This PVD Landmark With Greenery, History, And Public Art Is Reopening Today, & Wow

With Phase 2 of Rhode Island’s reopen kicking off today, Roger Williams Park is once again allowing parking, which means that those living beyond the neighborhoods that surround it are welcome to return and enjoy this fantastic public space.

Back in January, we did a walking tour of Roger Williams Park. I had not explored the grounds there in ages and was amazed by both the landscape (someone who blogged about their local faves a few years back referred to it as “Rhode Island’s Central Park” and underappreciated and I concur) and the public art we passed by that mild-ish morning. It made me wish I knew more.

For starters I had no idea that the only Abraham Lincoln monument in the entire state is situated in RWP, just up the road from the Dalrymple Boathouse, a local gem for all the architecture buffs out there too by the way. Also, after a bit more online research, I discoverd that there are several other prominent public art pieces that were cast by Gorham Silver (the Providence based manufacturing company that grew to be one of the largest and most influential businesses of its kind and was the subject of last year’s impressive exhibit at RISD) and donated to the park, beginning in the 1890’s.

The Bandstand and Casino at Roger Williams Park (Image Courtesy of The RWP Conservancy Insta)

Prior to that, last fall we had toured the Betsey (have also seen it spelled without the e) Williams Cottage, the red cottage up on a hill that dates back to 1773 and has greeted visitors entering from the Elmwood Avenue entrance for decades. Now, I don’t know who told me originally, but I had been telling anyone who would listen (for years) that B. and her sister Rhoda had lived in the tiny house and entertained guests at the nearby Casino structure. Embarrassingly enough, my friends, THAT is not true — because that Colonial Revival style building with the ballroom, that until recently was an extremely popular wedding venue (with COVID big weddings appear to be on hold for a while), was not built until 1896, 25 years after B. herself had passed.

If you want to simply stroll somewhere new and different from your block, whilst social distancing and masking up of course, you can do that. If you want to check out any of the historic monuments or buildings, I would suggest going over to RWPConservancy.org and downloading the maps for notable art, buildings, walking trails and trees that are available to support self tours. Wouldn’t it be marvelous if there were also audio recordings, similar to the ones handed out to those visiting the Mansions in Newport?

Another development that might be of interest is that although the actual Botanical Center is still closed to the public, they are currently offering plots of land in their communal garden for only $40 a pop. This sounds ideal for anyone wanting to start some kind of garden (lost count of everyone in my feeds posting about growing their own food the last month orv two) who might not have the outdoor space to do so.