Named for Revolutionary War General Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau,…read moreRochambeau Square marks one of the stops of his troops en route to the notable battle at Yorktown. The urban park is situated nearby to Baileys Butts and The Miriam Hospital. Though small by European standards, Rochambeau's forces--representing France's contributions to the War--were a crucial factor in Washington's military success (National Park Service). This cute little square is a place for residents of the nearby streets to enjoy some history in a nice relaxed and peaceful setting.

Market Square is an urban park, square, meeting place in Providence. It is located at the…read moreintersection of North Main Street and College Street at the base of College Hill. Market Square has historically functioned as a commercial, civic, and cultural locus of Providence. The square's origin goes back to a 1738 order by the Providence Town Council, which established a highway 123 feet in width, extending from Towne Street (now South Main Street) to the Great Bridge. In 1744, a Haymarket was organized at the site, establishing the square as a local center of commerce. Market House, which was constructed between 1773 and 1775. is the focal structure of Market Square. On March 2, 1775, Providence residents, inspired by the then-recent Boston Tea Party, gathered in Market Square to protest the Tea Act. The colonists heaped a large pile of English tea in the center of the square, covering the mound with a barrel of tar and lighting it ablaze. As the commercial hub of colonial Providence, Market Square has been suggested as the likely site of slave sales, which constituted a significant portion of commerce in the 18th century city. The identification of the site as a slave market, however, has not been confirmed. Market House was acquired by the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1948; Market Square is currently surrounded by the school's urban campus. During Waterfire nights, this square is used frequently for private events, catering events and/or vendors.

Conlan Junior Memorial Park derives its alternate name, Mansion Park, from the "country estate"…read morebelonging to Joseph Chapin (1788-1881) that once occupied the site. Chapin was active in manufacturing both cotton and wool in the Rhode Island area. The park offers 1.7 acres of passive green space for the public to enjoy. It has been a place where we have strolled while visiting friends in the past and it's a nice urban space.

The West Warwick Greenway is part of the RI Rail Trail/Trestle Trail, the Washington Secondary Bike…read morePath and the East Coast Greenway. All at the same time. Parking to enter the trail at this location is behind Horgan Elementary School, near the public tennis courts and skate park. There is also a red caboose to the east of the parking lot that you can explore. A homage to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad that once ran along this pathway. Walking or riding to the south and west, the trail leads toward the Coventry Greenway which is often tree covered, passes a couple of ponds, crosses bridges, runs near two historic homes you can tour, at least two cemeteries and a conservation area. This trail ends about six miles before the CT State line in Coventry, RI. Heading to the north and east, leads to downtown West Warwick and offers a more urban excursion. The path often follows the road in this area, crosses some busy streets and is a nice way to access downtown businesses and government offices. Ultimately the north/east direction will lead you into Cranston and further on into downtown Providence. The entire pathway is paved making it an excellent outing for wheelchairs (motorized or otherwise), strollers, walkers, bikes and pedestrians alike. Walk on the left, ride on the right. If you bring your pup, keep it on a leash and take home any 'gifts' they make. There are normally no facilities along the route, but from time to time you will find a port-a-john in a parking area or stop in one of the businesses to buy an ice cream or pop and use their restroom. There are benches placed along the route at uneven intervals and from time to time you'll see old train tracks, a platform, switches and telegraph poles still visible next to the trail. The trails are well maintained with fence repair work and rain mitigation ongoing. The pathways are not cleared of snow and ice and may be closed if the weather has been inclement.

This is a great Great little park with a nice trail which circumvents the 13-acre pond, called Peck…read morePond. About 1/3rd of the trail has rocky footing with many roots to dodge, the rest of the trail is very easy. The pond has a sandy beach for swimming and can get busy during the summer, which is why I tend to go here in the spring and fall. There are plenty of picnic tables, a couple of pavilions, and fishing is allowed in the pond. There are additional trails including cross country ski trails throughout the property. There is also the occasional bench on the trail, offering beautiful views of the pond. It's not a huge park, but it's a nice park, and quiet off season.

A great little park, for walking away from the streets of Newport and for lounging in the shade…read more There's also the famous Touro Tower, that aliens supposedly built. Either way, its a quiet little area in Newport that is a nice little escape.

To have a public, green space as beautiful as this in the midst of the increasingly exclusive &…read moredivided Newport is such a joy. Not to mention the history! The Old Stone Mill is very neat. There are benches, many trees to enjoy the shade underneath, & criss-crossing pathways all across the park. Channing Memorial Church, another beautiful structure, faces the park on the south side. Touro Park is within easy walking distance of the main Newport drag. For those seeking a bit of respite from the madness, it's the perfect getaway.

On Blackstone Boulevard stands a bronze statue of a young woman striding with heroic confidence and…read morefeminine grace, her hair blown by the wind. She looks like she has stepped out of a myth. Inscribed in the statue's granite base: "THE WIND ROARS BY I FEEL IT BLOW AND KNOW THAT I AM FREE TO GO CONSTANCE WITHERBY" Hundreds of people pass the statue every day. Very few know the deeply moving story of Constance Witherby, Lincoln School Class of 1930. Constance Witherby was born in Solvay, New York, on September 5, 1913 to Dorothy Hazard Witherby and Edwin Chaplin Witherby. The family lived at 233 Medway Street in an enormous mansion that is no longer standing. Their home, a short walk to Lincoln School, looked across Waterman Street to open fields and the Seekonk River beyond. At Lincoln, Constance distinguished herself as an outstanding student with particular interests in writing and drama. She began contributing to the "Lincoln Green" in June 1924, with a short prose sketch titled "The Old Curiosity Shop." Constance published poetry and short fictional sketches in every issue of the twice-yearly "Lincoln Green" through June 1929. She acted in theatrical productions beginning in seventh grade, including the "Shakespeare Play," an annual upper school event, in 1928 (The Taming of the Shrew) and 1929 (Twelfth Night). As a sophomore, she played on the class baseball and basketball teams. She was described as vivacious, thoughtful and outgoing. Constance was a normal, regular girl as well as a child of privilege. Letters to her parents demonstrate unusually strong writing talent, as well as her love for her family and especially for her mother. In June 1929, following her junior year, Constance traveled to Europe with Hazard family cousins. The main purpose of the trip was to climb in the Alps--not an unusual activity for girls of her age and class. By August, Con and her family members were in Saas Fee, a small village reachable only on foot and horseback. Her letters from Switzerland are precocious in their descriptions of the landscape, reflecting her joy and exuberance in the stunning, majestic natural setting of the Alps. She was inspired to write poems from, and about, Saas Fee. On August 27, after a hike no different than previous outings, Con felt tired in the evening. The next morning she awoke with a slight fever which was assessed as a cold; but over the next several days, her condition worsened. She was medically diagnosed with a failing heart, attributed to strain from hiking. Constance Witherby passed away on the afternoon of August 30, 1929. She was not yet sixteen. Following a service in a small "English church" in the village, Constance was buried in Saas Fee. To preserve and honor her memory, her parents acquired the plot of land between Waterman and Pitman Streets opposite their Medway Street home; it was landscaped and dedicated as Constance Witherby Park, and donated to the city of Providence. The park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Her parents also commissioned a bronze statue by Gail Sherman Corbett, a celebrated sculptor of the time. The statue, completed in 1933, was not intended to be a likeness of Constance, but rather to embody "The Spirit of Youth." Originally situated in Constance Witherby Park, the statue was moved in 1992 to its current location. It is listed in the Smithsonian's Inventory of American Sculpture. Anyone taking a short walk from Lincoln School up Blackstone Boulevard will find the statue, sheltered in a little grove of evergreens, where Clarendon Street joins the Boulevard. I have biked around this area many times and enjoyed seeing the nice statue and learning about the story behind it....it makes it so much more meaningful.

For those who like Bocce ball, this is the place to go near downtown Providence and/or Federal…read moreHill. Long before Italian restaurants and Showtime's Brotherhood, Providence's Federal Hill was, of course, just a hill. Native Americans referred to that hill as "Nocabulabet." And it is on that hill that people play bocce every every week. Bocce Games begin at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesdays, usually.....at Nocabulabet Park at 69 Spruce Street, at the corner of Dean Street, one block north of Atwells Avenue on historic Federal Hill. Today, you might see some homeless people lingering around the area, but if you are lucky enough to be strolling around the park during any of the bocce tournaments, you will love the enthusiasm and the energy of these participants. For those who are not into Bocce, there are benches to sit and green spaces to sit down or picnic.

This is a very small park (more like a greenspace) at the corner of Spruce Street and Dean Street,…read moreright next to the Rt. 10 off-ramp for Atwells Avenue on Federal Hill. Not the most bucolic location...but it is a quaint little space, with a few park benches, often peopled by some of the more colorful visitors to the Hill. Most noteable, though, are the bocce courts. And they even have lights for night games! The word is (or so my history prof at RIC told me) that the name comes from an Indian phrase meaning "the hill above the river." Cool place to hang out, have a cold beverage, and watch the old Italian guys play and argue over a bocce game.