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Built c. 1905, likely by the firm of Stone, Carpenter & Willson, the Trolley Shelter on Blackstone Boulevard accommodated travelers using the 1903 Trolley Line to Swan Point Cemetery. The shelter is an example of rustic park fixtures popularized by Frederick Law Olmsted. In 1948, the Trolley ceased to operate and the tracks were removed, leaving the popular jogging path in the Blackstone Boulevard median. The trolley shelter was restored in the late 1970s; it was most recently used as an entry to the East Side Antique & Floral Festival in 2003.

SAVED: By 2008, when it was included on the Most Endangered Properties list, the cedar roof shingles were falling off and the masonry was dislodged and displaced. Due in large part to the efforts of the Blackstone Parks Conservancy, the shelter was restored under the direction of architect Cornelis De Boer (2008-2009).


[…] Generous donations from the Swan Point Cemetery, the Champlin Foundations, and concerned community members enabled the Blackstone Parks Conservancy to complete the first phase of its campaign to restore the shelter, using the original plans. 

– 2012 Festival of Historic Houses Guidebook

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© 2024 Guide to Providence Architecture. All rights reserved. Design by J. Hogue at Highchair designhaus, with development & support by Kay Belardinelli.