Parks in Rhode Island were originally created in a ring around the city of Providence where most people lived and worked. Using specially built parkways, residents could easily access these areas, improving their quality of life.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Parks & Recreation manages over two dozen parcels of land in the form of parks, beaches, campgrounds, etc. Why were they preserved and made public? What is the value of a state park?

Original documents provided courtesy of the Rhode Island State Archives.