Bold Point facts for kids
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Bold Point is a piece of land in East Providence, Rhode Island. It sticks out into the Providence River. Long ago, it was a busy place for fixing ships. Today, it's a fun public spot called Bold Point Park.
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A Look Back: Bold Point's Past
Bold Point is in a part of East Providence called Watchemoket. A long time ago, the Wampanoag people used the shallow waters near Bold Point. They would cross the Seekonk River there.
Providence's First Port
On the other side of the river is India Point. This was Providence's first port. It was very busy from 1680 until the early 1900s. A big reason for its success was the trading business of John Brown. He and his partner, John Francis, started their business in Providence in 1787. John Brown even built a bridge in 1793. It connected India Point to Watchemoket, where Bold Point is.
Ship Repair Hub
Bold Point was home to many businesses that worked with ships. One important one was the Providence Dry Dock and Marine Railway Co. This company had special ramps and the first floating dry dock in Narragansett Bay. A dry dock is like a special pool that can be drained. It lets workers fix the bottom of a ship. From 1884 to 1919, this company was the main place to fix ships in Providence.
The water between Bold Point and India Point is called Green Jacket Shoal. It is about 33 acres in size. Today, it is Rhode Island's largest "ship graveyard." Many old ships ended up there, often because of the ship repair businesses at Bold Point.
Bold Point Park Today
Today, Bold Point is a public park. It is called Bold Point Park. The City of East Providence owns it. The park has a place where you can launch boats. It also has a good spot for fishing.
In 2017, the city allowed companies to hold concerts there. These concerts started in the summer of 2017. Bold Point Park is now the biggest outdoor concert place in Rhode Island. It can hold about 4,000 people for shows.
