Providence, a city of 160,000 people and the first settlement of Rhode Island, is a port city with a colorful past and a present vitality. As state capital since 1901, Providence is home to the Rhode Island Statehouse, which boasts a huge dome ceiling and sits upon a hill overlooking the city. Benefit Street is lined with the restored homes of merchants and sea captains. The John Brown house, an elegant mansion restored as a museum, exhibits original furnishings of the Brown family and displays about historic Providence. Little Italy, filled with cafes, bakeries, bars and bistros, is a lively area with a friendly ambience. A vivacity from Ivy league Brown University and the famous Rhode Island School of design infuses and energizes.