Providence, Rhode Island

Providence, founded in 1636 by Roger Williams after his expulsion from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, is one of the earliest English settlements in North America and preserves an exceptional collection of colonial and Federal period architecture on College Hill above the Providence River. Benefit Street, known as the Mile of History, is considered one of the finest examples of colonial streetscape in the country. WaterFire, an installation art event held in the colder months on the rivers downtown, has been called one of the most distinctive public art events in the United States.