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1892 Map of Narragansett Bay

Name: 1892 Topographic Map of Narragansett Bay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1924
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1924

About this map

Narragansett Bay serves as the central focal point for this late 19th-century survey, illustrating a landscape defined by its intricate shoreline and maritime dependencies. Coastal settlements such as Wickford, East Greenwich, and Apponaug are shown at a time when rail travel and maritime commerce were deeply intertwined. Significant regional infrastructure is visible, including the State Prison and State Farm in Cranston, alongside multiple navigation aids like the Warwick Light and Prudence I. Light.

The railway network is particularly dense, featuring the New York Providence and Boston R.R. and the Warren and Bristol R.R., which connected these coastal towns to broader industrial hubs. From the heights of Barber's Height to the sheltered waters of Dutch Island Harbor, the map documents a transition from traditional farming and fishing toward a more connected, suburbanized coastal corridor at the turn of the century.