Prospect Park along Congdon Street

Along Congdon Street (formerly Bowen Street) in the East Side of Providence, Rhode Island lies Prospect Park, also known as Prospect Terrace Park. The park, located on top of College Hill, is one of the best places from which to view the historic buildings, The Meeting House of the First Baptist Church and the State House, to name a few and the huge skyscrapers of downtown Providence.

It was founded in 1867 and it is known that the renowned author H.P. Lovecraft was one of the park’s most frequent visitors. One of the parks main features, standing at a height of thirty-five meters, is a stone statue of Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island. The statue was made by Leo Friedlander after Stephen Randall, Williams’ descendant, made a deed of gift for its construction. During the late 1930s, Williams’ remains were transferred to the base of the sculpture. The memorial, however, has not been properly maintained since.

Near the park are several remarkable sites for tourists to visit. They are the Brown University, the Rhode Island School of Design, the John Brown Museum and the Providence Athenaeum. The Brown University, founded in 1764, is a member of the highly esteemed Ivy League. The university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in New England. The Rhode Island School of Design, founded in 1877, is adjacent to the Brown University campus. Known as the “Harvard” of art schools, it is regarded as one of the best fine arts school in all of the United States. The John Brown Museum, a 1786 Georgian inspired mansion along Power Street, houses the collections of John Brown. Brown was a merchant who was heavily involved in the China trade and the slave trade. The Providence Athenaeum, founded in 1753, is the United States’ fourth oldest subscription library.

Also in close proximity to the Prospect Terrace are numerous restaurants. Some of them are the Barnsider’s Mile And A Quarter, located by the river on North Main Street; Geoff’s Superlative Sandwiches on Benefit, a twenty year old outfit along Benefit Street that prides itself as the source of the best sandwiches in Providence; The Capitan Grill of Boston, a restaurant along Main Street that is the perfect venue for family gatherings and celebrations; the XO Café from which the inviting aroma of coffee radiates; Olive’s, a chic bar for adults along North Main Street; the Café La France, a coffee shop in Citizens Plaza; the Tortilla Flats, a Mexican restaurant along Hope Street; the 3 Steeple Street Restaurant along Canal Street, which is known for its very wide and varied selection of food offerings; the New Rivers American Bistro, a relatively new eating place along Steeple Street; and many others.

This convenient cluster of tourist attractions and restaurants is one of the reasons why Prospect Terrace Park is almost always bustling with life.