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1942 Map of Newport

Name: 1942 Topographic Map of Newport
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1942
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1942

About this map

Coastal defenses and maritime hazards dominate this coastal view, produced by the War Department during the height of the second World War. A series of strategic fortifications, including Fort Adams, Fort Getty, and Fort Wetherill, stand guard over the entrance to Narragansett Bay and the waters of Newport. The map details the Naval Reservation infrastructure alongside civilian landmarks like Watsons Pier and the ferry routes connecting Jamestown to the mainland.

Navigation aids appear throughout the offshore reaches, from the Beaver Tail Light to the vulnerable Brentons Reef Lightship anchored in the open Atlantic Ocean. Inland, the landscape transitions from the developed streets of Narragansett and Wakefield to the smaller hamlets of Bridgetown and Mooresfield. The shoreline is meticulously labeled with local landmarks such as Sachuest Point and Point Judith Neck, showing a coastline defined by rocky points and sandy beaches at a time of high military readiness.