1. The first fire department in Providence was established on December 15, 1790. Prior to this, fire fighting was done by volunteers using hand-pump buckets. This new department used a hand-pump engine and was staffed by 30 men.

2. On December 15, 1870, the first electric streetlights in the state were lit in downtown Providence. This significant improvement in lighting technology made the streets much safer at night and boosted local businesses that could now stay open longer.

3. The Rhode Island School of Design Museum opened on December 15, 1926. The museum, located in downtown Providence, is one of the largest art museums in the region and has over 100,000 objects in its collection.

4. In 1782, the General Assembly of Rhode Island passed a law prohibiting the importation of slaves into the state. This law was a significant step in the fight for abolition and was signed into law on December 15 of that year.

5. On December 15, 1832, a major fire destroyed the Pawtucket Cotton Manufacturing Company's mill, which was the largest textile mill in the state at the time. The fire caused significant damage to the local economy and prompted new safety regulations in Rhode Island's mills.