1953 Map of Watch Hill

About this map

The Pawcatuck River serves as the primary dividing line between Pawcatuck and Westerly, marking the jagged coastal border between Connecticut and Rhode Island in the early 1950s. This survey highlights the region's diverse landscape, from the industrial character of the abandoned quarries and the New York New Haven and Hartford railroad corridor to the recreational shoreline at Watch Hill Pt. The map illustrates a well-developed coastal economy, featuring the Westerly State Airport, the Misquamicut Club Golf Course, and the prominent Watch Hill Lighthouse guarding the entrance to Little Narragansett Bay. Extensive marshes and lagoons like Winnapaug Pond and Wequetequock Pond dominate the southern edge, while inland features like River Bend Cem and the Woody Hill Reservation anchor the residential and natural landscape of Washington County.