Roger Williams Park is an elaborately landscaped city park in
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...
and a
historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains historic building, older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal p ...
listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. The park is named after
Roger Williams
Roger Williams (March 1683) was an English-born New England minister, theologian, author, and founder of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Pl ...
, the founder of the city of Providence and the primary founder of the state of
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
.
History
The land for the park was a gift to the people of Providence in 1872, in accordance with the will of Betsey Williams, the last descendant of
Roger Williams
Roger Williams (March 1683) was an English-born New England minister, theologian, author, and founder of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Pl ...
to inherit his land. It had been the family farm and was the last of the original land granted to Roger Williams in 1638 by
Canonicus
Canonicus (c. 1565 – June 4, 1647) was a chief of the Narragansett people. He was wary of the colonial settlers, but he ultimately befriended Roger Williams and other settlers.
Biography
Canonicus was born around 1565,Benjamin J. Lossing ...
, chief of the
Narragansett tribe. The family farmhouse was built in 1773 and is now known as the Betsey Williams Cottage; the cottage and the Williams family burial ground (including Betsey's grave) are still maintained within the park.
The original bequest consisted of about 100 acres.
Additional land to the south was purchased in 1891 at a cost of $359,000,
consisting mostly of unimproved land that was covered with woods and ponds; it brought the total area of the park to about 400 acres.
The natural history museum opened in 1895.
Roger Williams Speedway

From at least 1915 to about 1949, the park contained a half-mile racetrack that ran from Elmwood Avenue to Broad Street. The track normally hosted
harness races; it was a particularly popular Fourth of July attraction. In 1924 it was the site of an army hurdle race.
2016 renovations
The Rhode Island Foundation began a renovation effort in the park in 2016 as a celebration of their centennial,
beginning with the park's historic bandstand in December 2016. The renovations will expand to other park buildings and entrances.
In June 2017, a dedicated bike and pedestrian lane was added to Frederick Green Memorial Boulevard as part of these renovations, although this change was opposed by some Cranston residents, including Cranston mayor
Allan Fung.
Gateway visitor center

In Fall 2022, a Gateway and Visitor Center for the park opened on Broad Street.
Designed by INFORM studio, the center is intended to increase community access to the park.
The center provides information about public events, amenities, and services in Roger Williams Park and in the surrounding neighborhood.
Layout

The park contains seven lakes which comprise approximately , and it is located in the southernmost part of the city of Providence bordering the city of
Cranston. It was designed by
Horace Cleveland in 1878 and was constructed in the 1880s. Many of the roads, bridges, and sidewalks were built by the
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration (WPA; from 1935 to 1939, then known as the Work Projects Administration from 1939 to 1943) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to car ...
from 1935 to 1940. The
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 ...
called Roger Williams Park one of the finest urban parks in the US in their 2000 annual report.
National Trust for Historic Preservation 2000 Annual Report.
/ref>
The park and historic district contains:
* The Gateway Visitor Center on Broad Street
* The Roger Williams Park Zoo
The Roger Williams Park Zoo of Providence, Rhode Island, contains more than 800 animals in natural settings from a total of 160 species from around the world. In 1986, the zoo became the first zoo in New England to earn accreditation from the A ...
* The Roger Williams Park Museum of Natural History and Planetarium
* The Roger Williams Park Botanical Center
* Japanese Gardens
* Victorian Rose Gardens
* The Dalrymple Boathouse and boat rentals
* The Carousel Village
* The "Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment holding company founded on December 6, 1923 by Henry, Hillel and Herma ...
Boundless Playground" which is accessible for handicapped children
* The Temple to Music
* The Roger Williams Park Casino
* The Providence Police Department's Mounted Command Center
* Historical tours
* Miles of walking paths
Gallery
Inside the botanical center that opened in 2007 in the 435-acre Roger Williams Park in Providence, the capital of, and largest city in, Rhode Island.jpg, Roger Williams Park Botanical Center
Japanese Garden - Roger Williams Park.jpg, Japanese Garden
Love my berries (4767904114).jpg, Roger Williams Park Zoo
The Roger Williams Park Zoo of Providence, Rhode Island, contains more than 800 animals in natural settings from a total of 160 species from around the world. In 1986, the zoo became the first zoo in New England to earn accreditation from the A ...
Carousel Village, Roger Williams Park, Providence, Rhode Island.jpg, Carousel Village
Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in Roger Williams Park.jpg, Museum of Natural History and Planetarium
Betsey Williams Cottage, Roger Williams Park.jpg, Betsey Williams Cottage (1773)
Rally 4 Recovery event at Roger Williams Park.jpg, The Temple to Music is the site of community events
Dalrymple Boat House Prov.jpg, Clark Dalrymple Boathouse (1896)
Casino at Roger Williams Park.jpg, The Casino
Bike and pedestrian lanes in Roger Williams Park.jpg, Dedicated lanes for cyclists and runners were installed in 2017
See also
* Roger Williams Park Zoo
The Roger Williams Park Zoo of Providence, Rhode Island, contains more than 800 animals in natural settings from a total of 160 species from around the world. In 1986, the zoo became the first zoo in New England to earn accreditation from the A ...
, third oldest in the U.S., and one of the top 20 zoos in the country
* Roger Williams National Memorial
The Roger Williams National Memorial is a landscaped urban park located on a common lot of the original settlement of Providence, Rhode Island, established by minister Roger Williams in 1636. The national memorial commemorates the life of Willi ...
, a distinct park in downtown Providence
* Prospect Terrace Park
Prospect Terrace Park is a park located on Congdon Street in the College Hill neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island. The park was founded in 1869, on land that was given to the city by residents of the neighborhood. The park is known as "The ...
, park located in Providence's College Hill neighborhood
*
Notes
: Her headstone name is spelled as "Betsey Williams," but she has been mistakenly called "Betsy" through the centuries, as it appears on numerous articles, postcards, and books.
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Parks in Rhode Island
Geography of Providence, Rhode Island
Works Progress Administration in Rhode Island
Protected areas of Providence County, Rhode Island
Tourist attractions in Providence, Rhode Island
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island
1872 establishments in Rhode Island
National Register of Historic Places in Providence, Rhode Island
Parks on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island