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1958 Map of Providence

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Providence
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The industrial centers of Providence, Fall River, and New Bedford anchor this mid-century look at Southern New England's maritime landscape. The map captures the region's dense coastal development and strategic military importance during the late 1950s, highlighting several coastal defenses including Fort Adams and Fort Rodman. Significant infrastructure is visible, from the tracks of the New York, New Haven and Hartford RR to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station on the shore of Narragansett Bay.

The layout illustrates the connection between the mainland and the islands of Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket Island via the Muskeget Channel. From the seasonal reaches of Cape Cod to the working waterfronts of Pawtucket and Central Falls, the map reveals a complex economy of textiles, shipping, and emerging tourism. Landward, the drainage of the Blackstone River and Taunton River defines the geography of the surrounding towns.