History

Site History

Providence Piers and the surrounding areas were from the 1890's onward as the city’s rapid increase in population combined with an expanding industrial base created demand for better transportation infrastructure and ways to import raw materials. By 1900, large shoreline areas just east of Allens Avenue were filled and acquired by industrial interests such as the Seaconnet Coal Company (present site of Sprague Energy) and the Providence Gas Company (present site of Providence Piers).

Sensing further opportunity for commercial development, the city of Providence, with Federal assistance, began a major harborfront improvement initiative, first creating a 600-foot wide harbor channel in the Providence River and then acquiring Fields Point Park. The harbor produced 15 million pounds of oysters annually and employed nearly 1,000 fishermen in its heyday just prior to 1910. In 1913, two sections of a proposed massive warehouse complex were constructed a quarter-mile south of the State Pier to further bolster the city’s claim as the commercial “Gateway to Southern New England.” In 1914, a new State Pier # 1 (just south of Providence Piers) was opened to accommodate ocean going passenger vessels. During nearly three decades of service, State Pier #1 served as the port of entry for nearly 84,000 immigrants, principally from Italy, Portugal and later, Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. At its peak, State Pier #1 became the fifth largest point of entry for immigrants to the United States.

By 1916, the waterfront was a center of maritime trade, complete with a new 3,000-foot municipal dock. However, the Great Depression, contraction of the city’s industrial base, massive suburban out-migration following World War II and two destructive hurricanes ultimately dashed the hopes of those attempting to position Providence as a viable center for maritime commerce.

Until recently, Cargill Energy used a substantial portion of the Providence Piers site for oil storage and distribution. The 776-foot dock that was primarily used by tankers for offloading oil products fell into disrepair over the years. Recently, the Development Team completed a full rehabilitation of the dock, now called “Dock Conley,” and removed all of the oil tanks from the site and dismantled the oil distribution facility. During this time, the Providence River was dredged to a depth of 40 feet – a $40 million project that further ensures Providence Piers will remain a deep-water port for many years to come.

In addition to these recent site improvements, the revitalization of Downtown Providence has laid the groundwork for a complete renaissance along the city’s waterfront, and Providence Piers is poised to be the centerpiece of this emerging area designated as "Narragansett Bayfront" in the city's new comprehensive plan -- Providence 2020.