Providence is the capital of Rhode Island, a college city of brick mills, colonial streets, and a riverfront that glows on summer nights. Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design give the city a student energy, with galleries, theaters, and coffeehouses near College Hill. Benefit Street, lined with colonial and Federal homes, is one of the most intact early American streets in the country. On selected evenings, WaterFire lights bonfires on the rivers downtown, drawing crowds to the water for music and quiet reflection.