City Hall Providence in Haunted Rhode Island

City Hall in downtown Providence, Rhode Island is considered to be one of the state’s most haunted places to visit. The site’s long history contribute to the ghost stories and rumours surrounding this building. Providence’s City Hall was built between 1875 and 1878. City Hall is apart of the Downtown Providence Historic District. It was added to the National Registor of Historic Places in 1975. Two Presidents have given speeches on it’s steps, Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. City Hall was designed by Samuel J. F. Thayer in the Second Empire style. It’s designed with iron and brick, and faced with Westerly granite on two sides and New Hampshire granite on the other two. Faced with the threat of demolition in 1975, then Mayor Buddy Cianci instigated a full restoration, under the strict guidance of several historians and preservationists which completed in the 1990’s

As stated earlier, Providence’s City Hall is considered to be one of the most haunted places to visit in Rhode Island. Many unexplainable happenings have been witnessed by staff. It is thought that City Hall is haunted by Providence’s longest serving mayor, Thomas A. Doyle, The completion of this historic building was completed under his supervision, and when he passed in 1886, a large wake was held there. It’s said that his love of the city ran so deep that his spirit remains. Staff have witnessed chais moving by themselves, heard whispering in rooms that were empty, smelled cigar smoke, as well as slamming doors and opening and closing drawers. The entity also makes use of the elevator and on occasion has even touched some of the staff. This site was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunter’s.