online: www.rihumanities.org email: info@rihumanities.org phone: 401-273-2250
City residents, visitors, and even television or movie audiences can easily recognize that Providence is not what it used to be. It is transformed in both image and reality from what it was only twenty years ago. However, the story of how Providence has taken shape is complex and not immediately visible. The recent reworking of both the natural and built environment is the citys third major transformation since the late 1840s. The circumstances that informed each metamorphosis reveal significant trends in urban history and provide insight into the changing needs and hopes of Providence's citizenry.
William "Mack" Woodward is a native Texan architectural historian who has served on the staff of the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission since 1976. As the Commission's Planning and Land Use Coordinator, he assists Rhode Island municipalities in integrating preservation activities into community planning, development, and revitalization. He has published several surveys of historic resources and scholarly articles, and is currently writing a book about Rhode Island landscapes.
Needs: slide projector/screen; lighted lectern/water