South Side, Providence, Rhode Island
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The South Side of
Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
,
Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
, originally South Providence, is a term frequently used to describe the collective region comprising the official neighborhoods of Upper and Lower South Providence, Elmwood and the West End. The name was first used in the 1830s when the New York, Providence and Boston Railroad established its first station at a pier on the Providence River on a point of land about one half mile south of downtown Providence. The station was named South Providence.
Hispanics The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties former ...
comprise the majority of the population, with over half its residents claiming Hispanic ancestry, as compared to thirty percent of Providence residents as a whole. Consequently, it has a high percentage (64%) of children enrolled in public school whose first language is not English, with the most commonly spoken language being Spanish. The area continues to struggle with poverty issues; the South Side's median family income is $23,379 as compared with $32,058 for the city as a whole, and more than one out of three families lives in poverty.


History

The South Providence neighborhood developed with a wide mix of uses, including residential, institutional, industrial, and commercial uses. An exception is Allens Avenue, which has been exclusively industrial since the start of the 20th century. The Pine/Friendship street area, in the northern section of South Providence, was the camping ground for Rochambeau's troops in June 1781, prior to the start of their march to Yorktown. 1832 saw the beginning of middle and upper-class residential development here. By the late 19th century, many impressive Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, and Second Empire homes were built; many of these have since been demolished. The area was home to wealthy textile and jewelry magnates, including the president of the Gorham Manufacturing Company. By the early 20th century, transit improvements encouraged the more affluent residents to move to the outer ring of the city. In 1868, most of the area was reannexed by Providence from Cranston. For the next 90 years, the area was predominantly Irish Catholic, with a significant Jewish minority. Many Roman Catholic churches remain in the area today. The decades following World War II saw an exodus of white residents moving to the suburbs, and starting in the 1960s, local black families moved into the neighborhood. Starting in 1980, the area saw an influx of Hispanics, along with Native Americans, Africans, Laotians, and Vietnamese Hmong.


Demographics

As of August 2005, 52.3% of South Side residents were Hispanic, 24.4% were
African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
, 12.2% were non-Hispanic white, 9.1% were Asian, and 2% were Native American. 64% of public school children under the age of six spoke a language other than English as their primary language.Southside
/ref> The median family income was $23,379, which was 75% of the citywide average. 35.5% of families lived below the poverty line. 30.3% of families received some form of public assistance. Nearly one in four children had been exposed to unsafe quantities of lead. This is generally attributed to the prevalence of
lead paint Lead paint or lead-based paint is paint containing lead. As pigment, lead(II) chromate (, "chrome yellow"), lead(II,IV) oxide, (, "red lead"), and lead(II) carbonate (, "white lead") are the most common forms.. Lead is added to paint to acceler ...
in older homes, though older plumbing may also be a factor.


Hospitals

The South Side includes a line of four hospitals that from west to east are: St Joseph's Hospital for Specialty Care,
Rhode Island Hospital Rhode Island Hospital is a private, not-for-profit hospital located in the Upper South Providence neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island. It is the largest academic medical center in the region, affiliated with Brown University since 1959. As a ...
,
Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island is a women and infants' hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. It is the primary teaching hospital in obstetrics, gynecology, and newborn pediatrics of the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University. ...
, and
Hasbro Children's Hospital Rhode Island Hospital is a private, not-for-profit hospital located in the Upper South Providence neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island. It is the largest academic medical center in the region, affiliated with Brown University since 1959. As ...
. St Joseph's Hospital for Specialty Care is a Catholic hospital located at 21 Peace Street in the northern portion of Elmwood.
Rhode Island Hospital Rhode Island Hospital is a private, not-for-profit hospital located in the Upper South Providence neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island. It is the largest academic medical center in the region, affiliated with Brown University since 1959. As a ...
, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, and
Hasbro Children's Hospital Rhode Island Hospital is a private, not-for-profit hospital located in the Upper South Providence neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island. It is the largest academic medical center in the region, affiliated with Brown University since 1959. As ...
are located in close proximity to one another in Upper South Providence.Women & Infants Hospital : Providence, Rhode Island
/ref> Rhode Island Hospital has 719 beds and an acute care hospital and an academic center affiliated with
Alpert Medical School The Warren Alpert Medical School (formerly known as Brown Medical School, previously known as Brown University School of Medicine) is the medical school of Brown University, located in Providence, Rhode Island. Originally established in 1811, it ...
.


References


External links

*
Providence Neighborhood Profiles: Southside at a Glance
{{Providence neighborhoods Hispanic and Latino American culture in Providence, Rhode Island Unofficial neighborhoods of Providence, Rhode Island