Federal Hill, Providence, Rhode Island

Providence neighborhoods with Federal Hill in red

The Federal Hill neighborhood has a salient role in the history of Providence due to its central location within the city. This part of Providence is best known for its Italian American community and wealth of restaurants.

Federal Hill is bounded by Westminster Street to the south, Route 6 and Route 10 to the west and north, and Interstate 95 to the east. The area borders: Downtown to the east, Smith Hill and Valley to the north, Olneyville to the west, and the West End and South Providence to the south.

History

Federal Hill's famous Atwells Avenue is named for Amos Maine Atwells, who led a syndicate of businessmen developing the western areas of the city in 1788. The area developed into a working class area during the early 19th century in part due to reverses in commercial shipping.^[1] The first two decades of the twentieth century witnessed heavy Italian-American immigration into Federal Hill, making it the city's informal Little Italy.^[1] Though the area today is more diverse, Federal Hill still retains its status as the traditional center for the city's Italian-American community.

Demographics

According to the 2000 census,^GR2 the racial makeup of the 02903 zip code, in which Federal Hill is located, was 65.8% White, 12.4% Black or African American, 7.2% Asian, 0.7% American Indian, and 8.4% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.2% of the population. According to the Providence Plan, a local nonprofit aimed at improving city life, 47% of residents are white, 32.1% Hispanic, and 14.8% are African-American. These are all slightly above the city-wide averages. Nearly 50% of public school children speak a language other than English as their primary language.^[2] The median family income is $27,288, below the city-wide average of $32,058. 28% of families live below the poverty line with 10% of residents receiving some form of public assistance.^[2] One in four children has been exposed to unsafe levels of lead.^[2]

Government

Nearly all of Federal Hill is within Ward 13, which is represented in the Providence City Council by Democrat John J. Lombardi. A small portion of Federal Hill is in Ward 15, represented by Democrat Josephine DiRuzzo.^[3] The Providence Public Safety Complex is located on Federal Hill at 325 Washington Street. The complex is the headquarters of the Providence Police Department, the Providence Fire Department and the city's municipal courts.^[4] The courts and particularly Judge Frank Caprio have been made famous locally by the television show Caught in Providence, which documents the proceedings of the municipal court.

Parks

Federal Hill includes three green spaces along Atwells Avenue:

• Garibaldi Square is a half-acre square featuring a monumental bust of Giuseppe Garibaldi.
• DePasquale Plaza is a plaza used for outdoor dining.
• John's Park is a small park at the former location of St John's Church.

Another large green space is Franciscan Park, a two and a half acre park, located off Broadway near Route 6.^[5]

Culinary Notoriety

Federal Hill is often characterized by its culinary reputation.^[6][7] Atwells Avenue has over twenty restaurants within a quarter mile section, such as Angelo's Civita Farnese. The area's proximity to Johnson and Wales University has allowed Providence to attract and retain skilled chefs, many of whom work in the many restaurants on Atwells Avenue.

Gallery

Cafe Mediterraneo on Atwells Avenue, June 2007

Wall Mural in Federal Hill, June 2007

References