One of the more obscure streets in Newport is River Lane, an alley that runs parallel to Malborough Street. It is the site of an ancient river that originated at Clarke’s Lane (Oak Street), ran south on Tanner Street (Marcus Wheatland Boulevard), crossed Marlborough Street and ran west behind Del Nero Cleaners and the Jail House Inn. Still running underground, the river empties into Newport Harbor at the corner of Long Wharf and Perrotti Park. A recent restoration of Liberty Square, across from the White Horse Tavern, exposed the river flowing in a channel of granite bulkheads. The curved section of the lane between Broadway and Del Nero Cleaners was once called Cinnamon Alley.
A detail from the Charles Blaskowitz Map (1777) showing River Lane near Marlborough Street, from the NHS collection.