Elmwood, Providence, Rhode Island

Elmwood Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Location	Providence, Rhode Island
Coordinates	41°48′N 71°25′W / 41.8°N 71.42°W / 41.8; -71.42Coordinates: 41°48′N 71°25′W / 41.8°N 71.42°W / 41.8; -71.42
Built	1875
Architect	Multiple
Architectural style	Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Late Victorian
Governing body	Local
MPS	Elmwood MRA
NRHP Reference #	80004603 [1]
Added to NRHP	January 7, 1980

Elmwood is a neighborhood in the South Side of Providence, Rhode Island. The triangular region is demarcated by Broad Street, Elmwood Avenue, and Interstate 95.

History

Providence neighborhoods with Elmwood in red

Prior to the 1850s, the region had been used primarily as farm land. Then, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, as the city began to expand south and west with the development of manufacturing and shipping interests, the area began to develop. In the 1840s through 1860s, as the city of Providence expanded from a population of 23,000 to past 50,000, development crept southwestward along Broad Street. As areas began to be densely populated, the remaining farms were subdivided.

The neighborhood takes its name from one of its principal developers, Joseph J. Cooke, who in 1843 purchased a large tract of farm land and named the estate "Elmwood". He and other developers sought to build a model suburban community with wide streets and shade-giving elm trees.^[2]

As public transportation improved from omnibuses (horse-drawn carriages) to horse-drawn tracked cars, and finally to electrified streetcars, development began to quicken pace. A number of manufacturers moved to Elmwood, while the area near Public St, Elmwood Ave, and Potters Ave began to develop as a middle to upper class residential neighborhood.

As the automobile came to increase in popularity, businesses in the form of car dealerships, garages, and service stations would proliferate along Elmwood Avenue. As trolley service was bustituted, Elmwood Ave was widened significantly and the elm trees Cooke planted had to be removed. These changes in streetscape change the character of the neighborhood irrevocably.

When the 1950s came, Interstate 95 was constructed, and many single-family homes were converted into apartments. Combined with the aging housing stock and traffic congestion, the neighborhood became less appealing to the middle-class, who left in large numbers during this time.

In the early and mid 1970s, spot demolition on dilapidated houses became common and Elmwood fell into disrepair, though in recent years, there have been many efforts to restore many older mansion and revitalize the neighborhood. In 1980, two large, predominantly residential areas of Elmwood were added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Elmwood Historic District, with emphasis on their nineteenth century revival and Victorian houses. Restoration efforts in Elmwood were featured on 'Season 11 of Bob Vilia's Home Again' when he helps 11 neighbors with various projects over the course of 13 episodes highlighting the historic nature of homes in the neighborhood.

Demographics

In 1990, the neighborhood remains one of the most ethnically, culturally, and racial diverse in the city. 40% of residents were Hispanic, more than 33% were African-American, 26% were white, 14% were Asian, and nearly 3% were Native American.^[2] Today the neighborhood is majority Hispanic.

According to the Providence Plan, a local nonprofit aimed at improving city life, 56.7% of the population is Hispanic, 23.3% African-American, 23.6% white, 9.3% Asian, and 1.8% Native American. 70% of children under the age of six speak a language other than English as their primary language.^[3]

Median family income rates are well below the city-wide average. Nearly 28% of families live below the poverty line while nearly 17% receive some form of public assistance. Nearly one in four children has been exposed to high amounts of lead, mostly from lead paint in older homes.^[3][2]

Government

Most of Elmwood is in Ward 9 though a portion of Ward 11 protrudes into Elmwood north of Potters Avenue.^[4] Carmen Castillo and Davian Sanchez represent Wards 9 and 11 respectively in the Providence City Council. Both are Democrats.

Parks

Elmwood has four small parks: Sackett Street Park and Amos Earley Park south of Sackett Street, Niagara Street Park north of Potters Avenue, and Columbus Square at the intersection of Elmwood and Reservoir Avenues.^[5]

Hospitals

St Joseph's Hospital for Specialty Care is a Catholic hospital located at 21 Peace Street in the northern portion of Elmwood.^[6] It completes a line of four hospitals on the South Side that to the east includes Rhode Island Hospital, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, and Hasbro Children's Hospital.

References

External links

• Neighborhood Profiles at providenceri.com