1953 Map of Watch Hill

About this map

The Pawcatuck River defines the border between Rhode Island and Connecticut in this early 1950s survey, anchoring the industrial and residential centers of Westerly and Pawcatuck. This coastal landscape is dominated by the expansive Winnapaug Pond and the barrier beaches of Napatree Beach and Atlantic Beach. The maritime character of the region is evident in the numerous coves and points, such as Mastuxet Cove and Stanton Weir Pt, which break the shoreline of Little Narragansett Bay. Inland, the map documents the infrastructure of the era, from the Westerly State Airport to the New York New Haven and Hartford railroad line. Local history is preserved through the mapping of several cemeteries, including River Bend Cem and St Sebastian Cem, alongside prominent landmarks like the Watch Hill Lighthouse standing sentinel over the Watch Hill Passage.