{"product_id":"old-map-of-kingston-rhode-island-by-usgs-1944-south-kingstown-narragansett-worden-pond","title":"Old Map of Kingston, Rhode Island by USGS, 1944 – South Kingstown, Narragansett \u0026 Worden Pond","description":"\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1944 from survey data gathered that same year, the US Geological Survey’s “Kingston” presents a finely observed wartime portrait of southern Rhode Island. Centered on Kingston and South Kingstown, the map captures a landscape poised between rural inheritance, coastal resort life, and the expanding institutional presence of what is now the University of Rhode Island. At a 1:31,680 scale, it offers a close reading of roads, settlements, ponds, rivers, beaches, and relief. Brown contour lines articulate the rolling interior, while blue waterways and coastal margins emphasize the region’s intimate relationship with Narragansett Bay, Block Island Sound, and the pond-dotted lowlands that define this part of the Ocean State.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe US Geological Survey brought to this map the disciplined clarity for which its topographic work is prized. Founded in the nineteenth century to classify and study the nation’s lands, waters, and mineral resources, the USGS became the authoritative cartographic voice of the American landscape. Here, its style is both scientific and quietly beautiful: contour intervals reveal slopes and shallow rises, marshes and ponds are carefully distinguished, and settlement patterns emerge through the fine tracery of roads and place names. The result is not merely a navigational document, but a measured portrait of terrain—one in which the viewer can read elevation, drainage, habitation, and land use at a glance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKingston itself appears as the historic inland anchor of South Kingstown, with nearby Little Rest, West Kingston, Peace Dale, and Wakefield-area communities suggesting a network of villages shaped by roads, mills, farms, and civic life. The presence of the university gives the map particular historical resonance, showing the surrounding area before the later waves of campus expansion, suburban growth, and postwar transportation change. Names such as John Dyer Road, Warden Farm, Davis Park, and Concordia Park evoke a more localized landscape, where family farms, small neighborhoods, and institutional grounds were still closely interwoven with woodland, pasture, and field.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWater is one of the defining themes of the sheet. Worden Pond, Potter Pond, the Saugatucket River, and the Pettaquamscutt River create a richly textured hydrological setting, while the Great Swamp marks one of Rhode Island’s most historically and ecologically significant wetlands. Toward the coast, Matunuck, Green Hill, Carpenters Beach, and South Kingstown Town Beach point to the recreational and maritime character of the region, opening onto Block Island Sound. These features make the map especially evocative: it records not only shorelines and ponds, but the delicate transitions between upland, marsh, beach, tidal water, and settled ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a historical document, the 1944 “Kingston” preserves a view of Rhode Island just before the transformations of the late twentieth century. Roads, beaches, farms, and village centers appear in a configuration that allows comparison with the more developed landscape known today. Places associated with later conservation and recreation, including coastal habitats and refuge lands near the region, gain added interest when seen in this earlier cartographic context. Fort Wetherill and Wickford connect the broader area to Narragansett Bay’s military and maritime history, while the interior contours quietly trace the glacially shaped hills and valleys that underlie the human story.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKingston\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorden Pond\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlock Island Sound\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSouth Kingstown\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeace Dale\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNarragansett\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMatunuck\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSaugatucket River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePettaquamscutt River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGreat Swamp\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGreen Hill\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePotter Pond\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJohn Dyer Road\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFort Wetherill\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWarden Farm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWickford\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLittle Rest\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConcordia Park\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDavis Park\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWest Kingston\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCarpenters Beach\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSouth Kingston Town Beach\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNinigret National Wildlife Refuge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the US Geological Survey using survey data from 1944 and published in 1944.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMapmaker: US Geological Survey, a principal U.S. federal agency responsible for natural resources and natural hazards research.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe map is titled “Kingston.”\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows Kingston, Rhode Island and surrounding areas within and around South Kingstown.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKingston is shown as a populated place and significant educational center, home to the University of Rhode Island.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses a 1:31,680 scale.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures detailed contour lines to illustrate elevation changes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses color to distinguish geographic features, including blue for water bodies and brown for land elevations.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEmphasizes the area’s topography, including hills, valleys, and water bodies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvides a historical view of Kingston and the surrounding region as it appeared in 1944, before many modern developments.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOffers insight into changes in urbanization, infrastructure, and land use over time.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":68128585122183,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":68128585154951,"sku":null,"price":105.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":68128585187719,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":68128585220487,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":68128585253255,"sku":null,"price":105.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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