41. WATERFIRE: In the Renaissance City

Weird Island

WaterFire is the quintessential Providence experience, centering around a series of nearly 100 bonfires along the three rivers that pass through the middle of downtown Providence. But just 40 years ago, you might not have even known that those rivers existed. If you think WaterFire isn’t weird, well, maybe it isn't. But the fact that, at one point, Providence completely covered its rivers, is.

Episode Source Material:

• Maps of the Great Salt Cove: Cove Basin and its Evolution | ArtInRuins
• About WaterFire
• Barnaby Evans, Artist | WaterFire Providence
• Music of WaterFire
• WaterPlace Park and Waterfire | Rhode Tour
• Brown to co-sponsor WaterFire Providence, host Family Weekend visitors for Oct. 16 lighting | Brown University
• Providence River Relocation | CNU
• Rudy Bruner Award - River Relocation
• "Downtown Providence: Parking Lot, Rail Yard"
• Buddy Cianci, flamboyant and roguish mayor who rebuilt Providence, dies at 74 - The Washington Post
• WaterFire - Wikipedia
• The Providence Cove | Rhode Tour
• River Relocation Project and Providence River Park
• PROVIDENCE LOSING A BRIDGE TO GAIN A RIVERBANK - The New York Times
• Chapter 6: The River Relocation Project (1984-1994)
• Revamped Downtown Isolated City's West Side — ecoRI News
• Providence River - Wikipedia.
• Moshassuck River - Wikipedia
• Woonasquatucket River - Wikipedia
• A History of the Providence River: With the Moshassuck, Woonasquatucket & Seekonk Tributaries
• Providence, the Renaissance City