- published: 02 Nov 2011
- views: 80633
Providence is the capital and most populous city of the state of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region. The city proper population of 178,042 anchors the 37th largest metropolitan population in the country, with an estimated MSA population of 1,600,856, exceeding that of Rhode Island by about 60% due to its reaching into southern Massachusetts. This MSA in turn is part of the larger Greater Boston commuting area, which contains 7.6 million people. Situated at the mouth of the Providence River, at the head of Narragansett Bay, the city's small footprint is crisscrossed by seemingly erratic streets and contains a rapidly changing demographic.
Providence was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He named the area in honor of "God's merciful Providence" which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his followers to settle. After being one of the first cities in the country to industrialize, Providence became noted for its jewelry and silverware industry. Today, the City of Providence is home to eight hospitals and seven institutions of higher learning, which has shifted the city's economy into service industries, though it still retains significant manufacturing activity.
I talk to you in turbulence
That's when I see the light
But she has visions on the hillside
Then she speaks in tongues all night
You've got such a faithful little servant
Why don't you pay her no mind?
She prays for Providence
She needs a little more of your attention
She waits for Providence
Just a little intervention
She was driving out on Highway 1
She felt the presence of something strange
She could not tell if it was alien
She only knew her life would change
If you were sending down a message
Why do you hang her on a line?
She prays for Providence
I don't know why you cannot hear her
She waits for Providence
Are you just waiting to be near her
Are you thinking something
And not letting on?
Will she understand what you planned
Before she's gone?
She prays for Providence
She needs a little more of your attention
She waits for Providence