Browse Items (993 total)
- Collection: Chester Smolski Photographs
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Port of Amsterdam
The Port of Amsterdam, the second largest port in the Netherlands, is located on the banks of the North Sea Canal. Activity in the port dates to the 13th century. This photograph taken from the North Sea Canal shows the Port of Amsterdam in 1969.
Port of Providence
This aerial shows I-95 in the left-center and Allens Avenue at right-center heading north into downtown. Lining the western bank of Providence Harbor is the industrial waterfront which until recently had been “long-overlooked” despite its historic…
Port of Providence (Aerial)
The northernmost points of Narragansett Bay, where it is fed by the Providence and Seekonk Rivers. The Port of Providence and Interstate 95 are in the foreground of the photograph. The construction of Interstate 95 effectively segregated Providence…
Port of Providence just south of Collier Park
Looking west over Providence Harbor, this shot shows a portion of the ten miles of commercial waterfront on Narragansett Bay. The industrial waterfront has been “long-overlooked” despite its historic role as the source Providence’s original…
Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine is located in the south coast region of the state. Portland is home to almost one quarter of Maine’s residents, and is known as the “metropolitan hub” of this region.
Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine is located in the south coast region of the state. Portland is home to almost one quarter of Maine’s residents, and is known as the “metropolitan hub” of this region.
Portland: Street Scene
A street scene of Old Port, the historic waterfront district in downtown Portland, Maine. The neighborhood is popular for its waterfront views, galleries, and restaurants. As of 2016, this storefront located at 9 Moulton St is occupied by Mexicali…
Prescott and Mary Clarke House
This English Tudor Revival was built in 1896 for Prescott and Mary Clarke. The sprawling home, designed by Clarke and Spaulding, is considered one of the most exceptional architectural designs on Blackstone Boulevard.
The Proprietors of the Swan…
Progress Energy Baseball Park - St. Petersburg, FL
Below is a photo of the Progress Energy Park baseball stadium and the Bayfront Tower Condominium complex. The stadium was rebuilt in 1976, so at the time this photo was taken (March 1978), the reconstruction was only about two years old. The park…
Project Area: Allentown
This photograph shows a vacant lot scheduled to be developed as part of Allentown’s Fourth Street Urban Renewal Project. The project aimed to create affordable housing for Allentown residents.
Prospect Park, State House
The view from Prospect Terrace looking west to the State House. This statue of Roger Williams was erected in the 1930s. Designed by Ralph Walker, the original memorial included steps leading up from Wheaton Street (below) but these plans were scaled…
Providence
An aerial view of South Providence. This image looks west, with Allens Ave. running parallel to the bottom of the picture plane and Interstate 95 prominently curving through the center of the image.
Providence
This south looking aerial view, photographed in the late 1990’s, shows South Providence neighborhood of Providence and a bit of Cranston. The two water bodies seen center frame are Mashapaug Pond and Spectacle Pond (left to right). To the east is…
Providence
This aerial view looks south west across South Providence and into Cranston. Seen prominantly in the lower left is the Rhode Island Hospital complex, with the Hasbro Children’s Hospital which was only recently completed at the time of the…
Providence
This aerial photograph of South Providence includes Rhode Island Hospital and the Port of Providence in the late 1990’s. Allens Avenue and Interstate 95 run parallel across the bottom of the frame. Visible at the lower right corner is the old…
Providence (Aerial): Looking East
Aerial view of Providence downtown area. Among America’s oldest cities, Providence has a special sense of place. Like its contemporaries, it has been built and rebuilt many times. Development, however, has not resulted in wholesale destruction and…
Providence Arcade
The Westminster Street end of the Providence Arcade (1828) by Russell Warren and James Bucklin and built for Cyrus Butler. Also known as “Butler’s Folly.” Derived ultimately from the Burlington Arcade of 1818 in London, which influenced two new world…
Providence Black Population - 1980
Providence Black Population by Census tracts 1980 Black Population: 18,546 (11.8% of Providence) Key: white - less than 100 horizontal lines - 100-500 hatched - 500 - 1,000 black - more than 1,000
Providence Capital Center with Providence Station
This image shows the transformation of Capital Center in progress. Francis Street construction is complete up until the over-passed train tracks and the bridge over the Woonasquatucket River. The former train tracks have been removed, but the land…
Providence Charlesgate Apartments and Nursing Center under construction
A view of Charlesgate Apartments built and Nursing Center under construction. Image looks east with U.S. 95N in the foreground. Charlesgate has 140 beds and is currently 94% occupied.
Providence Downtown & CVS Facade
The Westminster Street shopping area was closed to vehicle traffic in the early 1960s in an effort to bring shoppers back to downtown Providence. The buildings in the area varied in architectural style. Some buildings have been removed, yet…
Providence East Side-Brown
Seen in this aerial is a view of Brown University. Brown is an Ivy League School in Rhode Island located in the center of Providence. It was founded in 1764 and is the third oldest institution in New England and the seventh oldest in the United…
Providence Housing
During the late nineteenth century, the rapid industrialization of Providence spawned a number of inner-city neighborhoods close to the center of commerce. As immigrant populations began to settle in Providence, those who had been living in the city…
Providence Large House- Morris Ave.
The large houses seen in the photo were once single family homes. At the time of the photo, homeowners had begun converting homes of this size into rental properties by parceling out rooms within the homes. The changes came at a slow rate.
Providence Median Age by Census - 1980
Providence Median age by Census tract in 1980
Providence Miriam Hospital (Aerial)
Aerial image of The Miriam Hospital in Providence. The first Miriam Hospital opened in 1926 with 63 beds and 14 bassinets but was relocated for more space to its location on Summit Avenue in 1952. The hospital was started by a group of Jewish woman…
Providence National Bank
The Providence National Bank in 1979. Construction of the bank was completed in 1930. Much of the building was demolished in 2005 to make room for a luxury condo dubbed, 'One Ten Westminster.' The project ultimately was scrapped and now only the…
Providence National Bank Building
The Providence National Bank building with the Industrial Trust building towering up from behind. The Providence National Bank, completed in 1930, was demolished in 2005 to make room for a luxury condo. Plans for that building were ultimately…
Providence North End and East Side: Providence Station, Post Office
Aerial view of Interstate 95, new train tracks, the Charles Street area in the city’s North End (including the U.S. Post Office by Maguire and Associates, 1960), and the East Side.
Providence Owner Occupied Housing Rates-1980
Providence owner-occupied housing rates by Census Tract (36.9% owner-occupied),1980. Key: white is less than 25.0%; horizontal lined is 25.0-36.9%; hatched is 37.0-50.0%; and black is more than 50.0%
Providence Pier
A view of downtown Providence from the city pier, across the Providence River.
Providence population by Census Tract - 1980
Providence population (156,804) by Census Tract, 1980 Key (in thousands): white - less than 2.5 horizontal lines - 2.5-5.4 hatched - 5.5-7.0 black - more than 7.0
Providence Port
Aerial view showing Providence Port circa 1976. Allens Ave. runs diagnolly across the picture plane, and Interstate 95 enters the frame on the right, curves around the city and continues north to the horizon. To the east (frame right) the Fox…
Providence River looking South from India Point Park
India Point Park was opened in 1974 after declines in shipping led to the area being redeveloped as a recreational space. This image, looking south from the park, was likely taken within a couple of years of the park’s opening. The image shows the…
Providence Skyline
Providence, Rhode Island is the site of 27 high-rises, 16 of which stand taller than 175 feet (53 m). The tallest skyscraper in the city is the Industrial Trust Building (1928), which rises 428 feet (130 m). Due to the what is dubbed the Providence…
Providence Skyline, Interstate 95
The Providence skyline, including the iconic Industrial Trust Building, pictured from Interstate 95.
Providence Spanish Origin Population -1980
Providence population of Spanish origin by Census Tracts, 1980 Spanish Origin Population: 9,071 (5.8% of Providence) Key: white - less than 100 horizontal lines - 100-500 hatched - 500-1,000 black - more than 1,000
Providence Station and Rhode Island State House
In 1986, the current Providence Station was built to replace the 1898 Union Station, as part of a redevelopment project to free up land from a mass of train tracks that had hemmed in downtown Providence. It is much smaller than its predecessor,…
Providence Station and Rhode Island State House looking west at dusk
The newly built Providence Station and State House from Canal St.
Providence Triple Deckers
Triple deckers photographed in the Mount Hope neighborhood of Providence. During the later nineteenth century the Mount Hope neighborhood experienced rapid growth due to industrial activity along the nearby Moshasshuck River. Street car lines…
Providence Wiggin Village
Wiggin Village is affordable, section 8 housing located in Providence, RI. The development was built in 1968. There are 285 units in the development managed by Winn Residential and governed by a board of trustees, which includes Wiggin Village…
Providence: Buddy Cianci's House (1976)
This photograph shows the residence of former Providence Mayor, “Buddy” Cianci. The house is located on the east side of Providence, the most affluent neighborhood of the city, notable for it’s high property values and low unemployment. This…
Providence: Downtown
Downtown Providence in the early 1970s. Bovi's Records was an independent record store, owned by Bob Bovi, who was a contributor to the underground music scene in Providence in the 70s. He also ran a label called Bovi Records, owned another music…
Providence: Downtown - State House
Downtown Providence featuring the Rhode Island State House at the center. The Rhode Island State House was built in 1904, designed by McKim, Mead & White. The building's self-supporting marble dome is the fourth-largest of its kind in the world,…
Providence: Downtown (Aerial)
The Providence River separates the Downtown and East Side neighborhoods of Providence. The East Side is home to Brown University, and Rhode Island School of Design. Roger Williams founded Providence along College Hill, thus the East Side contains…
Providence: Downtown & East Side (Aerial)
The Providence River separates the Downtown and East Side neighborhoods of Providence. The East Side is home to Brown University, and Rhode Island School of Design. Roger Williams founded Providence along College Hill, thus the East Side contains…
Providence: Old Rhode Island College
Rhode Island College, originally referred to as the Normal School, has occupied several locations and changed names throughout the years. Rhode Island College is known as one of the first teacher preparatory schools in the country. Having out-grown…
Providence: Prescott O. Clarke House
This 2 1/2-story Tudor Revival house was designed by Prescott O. Clarke. Clarke was a principal in the architectural firm Clarke & Spaulding and designed the home for his own residence. The home was one of the first Tudor Revival houses in Providence…
Providence: Richmond St Street Scene
Street scene of Richmond St near the corner of Richmond St and Pine St in downtown Providence.
Prudential Center - Boston, Massachusetts
Seen here in a vertical photograph is the facade of the Prudential building in Boston, Massachusetts. The tower consists of 52 floors of office space built in 1964. The Prudential tower is part of a complex referred to as the Prudential Center…