Across the River from Market Square

Across the River from Market Square. taken from "The Civic and Architectural Development of Providence" by John Hutchins Cady. , In the 18th century the west side of the Providence River, now Downtown Providence and the Financial District, was known as the Weybosset Side after the name of its first street. With the dawn of the 19th century, development surged on the Weybosset Side, which would soon eclipse Market Square as the cultural and business center of Providence. The first decade saw the establishment of the Exchange Bank of Washington Insurance Company, Beneficent Congregational Church, and the relocation of most of [unreadable]. A system of turnpikes all radiating out from the Weybosset Side had begun, [unreadable] Pawtuxet, Douglas, and Louisquisset Turnpikes., The construction of the Arcade in 1828 heralded the Weybosset Side as the [unreadable] Providence. Numerous wharves had sprung out along the Dyer Street [unreadable] of the new Downtown. The advent of through-rail service and [unreadable] continued to pull development of downtown westward, away from [unreadable]., The Great Bridge at Market Square remained throughout the 1800's [unreadable] transportation center. In 1867 the Union Horse Car Depot was erected at [unreadable] heyday in 1885, the Union Railroad Company owned 10 stables and its [unreadable] passengers to and from Cranston, Elmwood, Olneyville, Pawtuxet, and the [unreadable]., With the development of electricity in the 1890's came street light [unreadable]. Banigan Building constructed between Westminster and Dyer Streets in 1896 was the first "skyscraper" built Downtown on the Weybosset Side.