South Elmwood in Providence in Providence County, Rhode Island — The American Northeast (New England)
Bear Ground
| — | Roger Williams Park | — |
The Bear Ground was the location where bears were kept for public display and amusement. In the 1940s, when the number of captive bears rose to ten individuals, a new enclosure was constructed and named the Bear Pit.
Back then, the ethics that governed animal welfare were quite different than today, and enclosures did little to provide for the bears' natural needs. Bears now reside at the Roger Williams Park Zoo, where their enclosures replicate the animals' natural environment and give animals the opportunity to engage in their natural behaviors.
Today, the Bear Ground Play Area pays homage to these bears with a new play space for children, complete with a Bear play sculpture. This project is a creative collaboration and is funded by the Providence Parks Department, Roger Williams Park Conservancy, and the Providence City Council.
Did you know?
The re-imagined Bear Ground now features a stormwater bioretention area, which provides biological filtration to the rainwater before it enters the park's waterways.
[Caption:]
Clockwise from upper left, a Roger Williams Zoo keeper with two bears and Palm, the lion, in the background, circa 190. Rhody, the black bear, being fed by the Park's animal handler. The enclosure that occupied the Bear Pit and housed up to ten bears in the 1940s.
Information and photos courtesy of the Roger Williams Park Museum of Natural History archives, RWP Conservancy, RWP Zoo, the National Register of Historic Places, Providence Journal, and "The Jewel of Providence" by David Marshall.
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Location. 41° 46.915′ N, 71° 24.947′ W. Marker is in Providence, Rhode Island, in Providence County. It is in South Elmwood. It is at the intersection of Maple Avenue (U.S. 1) and Pine Hill Avenue, on the right when traveling west on Maple Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7 Maple Ave, Providence RI 02907, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Narragansett Bay. It is also in the American Northeast, in New England, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Carousel (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Bandstand (about 600 feet away); Casino (approx. 0.2 miles away); Seal House (approx. 0.2 miles
Additional keywords. landscape architecture
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 19, 2026
3. The bear sculpture on display in the former enclosure
Credits. This page was last revised on October 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 1, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 26 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 1, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
