Crimes & Cuisine

A few weeks back, my friends and I embarked on a little Providence history tour: Crimes and Cuisine on Federal Hill presented by Providence Tour Company!

I am a newbie to the Ocean State - I moved here five years ago.  One of the things that caught my attention when I was researching where to move back in 2018 after 20+ years in the Pacific Northwest, was the plethora of history found in this part of New England.

• The American Revolution started right here in Rhode Island.
• The first circus in the United States was in Newport in 1774.
• The Touro Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in North America and houses the oldest torah in North America. 
• The Providence Art Club was the first art club in the United States to admit women.
• Sissieretta Jones, a famous singer in the 1800s, grew up in Providence.

And, we didn't even get to Federal Hill! That's where the Crimes and Cuisine comes in to share some of the stories of a few of the interesting characters from days gone by on The Hill. 

My friends, Melissa and Jenny, joined me and others on a walking tour that included some fascinating tidbits of history about Raymon Patriarca, Sr. In the mid-fifties, he was the newly appointed boss of the New England Faction of La Cosa Nostra (Now known as the Patriarca Crime Family), and he moved the family's base of operations from Boston to Atwells Avenue. He ran the 'business' from 1954 until 1984 from the National Cigarette Service Company and Coin-O-Matic Distributors, a vending machine and pinball business. It was known to family members as "The Office". We also enjoyed several stops along the way to enjoy world-famous Italian cuisine in Providence's Little Italy. 

It was a fantastic opportunity to learn more about my new home town and also spotlight some of the Creative Capital's colorful history to out-of-town visitors.  If you have family coming for a visit for vacation, or for the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays, check out this tour for their visit. Providence Tour Company offers it on Saturdays through November. 

Learn more about Crimes and Cuisine on Federal Hill by visiting PVDTourCo.com. They also offer tour for folks who are new to Providence!