Providence Parks

History

The original parcel was deeded to the City in 1870, and the park was subsequently expanded over the years. A statue of theologian Roger Williams (designed by architect Ralph Thomas Walker) was built in the late 1930s after Williams’ descendant Stephen Randall made a deed of gift for the monument. It was dedicated on 29 June 1939. The approximately 15-foot-tall granite statue commemorates Williams’ founding of the state of Rhode Island and his promotion for religious freedom, and the statue depicts Williams gazing over the city.

In 1939, Roger Williams’ remains were moved into a tomb that lies directly beneath the statue. His body had been overgrown by the roots of an apple tree next to his original grave, having grown to resemble a human form. The remainder of his bones were reburied in a bronze casket and placed beneath his statue in Prospect Terrace. The so-called “Williams Root” is preserved and is now on display at the John Brown House Museum on the East Side of Providence.

In 2006, vandals removed all five fingers of the statue’s left hand, along with the thumb of his right hand. The damage was repaired in 2010. (Excerpted from Wikipedia)

Recent Improvements

• A ribbon cutting was celebrated on May 19, 2025, to commemorate the revitalization of the park including its retaining wall and lighting, and the addition of stormwater mitigation and traffic calming measures.
• The last round of renovations was completed in June 2019, accomplished through a partnership formed in December 2016 between the College Hill Neighborhood Association and the Providence Parks Department. These fundraising efforts yielded improvements and restoration to the park such as ADA accessibility, new paths, sidewalks, benches, lighting, signs, and landscaping. Previously, the park had not been renovated for 28 years.