Providence is famous for several things. Roger Williams founded the city in 1636 as a haven for religious freedom, making it one of the oldest cities in America. The Rhode Island School of Design and Brown University have shaped Providence into a major arts and academic center. Federal Hill is one of the best-preserved Italian neighborhoods in the United States. WaterFire, the bonfire-on-the-river installation created by Barnaby Evans in 1994, has become the signature civic art event of New England. Providence was also the historic capital of the American jewelry industry and is home to the iconic Independent Man statue atop the Rhode Island State House.
