1939 Map of Newport

About this map

Fort Adams stands as a prominent sentinel overlooking Newport Harbor, anchoring a landscape defined by coastal defense and Gilded Age estates just before the start of World War II. This survey reveals the dense urban grid of Newport and the developing residential reaches of Middletown, contrasted by the strategic military presence at Fort Wetherill on Conanicut Island. The map meticulously records the era's social and educational infrastructure, from the exclusive grounds of the Newport Country Club and St Georges Sch to the public greens at Touro Park. Along the Atlantic shoreline, the rocky geography that defined the city's character is labeled in detail, including Forty Steps, Purgatory, and Lands End. The distribution of cemeteries like Island Cem and early schools provides essential context for researchers looking at the mid-century evolution of this maritime hub.