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1892 Map of Narragansett Bay

Name: 1892 Topographic Map of Narragansett Bay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1931
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1931

About this map

Narragansett Bay serves as the focal point of this late 19th-century coastal survey, illustrating the maritime and industrial connectivity of Rhode Island before the automobile era. The shoreline is dense with a network of specialized rail lines, including the New York Providence and Boston R.R. and the Warren and Bristol R.R., which linked coastal hubs to inland commerce. Coastal navigation is marked by several sentinels, such as Warwick Light and the Prudence I. Light, guiding traffic through the passages around Prudence Island and Conanicut Island.

On the western shore, the geography of public institutions is visible at the State Prison and State Farm near Cranston. Detailed coastal features like Quonset Pt. and Potowomut Neck appear in their pre-modern industrial state, while established settlements such as Wickford, East Greenwich, and Apponaug show their historic footprints. This survey highlights the era's reliance on water and rail, captured just as local spur lines like the Newport and Wickford R.R. were essential for regional movement.