Introduction

In the 18th Century, the congregation had met in a church on the corner of College and Benefit Streets (built 1723), and moved to its present location in 1795. In 1814, that church was destroyed by fire, and Providence’s premier architect at the time, John Holden Greene, was commissioned to rebuild it. At that time, the Benevolent Congregational Society changed its name to the Unitarian Society, and the church became the First Unitarian Church. The late 1950s saw the addition of an annex. In 1966, the church was severely damaged by fire, and the architect Irving B. Haynes led the restoration of the exterior, while Mrs. Henry D. Sharpe redesigned the landscaping. In 2001, an additional area was added to the rear of the church. Today, the church still houses a congregation, but also hosts various community events, as well as convocation and commencement ceremonies for Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design.