Blackstone Boulevard Park
History and construction of the Boulevard
The City of Providence General Assembly bought the land for construction of the Blackstone Boulevard in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The City authorized a loan of $150,000 to purchase the final parcel of land for Blackstone Boulevard, and to complete both the Boulevard and Roger Williams Park, in 1901.
Blackstone Boulevard Parkway in its later form was designed with the renowned firm of the landscape architect Fredrick Law Olmsted. The landscape architectural plans made by the Olmsted firm date to 1903-04.
Notable places and residents
Several important Providence institutions are located on Blackstone Boulevard, including Swan Point Cemetery and the historic Butler Hospital. Blackstone Boulevard is also lined by many 19th and 20th century mansions. A number of noted residents of Providence have lived on Blackstone Boulevard, among them former mayor of Providence Buddy Cianci.
At some point "towards the end of the 20th century," the bronze sculpture "A Memorial to Young Womanhood (or The Spirit of Youth)," was moved from Constance Witherby Park to the Blackstone Boulevard median at Clarendon Avenue.
See also
- Blackstone Park Conservation District
- Blackstone, Providence, Rhode Island
- Blackstone Park Historic District
- Urban green space
References
- ^ Deller, Thomas E. (2009). Providence Tomorrow: Mt. Hope, Hope, and Blackstone Neighborhood Plan (PDF). Providence Department of Planning and Development. pp. 9–10. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ "Neighborhood Parks". City of Providence Parks Department. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
- ^ "Blackstone Parks Conservancy". Blackstone Parks Conservancy. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
- ^ Will Morgan. "Blackstone Park: Our Great Green Asset – Architecture Critic Morgan". Go Local Prov. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
- ^ Providence (R.I.) Office of City Controller (1892). Financial Report of the City of Providence, Rhode Island.
- ^ Charter and Special Laws Governing the City of Providence, Chapter 875, Sect 1. Providence Printing Company. 1916. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
- ^ The Master List of Design Projects of the Olmsted Firm, 1857-1979. National Association for Olmsted Parks. 2008.
- ^ Mike Stanton (2004). The Prince of Providence. Random House.
- ^ "The Parks / Statue". Blackstone Parks Conservancy. Providence, Rhode Island. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2024.