My claim that Providence could rival Boston and Philadelphia for historical tourism sounds like hyperbole; but given more space to explain Id say: Begin at Roger Williams National Park, where the visitor center nicely shows the importance protecting religion from the state and vice-versa. Cross South Main into the church graveyard, and see the resting place of Ephraim Bowen, who supplied the pistol to shoot Lt. Dudingston in the Gaspee affair; also see a stone erected to Three Respectable Black Persons, slaves of the Chace family. Continue down South Main for a tour of the First Baptist Church of America, built in 1774. Head up Thomas Street, past the Art Club -- its odd facade is an homage to Robert Morris (inventor of the Morris Chair) and his Arts & Crafts Movement. Take a left on Benefit for a tour of the Old State House, where Rhode Islanders renounced allegiance to the king two months before the country declared its independence. Heading south on Benefit, hit the Benefit Street Armory; if this 1842 building were empty it would still be worth looking at, but its stuffed to the gills with souvenirs Rhode Island soldiers carried home from almost all of Americas wars. Continue south to the Hopkins House, home of a Quaker signer of the Declaration of Independence who presided over a majority minority household where enslaved Africans outnumbered free whites. Continue and hit the John Brown House, one of Americas best house museums, with an excellent permanent exhibit on the slave trade. Cross Power Street and tour the first floor of the John Nicholas Brown House -- youll never get the chance to touch a piece of Goddard furniture anywhere else. Go up Power to the Annmary Brown Memorial, a very bizarre place that could be a kick-ass museum -- the six-figure swords in its collection have been used in many famous movies. If you dont yet have museum fatigue, hit the Gov. Henry Lippitt House on Hope; dont forget to see the Lippitt portrait painted by Charles Walter Stetson, Art Club founder and e-husband of Charlotte Perkins Gilman who panned their marriage in a short story seminal in feminist literature, The Yellow Wall Paper. Return to the Roger Williams Park Vistors Center. You can save the current Rhode Island State House for another day. Now if Providence would just open its Admiral Esek Hopkins House on Admiral Street to visitors, wed really have a city worth a visit by tourists with interest in history.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 17:37:42 +0000
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