1921 Map of Charlestown

About this map

The coastal landscape of Washington County is defined here by a series of expansive coastal salt ponds, including Ninigret Pond and Quonochontaug Pond, separated from the Atlantic by narrow barrier beaches. Inland, the transition from maritime terrain to the rolling hills of Richmond and South Kingstown is marked by the complex hydraulics of the Pawcatuck River and its many tributaries. The area's early 20th-century economy is visible through the intersection of the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad and several short lines, such as the Wood River Branch Railroad meeting at Wood River Junction. In the northeastern corner, the nascent R.I. Agricultural College sits near Kingston, while the southern shore is traversed by the historic Post Road, a critical transit corridor connecting coastal settlements like Charlestown and Matunuck. Significant cultural sites like Indian Burying Hill and vast wetlands like Worden's Pond provide a detailed look at the region's diverse topography.