Brown Class to Present Study of 150 Years of Change in Providence’s Historic Jewelry District

Over the past semester, students at Brown University have been taking part in an in-depth study: The Jewelry District and I-195 land: past, present, future under the guidance of Professor Dietrich Neumann, Director of Urban Studies.

On April 24, 2017, the students will present the results of their researches at a special session which the public is invited to attend.

The class has been looking at the history of the Jewelry District as revealed in its buildings — existing structures in current use and long-vanished structures that once formed the heart of this evolving part of Providence. The students have been interviewing people in the District — residents and business owners and employees  — and  consulting historical archives to develop a comprehensive picture of life in the District over the past 150 years. 

The Jewelry District evolved from its early seaport days into a residential area that transformed itself in the late 19th Century to become a world center of jewelry manufacturing. Of special interest are the forgotten buildings and a park demolished, beginning in the early 50s, to construct Interstates 195 and 95.  Now I-195 has been torn down, acres of new land are available for development, the street grid has been restored and the District is entering its newest transformational phase.

On Monday, April 24, 2017, Professor Neumann and his class will present their findings to the public.  Presentations begin at 6 PM and are expected to run to 8 PM. Refreshments will be served. This is a free event, but reserve admission at https://jewerlydistricthistory.eventbrite.com

Brown Medical School. 222 Richmond Street in the Jewelry District.   For information, contact:  OT@OlinThompson.com 

Event sponsored by the Jewelry District Association, Building Bridges Providence and The Providence Preservation Society.