Benefit Street

Benefit Street Review

The centerpiece of any visit to Providence is the "mile of History," where a cobblestone sidewalk passes a row of 18th- and early-19th-century candy-color houses crammed shoulder-to-shoulder on a steep hill overlooking downtown. Romantic Benefit Street, with one of the nation's highest concentrations of Colonial architecture, is a reminder of the wealth brought to Rhode Island through the triangular trade of slaves, rum, and molasses.

The Providence Preservation Society distributes maps and pamphlets with self-guided tours. 21 Meeting St., at Benefit St., East Side, 02903. 401/831-7440. www.ppsri.org.

The Rhode Island Historical Society conducts summer (mid-June-mid-Oct.) walks on Benefit Street. The 90-minute tours cost $12 per person and depart from the John Brown House Museum Tuesday-Saturday at 11 am. 52 Power St., 02906. 401/331-8575. www.rihs.org. $12.