Fountain Street
At the turn of the century, the area around Mathewson Street was the core of Providence's entertainment district. By 1916, Providence had as many as sixteen theaters.
The site next to Grace Church marked the changes. The Nickel theater known as Lothrop's gave popular plays, variety performances, and " exhibited freaks." It eventually became the city's first full time movie house. The Nickel was then removed to make way for the E.F. Albee Stock Company Playhouse, which subsequently became RKO Albee as motion pictures displaced vaudeville, musicals, and repertory drama.
During the 1950's and 1960's, as people moved to the suburbs, the lights went out on the motion picture district. the Albee closed in 1970 and was torn down shortly thereafter.
Some theaters, however, were saved from the wrecking ball. In 1973 the Trinity Repertory Company moved into the Lederer theater. Mayor Vincent Cianci Jr. and the Providence Foundation saved the Loew's State in Providence from demolition in 1977. It reopened in 1978 as the Ocean State Performing Arts Center. The revitalization of the arts and entertainment district had begun.
Marker is at the intersection of Fountain Street and Mathewson Street, on the right when traveling north on Fountain Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
