Benefit Street: A Mile of History Walking Tour

Once little more than a back lane through farmland, Benefit Street blossomed into the home of Providence’s elite in the 18th century.  Created “for the benefit of all,” this colonial thoroughfare boasts one of the most extensive collections of 18th and 19th century urban architecture in the country.  When hard economic times brought neglect and urban renewal threatened to raze the district in the 1950s, noted preservationists like Antoinette Downing worked tirelessly to spare it from the wrecking ball.  Despite its appearance as a museum mile, Benefit Street once again thrives as a vital Providence neighborhood.  Join the Rhode Island Historical Society for a summer walk down Benefit Street and discover the past that makes this community so vibrant in the present.