India Point Park, Providence

India Point Park covers 18 acres where the Seekonk and Providence rivers meet. Broad lawns, mature trees and paved waterfront paths provide space for walking, cycling, picnics and outdoor events. The name recalls merchant John Brown’s late-18th-century trade in tea and spices from the East Indies. During George Washington’s visit in August 1790, Brown took the president on a carriage ride to view the busy harbor.

The waterfront later became an important transport center. In 1835, it served as the terminus of the Boston and Providence Railroad, allowing passengers arriving from Boston to transfer to steamships bound for New York. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the docks also received Irish, Cape Verdean, Azorean and Portuguese immigrants. The 1938 New England Hurricane damaged the remaining rail yards, warehouses and docks, hastening the area’s decline into scrap yards and abandoned industrial land.

Mary Elizabeth Sharpe led the campaign to reclaim the waterfront after highway construction separated it from the surrounding neighborhood. The park was dedicated in 1974, with landscape plans by Albert Veri. Today, a landscaped pedestrian bridge restores access to the shore, while the East Bay Bike Path begins nearby. Old wooden pilings visible in the water remain as evidence of the former wharves.