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1889 Map of Charlestown

Name: 1889 Topographic Map of Charlestown
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1905
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1905

About this map

The coastal lagoons and extensive wetlands of Washington County dominate this late 19th-century survey. Along the Atlantic shoreline, the map details the intricate barrier beach system including Ninigret Pond, Quonochontaug Pond, and Green Hill Pond, punctuated by the Charlestown Inlet. Inland, the massive Great Swamp sits adjacent to Worden's Pond, while landmarks like Indian Burying Hill and Indian Cedar Swamp reflect the deep indigenous history of the Narragansett region.

Transportation networks of the era are clearly defined, showing the New York Providence and Boston Railroad and the Wood River Branch Railroad meeting at Wood River Junction. These rail lines facilitated the growth of mill villages such as Carolina, Shannock, and Kenyon. The map also captures the early development of summer colonies and coastal settlements, including Matunuc and Charlestown Beach, before the significant landscape changes of the 20th century.