Oddfellows' Hall
Oddfellows' Hall (East Providence, Rhode Island) is located in Rhode Island
Oddfellows' Hall (East Providence, Rhode Island)
LocationEast Providence, Rhode Island
Coordinates41°49′2″N 71°22′54″W / 41.81722°N 71.38167°W / 41.81722; -71.38167
Area12,000 square feet[1]
Built1889
ArchitectGould & Angell
Architectural styleShingle Style
MPSEast Providence MRA
NRHP reference No.80000004 [2]
Added to NRHPNovember 28, 1980

The Oddfellows' Hall is an historic fraternal society building on Warren Avenue in East Providence, Rhode Island.

Description

The 2½-story wood frame structure was designed by the Providence firm Gould & Angell, and was built in 1889.[2] It is 12,000 square feet in area and sits on a 6,098 square foot corner parcel on Warren Avenue and Burgess Avenue.[1] An architectural highlight of the building is a decorative meeting room on the second floor.[1] It is also a high-quality example of Shingle style architecture.[3]

History

Watchemoket Square

Oddfellows' Hall is a rare surviving element of Watchemoket Square, a village which was the heart of the East Providence business community during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[4][5] East Providence was incorporated in 1862, and Watchemoket Square was significantly built up between 1880 and 1920.[4] It became a desirable location for the professional class to live, and many large Queen Anne and shingle style buildings were built in the neighborhood with decorative towers and porches.[4] An 1885 iron bridge on Warren avenue connected Warren Avenue to India Point in Providence.[6]

20th century

By the early 20th Century, the area boasted over 100 businesses and hotels.[5] The construction of I-195 in 1955 destroyed half of the village, leaving the Oddfellows Hall as one of its few survivors.[6] The neighborhood quickly fell into decline in the following decades.[6] The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[2]

21st century

The hall in 2012

By the 21st century the structure had become, according to one city councilor, a "a blighted building" located in "a blighted area."[1] The city of East Providence acquired the building in 2012.[7] In 2017 the surrounding neighborhood was established as a federal opportunity zone to spur investment.[1] The building sat "vacant for many, many years with multiple issues," including a roof in need of total replacement.[1] The city put the structure out for bid multiple times in hopes of making it a centerpiece for turning the area into a neighborhood Arts district.[1]

In 2019 the city sold the building to a holding company for one dollar.[1] The city expressed hope that the building could be used for any number of uses including residential or commercial space, or artist studios, or senior living.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rengo, Mike (22 August 2019). "Historic Odd Fellows Hall in East Providence could finally be ready for redevelopment". EastBayRi. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  3. "Historic Resources of East Providence, Rhode Island (PDF pages 51-3)" (PDF). Rhode Island Preservation. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  4. 1 2 3 "EPHS Self -Guided Walking Tours Watchemoket Square". East Providence Historical Society. East Providence Historical Society. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  5. 1 2 "The Pearl of East Providence". Watchemoket Square. East Providence Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 6 March 2021. During the late 1800's and early 1900's, the area was the center of the East Providence business community with over 100 businesses and hotels.
  6. 1 2 3 O'Connor, Kevin P. (27 November 2008). "A place that may regain its glory". Fall River, Massachusetts: The Herald News. Gatehouse Media. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  7. Borkowski, Rob (17 October 2013). "Watchemoket Square Day Boasts Boat Tours, More Cars This Year". East Providence, RI: Patch.com. Retrieved 6 March 2021. Last year, the City acquired ownership of the Hall, built in 1889


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