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.

Ascham Street Park is a park in Providence, situated nearby to Hopkins Square and Saint Ann's…read moreCatholic Church. There's a ballfield, a new parkour style equipment, and slides built into the hillside; also, equipment for younger children. It's fun to see the kids enjoying the slides, laughing and carrying on....fun..... It's going through renovations which should be done soon.

At the corner of Branch Avenue and Charles Street, Hopkins Square was a neighborhood square that…read morehas more recently become a park. Many call it St Ann's Park, many call it Hopkins Square. It's about an acre in area. The square is named after Esek Hopkins (the only Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War) and functioned as the Hopkins family burial ground for many years before the city moved it to the North Burial Grounds. The square also includes a prominent statue of Esek Hopkins. Like many statues throughout the city, it is made from stone cast at the former Gorham factory, a sprawling 37-acre industrial plant once located in Elmwood. It's nice to stroll around and combine a relaxing green setting with some US history.

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.

Really tiny park... not much to do. The grass is always kempt but the fountain is always empty…read more This is more of a walk thru type of park area.

Daniel Abbott, who donated the land for the Congregational Church next door to this green space…read moregave this small parcel of land for a public square, "in the true New England manner," for the newly established congregation. Providence's oldest dedicated public space, it is little understood as a political statement rejecting Rhode Island's religious freedom and expressing a longing to emulate the theocratic Massachusetts model. Perceived and used as a public space, it is still owned and maintained by Beneficent Congregational Church. I have walked by many times and enjoyed the nice peaceful setting of this cute little park in downtown Providence.

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.

Garibaldi Square has been a public space for a long time. It was once the location of the Federal…read moreHill bath houses when life in tenements made access to hot water difficult. We have walked by this square many times and we have taken breaks on its green lawn, under the shady trees. The park came about as part of the Atwells Avenue improvement efforts in 1975. The bronze bust in the park honors Giuseppe Garibaldi, a famous Italian nationalist and war general of the 19th century. He is most known for conquering Sicily and Naples, leading to the unification of Italy under the Risorgimento movement (Encyclopedia Britannica). Before its placement in Garibaldi Square, the bust had a nomadic trajectory. The Board of Park Commissioners initially refused to locate it next to Union Station downtown and, with the support of Governor Case, moved it next to the Rhode Island College of Education (now the University of Rhode Island's Providence campus). Finally in 1975, the city moved it again to mark the downtown entrance to Federal Hill, just next to the big arch with the Hospitality Pine cone.

This cute little square in the Fox Point section of Providence is known to many locals and…read moreresidents as a nice little place to relax while walking in the area. Fenner Square's name commemorates Rhode Island's 4th Governor Arthur Fenner and his son, Rhode Island Governor and Senator James Fenner. Initially known as "What Cheer Farm," the Fenner estate extended from Hope Street and Power Street to the Seekonk River in the early 17th century. Close to the park was a horse stable and the workers there would walk the horses around the triangular plot of land, which was then known as "Heater Park" (Preservation RI). Fenner Square had fallen into disrepair a few years ago...then about 5 years ago, a group of neighbors wanted to bring the surrounding community together and transformed it into the picturesque gathering place that it is today. They started weeding and pruning, creating space for the roses. They added a brick path and with help from the city's tree planting program, created shade for sitting. With a bucket brigade from a nearby house, the neighbors creatively figured out a way to water the plants without a formal water source. Since then, painted stones and thank you letters have cropped up at the park. It is an unexpected encounter for the ordinary passersby. Couples will sit on the benches and occasionally the neighbors will host community gatherings throughout the summer. A scenic plaza at the intersection of Governor and Williams streets, now Fenner Square is the perfect spot for a pleasant stroll or outdoor picnic. We have enjoyed many lazy afternoons here.