Providence is one of the oldest cities in America and the most populated city in the small state of Rhode Island. Rhode Island is one of the original 13 colonies, and its land area is approximately 1,045 sq. miles, yet it is also one of the most densely populate places in the U.S.
On this day July 4th, in 1636, Providence, Rhode Island, is formed by Roger Williams. Williams was born in London and later became a Puritan leader; he was an early advocate of religious freedom and the separation of Church and State. The definition of Providence as ascribed in the Oxford English Dictionary is “Of a God: to ordain or provide for,” as Williams believed God had shown him this place of beauty for him and his congregants to settle in.
Providence later became an industrialized city known for its jewelry and silverware. It was nicknamed both the “Beehive City” and “The Renaissance City,” but Providence is striving to change itself into the Creative Capital in order to highlight its emphasis on education and the arts. The entire city is 20 sq. miles, 10% of that being water, with a population of 178,042 in the city. The metropolitan area exceeds 1.6 million; however, that also reaches into Massachusetts. The esteemed Ivy League School Brown University is there, too, noted for undergraduates having to take classes only affiliated with his/her major, if so desired.