1893 Map of Stonington

About this map

The Pawcatuck River serves as the focal point of this coastal survey, weaving through industrial and maritime centers at the turn of the century. The twin hubs of Westerly and Stillmanville straddle the riverbank, where the New York Providence and Boston Railroad provides a critical transport corridor through the shoreline landscape. Along the coast, the maritime character of the era is evident in the presence of a Light House at Stonington Pt. and a Life Saving Station near Napatree Beach, guarding the entrance to Little Narragansett Bay. Inland, the economy is marked by diverse industry and agriculture, ranging from the Silex Mine near Lantern Hill to the mills of Potter Hill and Ashaway. The map captures a complex network of family-named hills like Ayer Hill and Champlin Hill, reflecting a deeply settled 19th-century landscape before the expansion of modern infrastructure.