Jewelry District (Providence) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jewelry District
Location of the Jewelry District (dark gray) and Downtown (medium gray) in Providence

The Jewelry District is a cool neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island. It's located just southeast of the city's main downtown area. Big highways like Interstate 195 and Interstate 95 help mark its edges. The Providence River also forms part of its border.

For a long time, starting in the 1800s, this area was famous for making jewelry. In the 1960s, a highway was built that separated the district from downtown. But in 2013, a huge project called the "Iway" moved that highway. This reconnected the Jewelry District to downtown Providence. It also created 19 acres of new land ready for building!

Inside the Jewelry District, there's a special area called the Providence Jewelry Manufacturing Historic District. This historic spot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. It was made even bigger in 2012.

History of the Jewelry District

How Jewelry Making Grew and Changed

During the 1800s and 1900s, making jewelry became a huge business here. This included both fancy jewelry and costume jewelry. Jewelry making started in Providence way back in 1794. By 1880, Rhode Island made more than a quarter of all the jewelry in the entire country!

The jewelry industry was at its biggest in 1978. About 32,500 people worked in it then. But after that, the number of workers quickly went down. By 1996, only 13,500 people worked in jewelry. Over the next few years, many big jewelry factories in the district closed down.

The "Iway" Project and New Growth

In the 2000s, a part of Interstate 195 was moved. This highway used to cut through the Jewelry District. The project, known as the "Iway", moved the highway further south. This opened up 19 acres of land in and around the district.

Since 2018, many new buildings have been started or finished on this land. These include new homes, a large parking garage, and even a hotel.

An Innovation and Design Hub

The city and state now call this area Providence's "Innovation & Design District." They want it to be a central place for science, technology, and education. It's becoming a hub for new ideas and businesses.

In 2019, a new pedestrian bridge opened. This bridge connects the Jewelry District to the East Side of the city. A new park along the river opened right next to it the next year.

Geography and Cool Places

Important Landmarks to See

South Street Landing in 2021

The Fox Point Hurricane Barrier is a very important structure here. This huge barrier protects Providence from big floods. It stops storm surges, like those from the 1938 New England Hurricane and Hurricane Carol in 1954. In those storms, downtown Providence flooded with over eight feet of water! Thanks to the barrier, the downtown area hasn't had major floods since it was built.

You can also spot the three tall smokestacks of the Manchester Street Generating Station. Another big brick building is South Street Station.

South Street Landing's Transformation

South Street Landing is a very noticeable building in the neighborhood. It's right on Eddy Street, next to the Point Street Bridge. This large building used to be a power station from 1912 to 1995. After that, it sat empty and falling apart for many years.

Many plans were made to fix it up, but they didn't happen. Finally, in 2017, the building was completely renovated. It reopened as South Street Landing. Now, Brown University, Rhode Island College, and the University of Rhode Island share the building. A large parking garage for 750 cars was also built next to it.

Collier Point Park and the Submarine

Collier Point Park is located along the Providence waterfront. It's south of Davol Square. This park was once home to a real Russian submarine! It was called Juliet 484. This submarine was even used in the movie K-19: The Widowmaker in 2000.

The submarine was a museum for a while. But it sadly sank during a storm in April 2007. The owners wanted to fix it and reopen the museum. However, they couldn't get enough money to do it.

Gallery

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  The intersection of Clifford and Chestnut Streets in 2009. I-195 (visible to the left) has since been re-routed.

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  The Manchester Street Generating Station, a gas fired power station

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  In 2016 Johnson & Wales University opened a new STEM building on land vacated by Interstate 195.

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  Brown University's Alpert Medical School is located in the Jewelry District

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  The Wexford Innovation Center is one of the largest new office developments in the area.

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  The Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial Bridge connects the neighborhood to the city's East Side