Top 8 Abandoned Places In Rhode Island

Ossiana Tepfenhart
by Ossiana Tepfenhart
Rhode Island is full of many modern and newly developed buildings and land for residents and tourists to visit. However, Rhode Island is also full of history and many abandoned destinations, such as The Hospital Trust Building and Rocky Point Amusement Park. Each of these abandoned locations is unique, so let’s explore the top 8 abandoned places in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island is currently the smallest state in the Union, and it’s one of those places where people tend to assume they are not going to find much. Oh, how much of a misconception this is. Rhode Island has a lot of crazy stuff packed in its tiny borders. During its history, there have been tons of places that have become a part of history.

This state is chock-full of interesting abandoned areas, including some you can visit. The best ones to learn about include:

  • The Pawtucket-Central Falls Train Station
  • The Harris Avenue Mill
  • East Side Train Tunnel
  • The Hospital Trust Building
  • Enchanted Forest
  • Rocky Point Amusement Park
  • The Abandoned Ice Cream Store

If you want to take a road trip to Rhode Island and see some cool stuff along the way, take a look at our guide. We picked out some serious gems that everyone will want to urbex!

Don’t miss our guide about the pros and cons of living in Rhode Island.

The Most Famous Abandoned Places In Rhode Island

This pretty New England state has a lot to offer the right urban explorer. These cool places will pique anyone’s interest.

1. The Pawtucket-Central Falls Train Station – Pawtucket

If you ever watched Family Guy, you might’ve heard stuff about Pawtucket Pat. Well, Pawtucket is a real place. It’s a large city in Rhode Island, and it used to have a train station. The Pawtucket Train Station was one of the biggest mass transit hubs in the state since it was erected in 1915.

Unfortunately, transit patterns changed. Due to a number of issues involving money, the city decided to shutter the train station in the early 1950s. Though the train station never went back in action, it still remained a major part of history. The area is considered a historic part of the city and plans are in action to add the station back into the loop.

2. Harris Avenue Mill – Providence

Providence has a ton of old commercial buildings that are totally abandoned and absolutely stunning for a photoshoot. One of the more well-known ones on this list is the Old Harris Mill. This mill/warehouse hybrid was once a major staple of commercial activity for the city. Though we weren’t able to get much information about the companies that used it.

The mill is currently in flux. People are suggesting that it may be time to convert them to luxury lofts or apartments. However, the historical society is hoping to avoid that. Some reports we’ve seen claim that the area was converted to apartments, but there seems to be a debate on it online.

3. The East Side Train Tunnel – Providence

The East Side Train Tunnel used to be the place where trains would pass through Providence, but that doesn’t really seem to be what it’s doing now. The tunnel was abandoned by the train system and quickly became a graffiti-filled area for partygoers, drug users, and other people who police tend to dislike.

At one point, the city sealed up the tunnel after a major party was crashed by police. After the party crash turned into a riot, police claimed the area needed to be sealed up due to “Satanic symbols” all over the walls. Despite the fact that it’s been sealed, people still tend to go there from time to time. Enter at your own risk!

4. The Hospital Trust Bank Building – Woonsocket

Woonsocket really knew how to make a gorgeous bank. The Hospital Trust Bank was one of the finest examples of Gilded Age glitz in the state during its heyday. Gorgeous marble counters, elegant blue-green accents. Sculpted molding on the ceilings and gorgeous curtains draped on every window…Ooh, the architect in this author is just going wild!

Despite the beauty of the building, the bank that was funding the building had shuttered. This left the building without an owner and without anyone to rent to. As a result, the building fell into a state of disrepair. As of right now, many people are rallying behind the bank, asking for it to become a historic site.

Currently, both the city and real estate experts say that it would need to have an “angel investor” in order to save this impressive building.

5. Enchanted Forest – Hopkinton

Ah, the magic of having fairytales read to you as you sleep. Enchanted Forest was, as you might guess, a theme park that had a Disney-like, fairytale theme. The Enchanted was one of the most popular places to bring kids to act out their favorite fairytales. Though the area didn’t have many rides, they still had a lot to offer kids as far as tourism goes.

Unfortunately, the cash flow started to wane as amusement parks started to fade in popularity. The park eventually shut down, and has been left abandoned ever since. While the property is still considered to be private, the truth is that nothing is being done with it. What a metaphor for a lost childhood!

6. Rocky Point Amusement Park – Warwick

Believe it or not, Enchanted Forest wasn’t the only theme park to shut its doors in Rhode Island. In the area of Warwick, virtually everyone has seen the classically 80s look of Rocky Point Amusement Park. This park was one of the oldest amusement parks in America, operating from 1840 up until the early 1990s.

The park had quite a few rides that were considered to be trailblazing for their time, including the Cyclone, the Russian Toboggan, and a Corkscrew. Unfortunately, not all of the rides were well maintained…or even safe. As the years marched on, there were several rides that ended up causing deaths to people who rode them.

Some people believe that the area is haunted. If true, it would be a pretty terrible place to go at night. The area is near water, but it’s best not to go swimming or fishing there. You never know what might be lurking there nearby. Not much is left from this abandoned park, but sometimes people still find scraps.

7. The Abandoned Ice Cream Store – North Smithfield

Judging by the look of this building, there was once a point where buildings were being made to look like the stuff they advertised. During the 1920s, this strange structure housed an ice cream and dairy store. The area was a smash hit, with many locals claiming that their ice cream was the best in town.

However, things went downhill quickly. The ice cream stand closed its doors in the 1960s, but the reason why is up for debate. The most logical rumor is that demand died down due to quality or a lack of clients. However, most people in the area heard a different reason. The rumor that surfaced in the Library of Congress article we found was that the water in the area was so contaminated, the company could no longer make safe ice cream with it!

8. The Rocky Point Hotel – Warwick

Unsurprisingly, Rocky Point was a major attraction throughout the state of Rhode Island. It wasn’t only locals, either, which means that people needed a place to stay. That’s where the Rocky Point Hotel came into play. This petite bed-and-breakfast style hotel was a welcoming point for travelers who came from out of state to check out Rocky Point Amusement Park.

The Warwick-based hotel was only a couple of miles away from the park. When the park’s tourism dried up, so did the hotel’s business. The hotel itself looks a lot like a regular, albeit unusually large, house. It even has a small swing in the backyard. However, not much else is known about this building or why it wasn’t just converted to apartments. All we know is that it’s spooky and that it looks remarkably chilling at night.


Related Questions

How can you find abandoned properties for sale in Rhode Island?

The most common way that people find abandoned properties for sale in Rhode Island is to check out the local foreclosures or by driving past the properties to find out if the area is for sale. However, that’s not the only way to make sure that you get your hands on these listings.One of the more effective ways to find properties that are abandoned (but not always listed) is to ask some local realtors. The real estate agents in the area often know where the abandoned homes are, simply because clients usually don’t want to live in an area with an abandoned placed nearby.


Where is the ghetto of Providence Rhode Island?

According to the online forums, the “ghetto” portion of Providence is West Side. This is the area that acts as the home to several “projects,” including the Harford public housing and the Manton Heights Projects. Nearby is the Olneyville neighborhood. These areas are known for being pretty heavy when it comes to crime. The area is also famous for having the lowest incomes per household of the city.With that said, using the term “ghetto” isn’t really a cool thing to do. It’s a rather offensive term.


What is bad about Rhode Island?

According to the surveys, the biggest issue that people have with this state is the infrastructure. Mass transit is in a slump. Over half the roads have serious potholes and are in dire need of repairs. Other amenities, like schools and libraries, tend to be rather underfunded despite the fact that taxes are higher. If you can tolerate bad infrastructure, then you might still find Rhode Island to be a relatively enjoyable place to be.

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Ossiana Tepfenhart
Ossiana Tepfenhart

Ossiana Tepfenhart is an expert writer, focusing on interior design and general home tips. Writing is her life, and it's what she does best. Her interests include art and real estate investments.

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