Wickenden Street, Providence, RI - Providence, Rhode Island - Diverse Doings on Former Immigrant Thoroughfare

Wickenden Street, Providence, RI, is located in the eastern Providence section which is just to the east of the downtown area. It starts in the southern section of the College Hill neighborhood, one of 6 neighborhoods that make up east Providence. It is about a mile south of the Brown University campus, running from S. Main Street to easternmost Gano Street in the Fox Point neighborhood. It runs just north of and parallel to I-195.

Near its western end is Benefit Street, where the Historic Mile of 18th and 19th century homes and structures attract many visitors. Also just north of its western section runs the route of the JP Lovecraft walking tour, visiting parts of the neighborhood this street is in that were important in the life and/or works of that author.

At least ten restaurants and coffee shops with varied culinary styles are found on this street. There are also several bars here. Many of them are frequented by students from Brown as well as the nearby Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).

People that live along or around Wickenden Street, Providence, RI, earn nearly twice as much as the average residents of the State of Rhode Island as it is reported on their income tax returns. About 3/4 of the residents here are white.

Over 52% of local residents are women, while men make up around 48%.

Adults living on this street and in the neighborhood it is part of have much higher educational levels than the state average.

Wickenden Street, Providence, RI, is home to several antique shops as well as schlock shops. There are also a few art galleries on this street, principally featuring local art work. Works by national artists can also be seen here as well.

This street is just a few blocks south of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, which is the most complete art museum in southern New England.

The eastern end of the Street, running along Tockwotton Park still hold part of the immigrant neighborhood of Portuguese settlers here in the Fox Point area. A variety of immigrants once lived the length of this street which has undergone gentrification in past years and is certainly still ethnically mixed although today Fox Point is nearly 80% white.

Several Indian restaurants on the easternmost section of the street is testimony to the continued immigrant presence.

At the far end of Wickenden the old immigrant Bath House still stands. Built in 1926 as a bath house it was later a public library until being left abandoned in the 1970s. In recent years it was restored as a library and community center.

Near the old Bath House building is the only public school on this street that goes from Kindergarten through 5th Grade.