Welcome to ArtInRuins
We document the architectural landscape and collect the oral, written, and photographic history of important places. We hope to be a safe space for storytelling, memory-sharing, and dreaming about the future of the built environment in northern Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. More about A.I.R.
Recently updated Properties
Updated 20 October, 2021: A small stature mill building in a residential neighborhood will many varied uses over the years is now residential
Updated 19 October, 2021: A mid-19th century small scale commercial brick mill has been a home to various businesses and loving owners
Updated 16 October, 2021: One of the most profitable race tracks in American history had a 44 year run
Updated 12 October, 2021: An early 19th-century complex with two granite stone mills in the first “Mill Village” is converted into residential apartments
Updated 11 October, 2021: A late ninteenth century dye house of the larger Weybosset Mills which has lately become a boutique hotel
Updated 10 October, 2021: A former mall gets eaten slowly by big-box retail and finally succumbs to the changing times
Updated 1 October, 2021: A previous naval repair facility employing about 12,000 military personnel eventually turned into an industrial park once the Navy left
Updated 25 September, 2021: Worcester Lunch Car #806 has had a long life and many names but continues to attract new entrepreneurs who want to make a go of the restaurant business
Updated 21 September, 2021: A fire-damaged former church used for many years as a furniture storage facility recently turned into 15 residential units
Updated 20 September, 2021: A collection of handsome late-19th- and early-20th-century buildings that served as headquarters for a knitted good company as well as rental space for jewelry businesses
Updated 12 September, 2021: A handsome single story early 20th-century storefront tastfully converted to a local bakery and coffee shop
Updated 11 September, 2021: A once bustling retail destination and hang out. Now, a dead mall? Not quite yet…
Updated 10 September, 2021: An enormous granite, brick, and steel early 19th-century military fortification guarding the entrance to Narragansett Bay
Updated 5 September, 2021: A large mill complex on the West Side of Providence turns into residential lofts at the beginning of the boom
Updated 4 September, 2021: A mini-arcade type of commercial building in a once bustling retail district turned small business and destination retail space
231 properties and 4,145 images.
Anecdotes
1,691 anecdotes from people just like you.
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This restaurant had been in this location my entire life AND most of my parents life. Other than removing the pickle jars sometime in the 90s, the interior had remained the same as well. This was a 3 minute drive from my parents house so we got take out a lot. When we did eat ...
Jeff F on Beef Barn no.1 -
My wife’s Great Uncle was Harry Davenport and was the President of Washburn Wire.
Glen Hawthorne on Washburn Wire -
The Wilbury Group theatre company did 3 shows at the Butcher Block space around 2013 — “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” “Lungs,” and then “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity.” Then a pipe burst in the building, the fire department came to check it out and put a stop to us usi...
Josh on United States Rubber Company Mill Complex -
Just trying to find info on old lace mills in area of Esten Ave. believe great grandfather Charles (Thomas) Thompson had one
Joan McKenna on American Textile Mill -
My dad Lawrence Anatole Tellier worked at Gorhams when jewelry with precious stones and metals were being made for the shah of Iran. It had to be before 1944 when my family of origin was living in D.C. Do you have any records of this name?
Sister Marie Tellier on Gorham Manufacturing Company -
The building that 21 east nightclub was knocked down in 1987 to build Shooters nightclub and restaurant
Pat Cortellessa on Shooter’s Waterfront Cafe -
I am Liz Vaughn’s older brother and the son of Richard Vaughn. I worked in the Warwick building for years, every summer sweeping floors and school holiday. I went to college and joined the Army (service to country was/is a family tradition) and when i left active duty I worked...
Mark Kennedy Vaughn on L. Vaughn & Company -
I am French but lived on the west side between 2006 and 2009. Decatur was my local, met a lot of cool ppl there, loved the atmosphere and to go there to chat, watch a game, grab a Gansett. Place thoroughly missed.
Yannick on Decatur Lounge
