East Providence is located between the Providence and Seekonk Rivers on the west and the Seekonk, MA on the east. According to the US Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.6 square miles, of which, 13.4 square miles of it is land and 3.2 square miles of it (19.33%) is water. East Providence is often confused with the East Side of Providence but they are two completely different areas of the state.
The following villages are located in East Providence:
Each section is distinctly different from one another.
Beginning around 1900 and continuing until the onset of the Great Depression in 1930, large numbers of Portuguese immigrants and descendants from Providence, Fall River, New Bedford, and Portugal settled in East Providence. By 1905, there were over 400 Portuguese in the town, the third-highest in the state. The Portuguese, like other ethnic groups, were drawn to East Providence primarily by the lure of jobs. Many employment opportunities were available in the Watchemoket area, where numerous immigrants settled and remain to this day.
Between 2003 and 2020, the East Providence Waterfront Commission and Planning Department has worked to redevelop old industrial sites and brownfields along most of East Providence’s 14-mile coastline on the Seekonk River as mixed use residential, commercial, and light industrial zones.
Although only partly in East Providence, the shopping along Route 6, mainly in neighboring Seekonk is second to none. From Home Depot and Stop & Shop to the smaller shops and salons, you’ll find everything you need within a 20 minute drive.
East Providence School System consists of 8 elementary schools, 2 Middle Schools and a comprehensive high school. There are also 6 private schools of various grade levelsm Catholic and non-denominational. More information on the public schools can be located here:
East Providence School Department
but if you want specifics on the Middle Schools and the secondary career center, check these out:
East Providence Career and Technical Center
The Private Secondary Schools are:
There is plenty to do in East Providence, that’s for sure! We can start with the restaurants of which you’ll find plenty of Portuguese places (see partial list below), for obvious reasons, but that’s not all. There is Sabin Point Park, the Blackstone Valley Bike Path which runs through East Providence and continues through to Colt State Park in Bristol, RI and even brings you through some quiet neighborhoods and by restaurants and ice cream shops) and the waterfront which has been completely redeveloped. There is the Crescent Park Looff Carousel which is the oldest carousel still standing in the US. Museums and historical homes are also part of the landscape along with many updated and modern libraries. The Comedy Connection is a great place to go with groups or just you, to enjoy the famous, the semi-famous and amateur comedians.
A few Popular Portuguese Restaurants:
