In 1974, this would've seemed like a cruel joke.
aqualung said:
Fly through Boston. End up in Providence.
For those of y'all lurking-in from other cities who HAVEN'T seen Providence, don't let that crack dissuade you.
COME! VISIT!
Try the monkfish at Hememway's.
Ogle the curvy bartenders at "10," Peck & Pine.
Bring a tape measure. Federal Hill is BIGGER (and nicer) that Little Italy in Noo Yawk.
People in DC think the Captial Grille chain started there. I correct 'em.
Mangia.
See the architecture on College Hill.
Wow.
Sure, Chicago's bigger.
But, in the summer, OUR beach has salt water.
And, in the winter, bronchitis is optional here.
And just 12 miles off OUR shore? "Bermuda-of-the-North" (
http://blockisland.tv)
Find THAT 12 miles out-in-the-middle-of Lake Michigan.
In the 70s, the annual report for the-company-then-known-as-Industrial National (later Fleet, now -- like Clear Channel buying-out mom-and-pop stations -- Bank of America) noted that more people live within 75 miles of Providence than anywhere else in America. If you've seen the boom in Vegas and elsewhere sunny, you'll figure that radius is probably wider now.
But this handsome renaissance city is the envy of every other rustbelt town in America.
And if you don't believe me, stroll Waterfire (
http://waterfire.org).
If Providence had an official bird, it'd be the Construction Crane (mondo condo expensivus).
THEY MOVED A RIVER.
And what a turn-around.
The-first-of-three-times I moved to Rhode Island was 1974.
Double-digit unemployment, gas lines, NOT pretty.
Take a look now.
In 1974, this would've seemed like a cruel joke.
But people-from-Boston now come-to-Providence-for-the-weekend.
While the city blossomed, radio...shrank.
In the 70s, this was market #29.
At-the-risk-of-sounding-like Casey Kasem, "Today, number thirty eight."
(
http://arbitron.com/radio_stations/mm001050.asp)
But even Boston has tumbled-out-of the top ten.
In the 70s, there was LOTS more local programming on the radio in Providence.
Listeners were so bonded with radio stations that they stuck bumperstickers to their cars, and wore logo'd T-shirts.
