1943 Map of Clayville

About this map

Barden Reservoir and the western reaches of the Scituate Reservoir dominate this 1940s landscape, illustrating the critical role of water management in northern Rhode Island during the mid-twentieth century. The map details a transition from the agricultural and milling history of the Ponaganset River valley to an engineered watershed. Small rural hubs like Clayville and Rockland are shown alongside family burial grounds such as Wilder Cem and Sandy Brook Cem, which provide essential clues for genealogical research. The terrain is marked by significant rises including Chopmist Hill and Pray Hill, which overlook a network of established thoroughfares like Hartford Pike and Central Pike. These routes connected the interior hamlets of Foster Center and South Foster to the expanding metropolitan influence of the east, even as large tracts like Brush Meadow Swamp remained relatively undeveloped.