Rhode Island

My uncle and I began our ambitious day early at the T.F. Green Airport Station in Warwick to catch MBTA commuter rail to downtown Providence. The Rhode Island State House is right across the street from Providence Station, and it was our first stop in a day that included the Massachusetts State House in Boston and a side trip to Salem, MA.

The first thing I noticed coming out of the train station was how large this building is for the smallest state in the United States. However, this makes sense given the Gilded Age wealth that made parts of Rhode Island a summer playground for the ultra-rich. At the time the state house was built, Rhode Island was the wealthiest state per capita.

The capitol grounds are exquisite but not so overwhelming that it takes that much time to enjoy. Inside, it is a graceful balance of taste and ornamentation. The dome is the fourth-largest self-supporting marble dome in the world. Learn more about Rhode Island State House history or plan your visit. You can also take a virtual tour.

The Rhode Island State House is home to the Rhode Island Governor and Rhode Island General Assembly, consisting of the Senate and House of Representatives. The day of our visit, one Senate seat was draped in black; Senate Whip and longtime Sen. Maryellen Goodwin died of colon cancer a couple of months earlier.

It was a quiet day at the state house, but the few people who were there were very friendly. We spent some time speaking to a staffer with the Governor’s office, who graciously mailed my postcards for me. Only later did we realize an intern had been working quietly behind the door the whole time.

The man at the gift shop was great, too, though my uncle and I thought he deserved some air conditioning (it was turned off overnight and had to get cranking). It’s a small gift shop, but you can also browse online.

After an enjoyable visit at the Rhode Island State House, my uncle and I headed back to Providence Station for our day trip into Massachusetts.  

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