Historical Essays Marking
Providence's 375th Anniversary

The City of Providence is truly honored to have secured the contributions of nearly two dozen area historians who have written topical essays covering the entire spectrum of the city's 375-year history.

The essays cover topics such as Indian-White relations, the remarkable contribution of Roger Williams, the sometimes painful transformation from town to city, Providence as an industrial titan, the city's significant architectural heritage, and its response to the Great Depression -- among others. The series ends with an essay by Mayor Angel Taveras on his vision for the future of the city.

The essays will appear on this site periodically over the next several months. You can find links to the essays on this page. Enjoy reading about Providence's amazing history through the lens of our local historians!

Essays

***NEW***
Sidney Rider And The Business Of Rhode Island History
by Russell J. DeSimone and Erik J. Chaput

Providence One Hundred Years Ago - The Industrial Heyday
by Richard E. Greenwood, Ph.D.

The Visual Symphony Of Providence
by William McKenzie Woodward, Architectural Historian

The Making of a City
by Albert T. Klyberg, L.H.D., Public Historian served as Director of the Rhode Island Historical Society from 1969 to 1999.

Providence's Original Inhabitants
by Dr. Ella Wilcox Sekatau is an ethno-historian, language teacher, genealogist and tribal medicine woman.

Ebenezer Knight Dexter
by Paul R. Campbell, Archivist for the City of Providence and has authored or co-authored eight books on Rhode Island history.

Providence and Civil War
by Frank J. Williams, the Chair of the Rhode Island Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Commission and served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 2001 to 2008.

Revolutionary Wartime Providence
by Albert T. Klyberg, L.H.D, Public Historian, served as Director of the Rhode Island Historical Society from 1969-1999

Roger Williams: Champion of Religious History
by Stanley Lemons, Emeritus Professor of History, Rhode Island College and Church Historian for the First Baptist Church in America