Providence Fruit and Produce Warehouse Company Building

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Providence, Rhode Island, United States.

Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He named the area in honor of "God's merciful Providence" which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his followers. The city developed as a busy port as it is situated at the mouth of the Providence River in Providence County, at the head of Narragansett Bay. Providence was one of the first cities in the country to industrialize and became noted for its textile manufacturing and subsequent machine tool, jewelry, and silverware industries. Today, the city of Providence is home to eight hospitals and eight institutions of higher learning which have shifted the city's economy into service industries, though it still retains some manufacturing activity. At the 2020 census, Providence had a population of 190,934, making it the third-most-populous city in New England after Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts.

The Providence Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of Providence, Rhode Island.

The Providence Viaduct refers to the two 4-lane bridges in each direction of Interstate 95 (I-95) that passes through downtown Providence, Rhode Island, in the United States. The structure passes over the Woonasquatucket River and Amtrak lines. It also connects with Interstate 195, U.S. Route 6 (US 6), and Route 146. The bridge was built in 1964 and rehabilitated in 1992.As of June 2012, the bridge is functionally obsolete and rapidly deteriorating. Several of the support beams have crumbled significantly to reveal the steel girders underneath. Additionally, the lower part of the deck has had to be boarded to prevent fragments of the bridge from landing on the streets and railway tracks under the viaduct. In 2019, the State secured $200 Million to rebuild and widen parts of the Viaduct.Given the number of major roads that merge on the Providence Viaduct (I-95, I-195, US 6, and Route 146) and its poor layout, it has frequent accidents and is responsible for much of the traffic jams on I-95.

The Old Canteen is an Italian restaurant in Federal Hill, Providence, Rhode Island opened by Joe Marzilli in 1956. They were Rhode Island’s oldest family owned restaurant and noted for their famous guests, particularly Mayor Buddy Cianci (when he died in 2016, they left his regular table empty in his honor) who has brought Frank Sinatra with him to dine.Raymond L. S. Patriarca, boss of the Patriarca crime family, was a regular that held “top-level meetings” there according to his FBI files.Patriarca would use the apartment above the restaurant to host card games “when there was something private going on.”In 2022, owner and head chef Sal Marzilli wanted to retire and was putting the restaurant up for sale after more than 65 years.

Camille's is the oldest Italian restaurant in Rhode Island, located in Federal Hill, Providence, Rhode Island. Camille's has been open since 1914 when it was known as Marconi’s.

The Sister Dominica Manor, originally known as Bradford House, is a high-rise building located in the Federal Hill district of Providence, Rhode Island. Standing at 175 feet (53 meters), it is currently the 15th-tallest building in the city. The Sister Domininca Manor has 16 floors, and was completed in 1966. The Sister Dominica Manor was constructed as the tallest of three low-income elderly housing projects built by Rhode Island Housing and the city of Providence in the 1960s. It was the tallest all-residential building in Providence until late 2007, when the Waterplace Towers were completed.

Rhode Island Medical Society is a medical society founded in 1812. It is the eighth oldest state medical society in the United States.They have published the Rhode Island Medical Journal since 1917. From 1912 to 2002, their headquarters was located in the Rhode Island Medical Society Building in Providence, Rhode Island.

The Amica Mutual Pavilion (originally Providence Civic Center and formerly Dunkin' Donuts Center ("The Dunk")) is an indoor arena located in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It was built in 1972, as a home court for the emerging Providence College Friars men's basketball program, due to the high demand for tickets to their games in Alumni Hall, as well as for a home arena for the then–Providence Reds, who played in the nearly 50-year-old Rhode Island Auditorium. Current tenants include the Providence Bruins ice hockey team, of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Providence College Friars men's basketball team, of the Big East Conference. The center is operated by the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority, which also operates the Rhode Island Convention Center and Veterans Memorial Auditorium.

The Gloria Dei Evangelical Lutheran Church is an historic church at 15 Hayes Street in Providence, Rhode Island. The single-story brick structure was designed by Martin Hedmark, and built in 1925-28 for a predominantly Scandinavian congregation established in 1890. The brick is laid in patterns, and the tower features a stepped gable roof. The corners of the main facade have small turrets, one topped with a lantern spire, the other with a needle. The design includes vernacular elements of Swedish architecture, a feature not generally found in the area. Originally, the church was built for a Swedish congregation, but today accepts many other nationalities and cultures, including Angola, Liberia, Tanzania, Portugal, Germany, Haiti, Jamaica, Britain, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, and numerous others.The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Veterans Memorial Auditorium (The VETS; formerly VMA) is a performing arts theater in Providence, Rhode Island. Construction began in 1928 but was delayed by the Great Depression. The theater was finally completed in 1950. The adjacent Performing Arts Complex was erected in 1970 and is partially owned by the Veterans' Memorial Foundation. A 1940 article on the venue noted that, "of the 26 fires that have occurred at The Vets, a majority of them occurred inside the building and remained completely unscathed." According to the article, the fire marshal has noted that fire remains the main cause of the building's failure. The article also mentions that the Vets has run into problems with electricity, trash, graffiti. Noted local architect Oresto DiSaia was given the contract to plan the completion. The VETS is among the oldest arts venues in Rhode Island and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was completely restored in 1990. The ornately designed 1,931-seat concert hall houses the largest theater stage in Rhode Island. The performance space features a gilded proscenium arch, as well as allegorical and heraldic ceiling murals. The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra holds several concerts at The VETS each year. In addition, The VETS hosts a broad range of events each season, offering a variety of performances, rehearsals, exhibitions, concerts, educational events, meetings, and other special events. Since 1950, when the theater opened, it began to fall into disrepair. In the early 1980s, the state of Rhode Island was thinking of closing the auditorium and the adjoining Masonic Temple and reducing the complex to a parking lot. In 1983, the Veterans Memorial Auditorium Preservation Association (VMAPA) was formed to try to save the auditorium. They rallied for five years and, in 1988, Governor DiPrete awarded the VMAPA with $5 million for the building's renovation. Since that time, it has been a center for the arts. In 2015, The VETS completed another series of renovations, making it a state-of-the-art performance facility. The Renaissance Providence Hotel, formerly the Masonic Temple, is adjacent to The VETS. Five visual and performing arts companies perform at The VETS: FirstWorks, the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, Festival Ballet Providence, the Rhode Island International Film Festival and the Art League Rhode Island.

Christopher Dodge House is a house in Providence, Rhode Island that was built in 1858. It is operated as a bed and breakfast hotel.