Messer Street Grounds

Messer Street Grounds was a baseball stadium in Providence featuring wooden grandstands that seated around 6,000 spectators. The facility included separate areas for carriages and ticket offices, showing how visitors arrived and entered.

The grounds were built in 1878 by the Providence Base Ball Association on land that was previously farmland, with construction completed in just one month. This venue marked an important step in the early development of professional baseball in America.

The grounds hosted the Providence Grays, a professional team that brought organized baseball to the local community and drew crowds regularly. Games became social events where people gathered to watch athletic competition.

The site no longer exists today, but historical records document its location in Providence. Visitors interested in early baseball history can visit local museums to learn more about the ground's heritage.

The grounds witnessed an important innovation when the Providence Grays became the first professional team to install a protective backstop for spectator safety. This safety measure was later copied at other baseball parks.

Location: Rhode Island

Inception: May 1, 1878

Official opening: May 1, 1878

Capacity: 6000

GPS coordinates: 41.81320,-71.43710

Latest update: December 10, 2025 20:06