One of RI’s Most Historic Buildings on Benefit Street Is Trashed By Graffiti - The State Owns It

One of RI’s Most Historic Buildings on Benefit Street Is Trashed By Graffiti - The State Owns It

The Library of Congress writes about it, the U.S. Department of Interior placed it on the National Registry of Historic Places, and it was is the first volunteer artillery battery in the United States, but the building under the control of the Rhode Island Department of Administration has been trashed over the past few months by vandals and covered by graffiti.

Benefit Street is one of the most historic streets in America and the Gothic Revival Arsenal of the Marine Corps Artillery is one of the most distinct structures.

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Each week hundreds of tourists stroll down Benefit Street -- U.S. News and about a dozen other travel guides ranks Benefit Street as a "must" attraction for those visiting Providence.

“The State Arsenal is in its locale a small but important example of early battlemented Gothic Revival architecture, a pseudo-fortress appro­priate to its internal militia activities. It ls one of the few excur­sions into the Gothic manner by Russell Warren, a Rhode Island native who was one of the outstanding architects in this and other states during the full first half of the XIX Century. The arsenal is an important part of our architectural legacy," stated the application to the U.S. Department of Interior for consideration of historic designation.

"It was erected for the First Light Infantry, but that corps found itself eventually unable to complete payment for the building it had constructed, The building was then, in the 18S0s, taken over by the state, which leased back the property for a 1,000-year period at an annual rate of six-and-one quarter cents. During the Dorr Rebellion in Rhode Island, in 1842, state ammunition and state troops were housed in the arsenal along with the Marine Corps of Artillery and the Kentish Guards of East Greenwich, who had been called up to help protect the building," said the application.

 

The graffiti has been added over the past few months. Now, three side of the building are trashed. The exterior of the building is also falling into disrepair. Ironically, the neighbor just below the Arsenal is the Providence Preservation Society.

 

“The State appreciates the value of this historic building and will work expeditiously to have the graffiti removed,” said Derek Gomes of the Rhode Island Department of Administration.

The cost of grafitti removal has been estimated to be a $12 billion cost nationally. In Providence, the grafitti removal effort by the city is greatly diminished.

 

It Is Just One of Many

Grafitti is a constant problem on both private and public properties. Earlier this summer the Michael Van Leesten Pedestrian Bridge names after civil rights and business leader was vandalized and covered with graffiti. Van Leesten's family and friends cleaned the paint from the bridge.

Prospect Park, owned and operated by the City of Providence, is home to the statue of Roger Williams and it was tagged recently.