good memories growing up there; with everything, there are pros and cons. The overall general consensus, it is a place people want to move to.

I loved "growing up" in Cranston. I went to Glen Hills Elementary through 4th grade. Also did a one…read moreyear stint at Cranston Johnston Catholic Regional! I loved, and still love, frequenting Garden City. Love the many high school tracks you can walk on. My grandfather lived here my whole life until his passing this January. I will miss hearing the baseball and softball games at Brayton Field from his house on Brayton Ave. Highway access is great and you can be in Providence within 10 minutes and at the Mass state line within 20 minutes.

Carrie Tower is that tall bell tower that you see when you walk on Waterman Street from downtown…read moreProvidence towards the Brown University Campus. We have past it many times and have admired the smooth lines that make up the landmark. It's a beautiful brick tower that has a lot of history behind it. Carrie Tower was erected in 1904, a gift of Paul Bajnotti of Turin, Italy, and a memorial to his wife, born Caroline Mathilde Brown, granddaughter of Nicholas Brown 1786, for whom the University is named, and daughter of Nicholas Brown 1811. She died in Palermo in 1892 after sixteen years of marriage to Bajnotti, who also erected a fountain in her memory in Burnside Park in Providence. Carrie Tower was designed as a tower of red brick (95 feet high). There are festoons of fruit near the base, and at the top, above four clock faces on the sides of the tower flanked by eight panels of fruit, are in rising succession, 32 carved urns, eight capitals, four shields, and at the very top, four urns with flame. On the foundation is inscribed "Love is Strong as Death."