Jane’s Walk Providence

On Saturday, May 4th and Sunday, May 5th, urban explorers have their pick of seven
Jane’s Walks that will take place across Providence. Jane’s Walks are walking
conversations that encourage people to share stories, discover unseen corners of
their cities, and connect with one another. All walks are free and take place rain or
shine; most are between one and two hours long.

This year’s walks include an exploration of “resistance houses” on Dudley Street in
South Providence, visits to sites related to the LGBTQ movement in downtown
Providence, and a stroll through historic Elmwood. Baseball enthusiasts can see
where Babe Ruth once lived, and share stories and perspectives about his exploits,
Indigenous history, and the transportation issues posed by the highways that
crisscross Elmwood today.

Open space and unexpected urban landscapes will be topics in a stroll around Triggs
Memorial Golf Course, a municipal course tucked away in Mount Pleasant, and a
walk from the Old State House on College Hill to the “new” State House, which will
be open to the public that Saturday – a rarity! And at Field’s Point on the
Providence River, participants will consider the ownership and commoditization of
the natural world, garbage and pollution, and who makes decisions about our
shared cultural heritage.

Jane’s Walk was inspired by Jane Jacobs, a writer, urbanist, and activist who
championed a community-based approach to creating livable cities. It began in Toronto, Canada, in 2006; in 2024, Jane’s Walks will take place in over 500 cities and 40 countries around the world, including Newport (see www.centeraquidneck.com/janeswalk).

Saturday, May 4 – 10:00am
● Standing on the Edge of a City – Field’s Point
● From the Old State House to the New – College Hill to Smith Hill

Saturday, May 4 – 1:00pm
● LGBTQ History of Downtown Providence
● That Happened on Dudley?! Side Streets of South Providence

Saturday, May 4 – 3:00pm
● An Elmwood Stroll

Saturday, May 4 – 5:30pm
● May The Course Be With You – Mount Pleasant

Sunday, May 5 – 10:00am
● Babe Ruth in 1914 Providence – Elmwood

Additional information (including walk descriptions and detailed meeting locations)
is available at https://ppsri.org/events/janes-walk-pvd or by emailing
janeswalkpvd@gmail.com.