The Story of Ebenezer Dexter’s Farm

How Providence lost 39 of its most valuable acreage to Brown

“He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’

Before I built a wall I’d ask to know What I was walling in or walling out, And to whom I was like to give o ense. Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, That wants it down.”

Excerpted from Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall,” one of his most beloved poems published in 1914

Stretching around the heart of some of the most valuable real estate on the East Side of Providence is an exquisitely built stone wall that stretches for over a mile, is three feet thick, and stands high enough to discourage climbing or visual intrusion. If you live on the East Side, you’ve probably driven by it hundreds of times.

It encircles the area that starts at Hope Street, across from Moses Brown, runs down a big block to Arlington Avenue, makes a right turn, and continues to Angell Street, where it turns right again and continues toward downtown before ending at Stimson Avenue. But the relatively unknown story of how it was built is one of the more fascinating tales of old Providence, yet one that continues to dramatically exert its impact on our city to this very day.

The story begins with the passing of Ebenezer Knight Dexter (1773-1824), one of Providence’s wealthiest residents. He amassed considerable personal wealth in business and real estate but never lost sight of the plight of those less fortunate. He donated his huge 39acre Neck Farm to the city, along with funds to build the Dexter Asylum, a “poor farm” to house the “indigent, elderly, and chronically unemployed.” Poor farms were common before Social Security and welfare and were, at the time, considered a progressive method for dealing with poverty. Residents had to follow strict rules and work for communal benefit, usually in farming or cooking.

Dexter’s will was very specific, requiring “a stone wall three feet thick and eight feet high with a foundation made of small stones sunk two feet deep into the ground” to be constructed when the asylum was built in 1835. This massive wall took over eight years to build, cost a small fortune, stretches over 6,220 feet long, and contains 7,840 cords of stone (over 94,000,000 pounds!). Call it the Great Wall of Providence.

By the early 1900s, the “poor farm” model had fallen out of favor; the city started looking for alternatives and in 1919 began an almost 50-year legal process to sell the property. With rising real estate values and open space at a premium, city o cials tried to break up the property and sell it for house lots. When that didn’t work, they suggested making it a public park. In 1926, the Rhode Island Supreme Court upheld the provisions of Dexter’s will, declaring that no part of the property could be sold. In 1956, the last residents left and the asylum was closed.

Brown had been eyeing the property for decades and president Barnaby Keeney proposed that the city sell or lease it for a gym or athletic complex and the university would indemnify the city if the courts ruled against the plan.

Efforts to break the will had gone on for decades. A lawsuit filed in 1947 was finally resolved in 1957 when a Rhode Island Superior Court judge ruled that the “city could sell the property it had inherited under the pretext that the Asylum had ceased to fulfill its stated purpose of benefiting the poor.”

One can imagine the exhilaration of the city with this news. The mayor at the time was Walter Reynolds, who served seven terms and is remembered as a smart forward-thinking leader with a great track record of rebuilding the city’s infrastructure, but unfortunately allowed this important tract of land in the heart of the city’s most expensive real estate to be auctioned off rather than developed into a neighborhood.

Brown’s bid of $1,000,777 was the highest by $250,000, an early demonstration that price is perhaps a lesser concern when you’re not paying taxes. Brown paid $25,643 per acre – perhaps not as good a deal as the Dutch buying Manhattan for $24, but still very favorable. Today, the area would easily represent over $150 million in taxable real estate if it had become a neighborhood.

So where are we now? The Aldrich-Dexter fields have become athletic grounds, with a skating rink, aquatic center, tennis and squash courts, gymnasium fitness center, both competitive and practice fields for football, baseball, lacrosse, and more –the list goes on. It also houses the school’s massive “facilities” operation and central heating plant.

The next addition will be an enormous new indoor sports facility. Once again, Aldrich-Dexter parking, which was once plentiful and a key metric in Brown’s ability to meet the institutional zone’s parking requirement, has been dramatically reduced as each new building was built.

When the Aldrich-Dexter wall was built it was the impoverished who were on the inside, the rich outside. With Brown’s billions of dollars in endowment and tax avoidance protections, we wonder if the situation hasn’t become reversed. But rather than debate the issue, we just hope the school remembers the words of Robert Frost: that good fences can make good neighbors – but only if both parties work together collaboratively. May the history of the Aldrich-Dexter relationship guide Brown as they begin to revisit their community responsibilities to the city that hosts them.

Neighborhood News

A space made available to Providence’s neighborhood associations free of charge.

Hot Topics

An overview of what’s happening around the city right now

Fox Point Neighborhood Association’s new board members and interim president

The Fox Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) has announced an influx of new leadership, including three new board members and a new interim president. With a passion for environmental protection and sustainable development and a background in finance, Lily Bogosian, FPNA interim president as of June 2023, is an advocate for preserving the unique character and charm that first attracted her and her family to Fox Point 13 years ago. “Small family businesses, unique shops, and local restaurants are the backbone of our neighborhood,” says Bogosian. “We are lucky to enjoy the benefits of a local experience within the larger province of Providence.”

New FPNA board members include Mike Bell, a visual artist who owns a media production company, Embee Studio, that he runs from his Sheldon Street home. Bell is committed to preserving the historic character that Fox Point is known for and ensuring that the neighborhood is a safe and vibrant community for businesses and residents. Judyth vanAmringe is a designer and ceramicist who came to Providence from New York City in 1997. Her dedication to architecture and design extends to her neighborhood support for sustainable and architecturally desirable land use projects, as well as advocacy for responsible development. John Woolsey is a retired architect with a special interest in old neighborhoods and historic buildings. He is currently co-chair of the Board of Trustees of Preserve Rhode Island. Historic neighborhoods and the character of old buildings have been some of Woolsey’s life-long interests.

Olneyville serves community with educational workshops and more

Since November 2022, Olneyville Neighborhood Association (ONA) has held three community forums and four pop-up clinics across Providence on driver privilege cards and permits, which are essentially drivers licenses that undocumented Rhode Islanders can apply for under a new law that took effect July 1, 2023. ONA and other community partners have fought for this right for over a decade.

At monthly community meetings, ONA invites speakers from local community partners, city and state o cials, and small businesses to discuss their services and programs in an effort to provide additional resources to their members. Because 95 percent of ONA members requested immigrant services, such as legal consultation, they recently recruited an immigration lawyer to volunteer once a month providing free legal consultation and Know Your Rights workshops. As of June, ONA also o ers three computing, typing, and literacy classes totalling 36 students. They recently expanded their literacy class to the Olneyville Community Library, with plans to o er these courses at Webster Avenue School and William D’Abate in the coming school year. Lastly, thanks to GrowSmartRI, Providence Streets Coalition, and the Rhode Island Department, ONA received a $15,000 grant toward launching a Walking School Bus at William D’Abate Elementary School located right in our neighborhood.

Housing and homelessness in the South Side

Nick Horton, co-executive director of OpenDoors, has done considerable outreach to Elmwood residents and nearby schools about the proposed transitional housing and homeless shelter at 572 Elmwood Avenue. His survey of residents and feedback from meeting participants have shown that some Elmwood residents are especially supportive and eager to help future residents in the site. Other Elmwood residents are opposed, primarily due to social service overload in the south end of Providence, mixed messages about OpenDoors’ ability to maintain the historic character of the building, and unanswered questions about management and security. It’s not yet clear if, how, and when the proposal might go ahead. At time of press, OpenDoors has not signed a lease. The person who is drafting the potential lease for the owner stated that the lease for transitional housing would be limited to six months. OpenDoors expressed their intent to buy the building, now appraised at $1.4 million.

Residents and businesses in Washington Park are concerned about a large shelter being proposed for 1144 Eddy Street. State Senator Tiara Mack is circulating a Google survey that asks for a formal meeting for public involvement for the site that needs environmental remediation, which can be found at ENA-PVD.org/our-newsletter.html. Meanwhile, South Providence Neighborhood Association has focused on the impact of Crossroads on the broader community and concerns for the safety of people who look to Crossroads for shelter.

Providence Neighborhood Associations

Blackstone Parks Conservancy

Jane Peterson

P.O. Box 603141

Providence, RI 02906

401-270-3014

BlackstoneParks@gmail.com

BlackstoneParksConservancy.org

College Hill Neighborhood Association

Rick Champagne

P.O. Box 2442

Providence, RI 02906

CHNA@chnaprovidence.org

CHNAProvidence.org

Downtown Neighborhood Association

DNAPVD@gmail.com

DNAPVD.com

Facebook: Providence Downtown Neighborhood Association, DNA

Elmwood Neighborhood Association

Karen Hlynsky

ENA-PVD.org

Facebook: Elmwood Neighborhood Association PVD

Fox Point Neighborhood Association

Meeting Date: August 15

Amy Mendillo

P.O. Box 2315

Providence, RI 02906

FoxPointNeighborhood@gmail.com

FPNA.net

Jewelry District Association

Sharon Steele

Sharon@sharonsteele.com

JewelryDistrict.org

Facebook: Jewelry District Association Providence, RI

Mile of History Association

Charles Hewitt, Secretary

1 Governor Street, Providence

MileOfHistory@gmail.com

MileOfHistory.org

Mount Hope Community Center 401-521-8830

MHNAInc@gmail.com

Facebook: Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, Inc.

Olneyville Neighborhood Association

Meeting Date: September 27

Yuselly Mendoza, Program Coordinator 122 Manton Avenue, Box 8 Providence, RI 02909 Yuselly@ona-providence.org

Facebook: Olneyville Library

Providence Coalition of Neighborhood Associations

Info@provcna.org

ProvCNA.org

Reservoir Triangle Neighborhood Association David Talan

25 Santiago St. Providence, RI 02907 401-941-3662

DaveTalan@aol.com

Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative

Wole Akinbi

400 Smith Street Providence, RI 02908 Suite #1

AAkinbi@half-full.com

Facebook: Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative

South Providence Neighborhood Association c/o Dwayne Keys

P.O. Box 5653

Providence, RI 02903

401-369-1334

• SouthProvNeighbors@gmail.com

Facebook: South Providence Neighborhood Association

Summit Neighborhood Association

Meeting Date: August 21

P.O. Box 41092

Providence, RI 02940 401-400-0986

SNAProv@gmail.com

SummitNeighbors.org

Washington Park Neighborhood Association 237 Washington Avenue

Providence, RI 02905

BettyLinda@aol.com

Facebook: Washington Park Association

Wayland Square Neighborhood Association

Katherine Touafek

Facebook: Wayland Square Neighborhood Association

WaylandSquareNeighbors@gmail.com

West Broadway Neighborhood Association

1560 Westminster Street

Providence, RI 02909

401-831-9344

WBNA@wbna.org

WBNA.org

These elegant 1-4 bedroom/1-2 bath lofts have it all style, location, comfort and convenience everything you want, rolled into a chic, animal-friendly apartment community you’ll love coming home to! Residents also enjoy access to an assortment of tastefully appointed on-site amenities including fitness center, theatre room, indoor putting green & basketball court, pet washing station, game room, rooftop deck and outdoor patio. Convenient on-site storage and garage parking are also available!

Louis Iasimone, life-long Rhode Islander, is a proud member of a family of leading plumbing and heating professionals. With over 35 years of experience, Louis and the crew at IASIMONE PLUMBING, HEATING & DRAIN CLEANING, INC. provide customers the highest level of service. “It’s so rewarding to have clients call us year after year,” Louis says.

Making sure every client understands their options is an important part of what keeps people coming back to Iasimone each year. The company, a years-long recipient of Angie’s List’s Super Service Award, o ers a variety of plumbing and heating services, as well as no-cost estimates. They specialize in installation and repairs of sinks and faucets, bathroom fixtures, water lines, dishwashers, water heaters and boilers, and also o er water and sewage services.

With the summer months here and entertaining at a maximum, Louis recommends giving some extra attention to your drains. To keep your sinks worry-free, be sure to try and clean your drains regularly, at least once a month. If you have a garbage disposal, try using a couple tablespoons of salt and a cup or two of ice to try and eliminate any grease in the disposal. Follow that with some cold water and a lemon to flush it out and keep it smelling fresh. Don’t forget to flush your drains with hot water after washing your dishes (particularly any greasy ones) to keep the grease from building up. If the worst does occur and there’s a blockage you can’t rid, you’ll know to call Iasimone for your drain cleaning solutions.

BEYOND THE PALE

Quality interior painting, color consulting, lead certified, green products. Lic. #15914. Call Mike 401-573-4498.

EAST SIDE HANDYMAN

Carpentry, painting and repairs. Small jobs welcome. References, insured. 401-524-6421. Reg. #3052.

MALIN PAINTING

Most ceiling & wall repairs, wallpaper removal, oil-based & latex finishes, staining, varnishing. Fully insured, Many local references. Safe, secure, fast service. 226-8332. Reg. #19226.

USED MUSIC WANTED!

Round Again Records needs your used CDs and records. Cash paid. Call 351-6292.

Art is in the Air Summer markets foster creative outlets and connection for makers and patrons alike

Art markets are a summer staple across the Ocean State, promising the thrill of an irresistible one-of-a-kind find for shoppers as well as providing an outlet for creatives to network, learn from their community, and grow their reach. Whether vending or visiting one of the many regularly appearing events across Rhode Island this season, Field of Artisans founder Katrina Momenee advises: “Ask a question!” It could spark a conversation that inspires someone on either side of the table.

Making Space

Field of Artisans started as a weekly summer market at South Kingstown’s Matunuck Beach. “South County is the heart of our organization,” Momenee says. “The beach is blissful, and the best part is that vendors can jump in the ocean at the end of the market.”

An artist herself, Momenee founded Field of Artisans in 2015 when she returned home to Rhode Island after a brief stint in New York. She sold pieces from her own line of accessories at New York City markets, but quickly realized the same type of selling opportunities weren’t available to artists in Rhode Island. “There were big markets,” Momenee said, “but not a consistent weekly thing for artists looking for exposure.”

But as vendors began to turn their creative practice into full-time careers, the market grew to match their needs. “Artists need more than a summer or weekend platform, so we added weekday dates to our schedule and pop up yearround,” Momenee explains.

New venues now include breweries, the South County Museum, and the Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial Bridge in Providence. Last year, the organization breathed new life into the 56-year-old General’s Market, which takes place at The General Stanton Inn in Charlestown. “That’s our only market that includes mindfully collected vintage and antique items, so it’s a whole di erent vibe,” Momenee explains.

Katie Vacca, a Westerly-based botanical artist and founder of erba, a line of energy cleansing products, regularly vends at the General’s Market. Vacca says she’s particularly impressed by the way Momenee curates each market to match the energy of its venue, but the opportunity for connection is what keeps her coming back. “I’ve grown to thrive o the connections I make with customers at the art market,” she says. “It’s important that I be there to put a face to my product, but it’s also inspiring to see how my work impacts someone else’s life.”

Community Approach

A relative newcomer on the art market scene is Providence-based Anti-Robot Club’s Marketplace, founded and curated by local artist and musician Spocka Summa. The art market is just one of the projects Summa runs under the platform.

Summer Art Markets

ANTI-ROBOT CLUB’S MARKETPLACE

This monthly event encourages creatives and shoppers to connect IRL, featuring upcycled clothing, illustrators, ceramicists, and sculptors. Third Saturdays (August 19) at Farm Fresh RI, Providence, Anti-RobotClub.com

FAYERWEATHER CRAFT GUILD OUTDOOR CRAFT FAIR

Local artisans gather on the grounds of the Fayerweather House once a month for the craft fair. August 19, Kingston, FayerweatherCraftGuild.com

FIELD OF ARTISANS

This thoughtfully curated weekly art market takes place at several locations throughout the state. Find weavers, illustrators, ceramicists, and paper artists popping up at the following spots this summer. FieldOfArtisans.com

Tuesdays: Whalers Brewing Company, Peace Dale

Saturdays: South Kingstown Town Beach

Sundays: The General Stanton Inn, Charlestown

August 25: Narragansett Brewery, Providence

PROVIDENCE FLEA

This weekly vintage and indie maker market pops up outside during the summer months with vintage clothing, food, botanicals, and upcycled crafts. ProvidenceFlea.com

Sundays through September: 10am-3pm, 275 South Water Street

August 18: 5:30-9:30pm, Farm Fresh RI Market Hall

PROVIDENCE ARTISANS MARKET

Now in its ninth year this weekly market run by painter Mike Bryce sets up alongside the Hope Street Farmers Market. Find textiles, fine art, jewelry, and upcycled crafts. Saturdays at Lippitt Park, Facebook: Providence Artisans Market

THE STEEL YARD ART MARKET

Recurring bimonthly, this spotlight on Steel Yard resident artists and makers includes handmade industrial art pieces, art demos, studio tours, and more. September 9, Providence, TheSteelYard.org

UMBRELLA SKY PROJECT

Visit the temporary display of colorful umbrellas suspended above the air at Brick Marketplace through October 5, with music, craft fairs, and art shows on select dates throughout the season. Newport, BrickMarketNewport.com

“The Anti-Robot Club is not against technology,” Summa explains. “It’s against the idea of people not thinking for themselves or being present. I created a market under that platform to let people meet in person, network in person, share experiences in person, and present their artwork to the community.”

Anti-Robot Club’s Marketplace has a community-centered philosophy that less-seasoned vendors find welcoming. “I try to keep [the curation] organic and not too juried,” Summa says. “Everybody has to start somewhere.” For many artists, Anti-Robot Club’s Marketplace serves as that somewhere. Summa can schedule up to 125 vendors at his market, and reserves about 40 of those spaces for newbies.

Dorian “D” Epps, founder of clothing shop Blacktop Market, says that Summa’s marketplace is the perfect spot for newcomers. “If you’re just getting onto the scene, you’ll be able to see other products, learn from other vendors, and figure out what you’re doing well and what you could be doing better,” he says. “Seeing other people’s work has helped me define my identity and figure out how to distinguish myself as a creative.”

Studio Strolls

ART NIGHT BRISTOL WARREN: Visit open studios and galleries at this monthly event and get to know local artists and their work. August 31, various Bristol/Warren locations, ArtNightBristolWarren.org

GALLERY NIGHT PROVIDENCE: Creative spaces open their doors to the public for a guided walking or trolley tour giving access to some of Providence’s hottest art spots. Third Thursdays (August 17), departing from The Graduate, GalleryNight.org

OPEN STUDIO TOURS: Download an app or pick up their brochure map before setting out on a drive around the coastal towns of Tiverton, Little Compton, Westport, and Dartmouth to experience studios in all media.

August 19-20, SouthCoastArtists.org

WESTERLY ARTS CRAWL: Get to know the coastal town’s thriving arts scene by following the yellow signs to studios, galleries, and even public art sculptures and murals. First Fridays (August 4), various Westerly locations, AnnieWildey.com

“Marketplace vendors draw inspiration from each other,” Summa says. “To create art, you have to have a sense of vulnerability, and we put out the message that everyone has a chance. That’s what sets us apart.”

Epps says the group of vendors at the marketplace is like a family. “It happens in such a beautiful space, and so many beautiful people are there to share advice and their time and their talent. Everyone wants to see everyone else succeed. Spocka created something special in Providence. He helped my business grow and he helped me grow as a creative. And I don’t have any issue with giving him his flowers.”

Celebrating The Arts

An annual summer sendo at the beautiful waterside Crescent Park in Riverside, the Loo Arts Festival in August is run by the East Providence Arts Council, whose mission is to promote the arts across the city. “It’s the perfect place for people from all over the state to come enjoy some great music, some fine food and some fine arts,” says chairman of the council David O’Connell.

This year, in addition to food trucks and artists, there will be five performers on the main stage: Superchief Trio, Down City Band, Hit Rewind, Roger Cerisi’s All Starz, and Liquid

Courage. In the gazebo, local man-about-town Rich Watrous will host folk musicians planning to perform at the RI Folk Festival, which happens two weeks after The Loo . “I love music and am fascinated by people who can play,” says O’Connell. “I can’t play a note.”

But he can use art to bring people together.

“The people on our board are artists, so we realize the value of the arts. And we understand that making art is their business, so we want to give them a nice venue to sell their work.”

Joseph Mushipi is a sculptor and painter who moved to the US from Zambia in 2021. “My first experience with The Loo was amazing,” he says. “I come from a small country where we don’t have big festivals like that.”

Mushipi shares that he owes his growth as a small business owner entirely to art markets, where he sets up what he jokingly refers to as his mobile gallery. “As an artist, I create art for people, and those people like meeting the artist. I’ve found that once they hear my stories and hear about my life, they end up buying my art because of our conversation.”

O’Connell isn’t surprised that Mushipi’s success is driven, in part, by that connection. “Art is part of being human,” he says. “It makes it nice to be alive.”