A Trip Back in Time on Providence’s Historic Benefit Street
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
The East side of Providence is well-known for being home to Brown University. In the College Hill neighborhood, you will find some of the oldest buildings in the city. On Benefit Street, also referred to as “The Mile of History”, you will find some of the most beautiful colonial architecture in the country, including restored houses and churches. This historic street is home to one of the highest concentrations of colonial homes in the country.
Mike and I love old architecture so we figured we would take a quick drive over from Fall River to check it out. We regularly visit the city to enjoy the beautiful parks and bike paths, and we were look forward to checking another historic site off our bucket list. We have been enjoying the close proximity to so many wonderful historical sites in New England – it’s definitely a perk of living here.
On this self-guided stroo, you will get to see some of the city’s oldest landmarks, including the John Brown house (built in 1788), The Old State house (built in 1762), and The Athenaeum (the 4th oldest library in the US). I highly recommend any history buffs to add a walk down this street to your bucket list. It will not take up much of your time and you will get to see some really beautiful old houses.
In this guide, I will cover some of the highlights along this historic 1.2 mile journey. As you can see in the photos, we walked this trail during the barren winter months. I imagine the experience would be a lot nicer with mild temps and beautiful trees comprising the background in the summer and early fall months. On the bright side, we were pretty much alone so we got to soak in the history in a beautiful, low-key setting.
The Providence Athenaeum
This library, founded in 1753, is the 4th oldest in the US. It is open to the public for relaxing, reading, or just taking a look around. Although small, the space is very cozy and old fashioned with beautiful architecture and floor-to-ceiling racks filled with old books. We took a quick stroll around, but didn’t have a lot of extra time to sit and read – a gorgeous place though. They also offer a lot of free events, so I recommend checking the website to see if anything special is going on during your visit.
Barker Playhouse
The Barker Playhouse, founded in 1909, is the oldest running little theater in the US. 2025 marks the 117th season – pretty impressive. Check The Players website for information regarding this season’s productions.
Thomas F. Hoppin House
This historic house, which was built in 1853, is now home to the Brown University Annenberg Institute for School Reform. According to the Library of Congress, this was one of the largest houses in the city at the time. It was often used for social events due to the elaborate nature of the interior space.
The Nightingale Brown House
The Nightingale Brown House, built in 1792, is now home to Brown University’s John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage. Its’ claim to fame is being the country’s largest 18th century wood frame house. In my opinion, this is the most gorgeous property you will come across.
The Rufus Waterman House
The Rufus Waterman House, built in 1830, now operates at The University Club, a private dining, social & athletic gathering spot.
Frank Licht Judicial Complex
The Frank Licht Judicial Complex, aka the Providence County Courthouse, was built in 1877. It is one of the largest buildings in the city. As you stroll by, you can see that the width stretches for almost a block. I had a hard time capturing the entire building into a picture!
First Unitarian Church of Providence
The First Unitarian Church of Providence was founded in 1720. At this time, the congregation included: Baptists, Quakers, Seekers, and Congregationalists. A fire destroyed the original building and a new meeting house (which still stands today) opened in 1816.
The John Brown House
The John Brown House, built in 1792, operates as a museum open to the public. The impressive building was once the home of John Brown (a wealthy merchant and strong abolitionist), the Gammells, and Marsden J. Perry (a prominent banker who bought and restored the house in 1901). This house resides on Power Street, however, you can see it by strolling along Benefit St. I would love to come back soon and tour the museum.
Directions
Benefit Street is located on the East side of Providence, about a block from the Rhode Island School of Design. Parking can be found on any side street, just be sure to check the signs. We parked on College Street.
There are a number of great local restaurants in the East Providence area. One of my personal favorites is Pizzico Oyster Bar. They serve great Italian food in a really nice space. I tried the most delicious Pumpkin Tortellini here one time.
Providence to-do list
There are lots of great historical attractions, plus great Italian restaurants and the area’s best zoo to explore. Also, the beautiful tree-lined Blackstone Blvd walking path is a gorgeous place for a stroll. Check out my guide if you need more tips on how to fill your itinerary.
