Rare Old Map of Wickford, Rhode Island by USGS, 1957: Narragansett Bay & North Kingstown
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1968 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored in London • Printed and framed in the UK
Restored from the original 1968 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Gift message & custom finish
If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
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Published in 1968 from survey data gathered in 1957, “Wickford Quadrangle” captures a richly detailed mid-century portrait of coastal Rhode Island at...
Continue readingPublished in 1968 from survey data gathered in 1957, “Wickford Quadrangle” captures a richly detailed mid-century portrait of coastal Rhode Island at the intimate 1:24,000 scale. Centered on Wickford, the historic village within North Kingstown, the map records a landscape shaped equally by maritime commerce, tidal waters, country roads, and postwar development. Narragansett Bay forms the essential framework, with Wickford Harbor, Fishing Cove, Davis Island, Allen’s Island, and smaller coastal indentations giving the sheet its intricate shoreline character. The result is a precise topographic document of a place where land and water meet in unusually varied forms, from sheltered coves and waterfront neighborhoods to low hills, ponds, streams, and reclaimed recreational ground.
The United States Geological Survey brought to this map the disciplined visual language that made its mid-twentieth-century quadrangles indispensable to planners, scientists, engineers, hikers, and local historians. Roads, buildings, shorelines, streams, wetlands, and elevation contours are organized with a clarity that rewards close inspection. The contour lines, elevation marks, and subtle color conventions reveal the low but expressive relief of the Wickford area, where modest rises and valleys influence drainage, settlement patterns, and views toward the bay. Unlike a purely nautical chart or road map, this topographic composition shows the full relationship between infrastructure and terrain, presenting the village and its surroundings as a living system of movement, water, habitation, and elevation.
Wickford itself is the natural focal point: a village long associated with Rhode Island’s maritime heritage, boatbuilding traditions, protected harbor, and colonial-era streetscapes. On the map, the settlement’s proximity to Wickford Harbor and Fishing Cove makes its historical logic immediately legible. Roads such as Howard Avenue and Bayview Avenue trace local circulation around the waterfront, while US Route 1 signals the broader regional corridor linking coastal communities. Wickford Park and nearby residential and recreational areas suggest a landscape already balancing historic identity with modern use. The shoreline, with its islands, coves, and inlets, speaks to centuries of fishing, trading, boat traffic, and seasonal leisure along Narragansett Bay.
Beyond the village center, the quadrangle opens into a varied coastal terrain of unnamed ponds, streams, low ridges, and valleys, all rendered through the precise symbology of USGS cartography. The map’s depiction of hills and drainage courses is especially valuable for understanding how subtle elevation changes shape land use in a coastal environment. Small water bodies and stream channels show the intimate hydrology of the area, while the surrounding contours reveal the gentle uplands that frame the bay. Locations such as the Gilbert Stuart Memorial connect the mapped landscape to Rhode Island’s cultural history, anchoring the terrain not only in physical geography but also in memory, commemoration, and regional identity.
As a historical document, “Wickford Quadrangle” offers a window onto Rhode Island’s shoreline at a moment when older village patterns coexisted with expanding automobile routes, waterfront recreation, and suburban growth. Its 1957 survey base preserves details of the landscape before many later transformations in development, conservation, and coastal management altered the region. Reclaimed land and recreational areas along the waterfront hint at changing human relationships with the shore, while beaches, coves, and islands preserve the enduring influence of Narragansett Bay. For collectors drawn to the elegance of technical cartography, this map combines scientific precision with the quiet romance of place: a measured, beautifully organized record of Wickford’s land, water, and history.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Wickford
- Narragansett Bay
- North Kingstown
- Fishing Cove
- Wickford Harbor
- Pomham Rocks
- Salty Brine State Beach
- Allen’s Island
- Davis Island
- Gilbert Stuart Memorial
- Howard Avenue
- Bayview Avenue
- US Route 1
- Various unnamed ponds and streams
- Wickford Park
- Roads and trails connecting various localities
- Reclaimed land and recreational areas along the waterfront
- Various elevation markings and contours on surrounding hills and valleys
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Wickford, Rhode Island, and the surrounding area.
- Based on survey data collected in 1957, with a 1968 imprint.
- Published by the US Geological Survey, known for detailed topographic maps used in ecological studies, land use planning, and recreation.
- Focuses on Wickford, a historic Rhode Island village with a rich maritime history.
- Features detailed contour representation of the terrain, with color gradients used to depict elevation changes.
- Includes symbols for geographical features such as rivers and roads.
- Shows a diverse landscape of hills and bodies of water through contour lines and shaded relief techniques.
- Provides insight into the geographical and infrastructural landscape of Wickford during the late 1950s.
- Reflects changes brought about by human development and natural processes over subsequent decades.
Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.
Detailed 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.
This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.
Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.
Every 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.
With 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 rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.
This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.
For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.
Published in 1968 from survey data gathered in 1957, “Wickford Quadrangle” captures a richly detailed mid-century portrait of coastal Rhode Island at the intimate 1:24,000 scale. Centered on Wickford, the historic village within North Kingstown, the map records a landscape shaped equally by maritime commerce, tidal waters, country roads, and postwar development. Narragansett Bay forms the essential framework, with Wickford Harbor, Fishing Cove, Davis Island, Allen’s Island, and smaller coastal indentations giving the sheet its intricate shoreline character. The result is a precise topographic document of a place where land and water meet in unusually varied forms, from sheltered coves and waterfront neighborhoods to low hills, ponds, streams, and reclaimed recreational ground.
The United States Geological Survey brought to this map the disciplined visual language that made its mid-twentieth-century quadrangles indispensable to planners, scientists, engineers, hikers, and local historians. Roads, buildings, shorelines, streams, wetlands, and elevation contours are organized with a clarity that rewards close inspection. The contour lines, elevation marks, and subtle color conventions reveal the low but expressive relief of the Wickford area, where modest rises and valleys influence drainage, settlement patterns, and views toward the bay. Unlike a purely nautical chart or road map, this topographic composition shows the full relationship between infrastructure and terrain, presenting the village and its surroundings as a living system of movement, water, habitation, and elevation.
Wickford itself is the natural focal point: a village long associated with Rhode Island’s maritime heritage, boatbuilding traditions, protected harbor, and colonial-era streetscapes. On the map, the settlement’s proximity to Wickford Harbor and Fishing Cove makes its historical logic immediately legible. Roads such as Howard Avenue and Bayview Avenue trace local circulation around the waterfront, while US Route 1 signals the broader regional corridor linking coastal communities. Wickford Park and nearby residential and recreational areas suggest a landscape already balancing historic identity with modern use. The shoreline, with its islands, coves, and inlets, speaks to centuries of fishing, trading, boat traffic, and seasonal leisure along Narragansett Bay.
Beyond the village center, the quadrangle opens into a varied coastal terrain of unnamed ponds, streams, low ridges, and valleys, all rendered through the precise symbology of USGS cartography. The map’s depiction of hills and drainage courses is especially valuable for understanding how subtle elevation changes shape land use in a coastal environment. Small water bodies and stream channels show the intimate hydrology of the area, while the surrounding contours reveal the gentle uplands that frame the bay. Locations such as the Gilbert Stuart Memorial connect the mapped landscape to Rhode Island’s cultural history, anchoring the terrain not only in physical geography but also in memory, commemoration, and regional identity.
As a historical document, “Wickford Quadrangle” offers a window onto Rhode Island’s shoreline at a moment when older village patterns coexisted with expanding automobile routes, waterfront recreation, and suburban growth. Its 1957 survey base preserves details of the landscape before many later transformations in development, conservation, and coastal management altered the region. Reclaimed land and recreational areas along the waterfront hint at changing human relationships with the shore, while beaches, coves, and islands preserve the enduring influence of Narragansett Bay. For collectors drawn to the elegance of technical cartography, this map combines scientific precision with the quiet romance of place: a measured, beautifully organized record of Wickford’s land, water, and history.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Wickford
- Narragansett Bay
- North Kingstown
- Fishing Cove
- Wickford Harbor
- Pomham Rocks
- Salty Brine State Beach
- Allen’s Island
- Davis Island
- Gilbert Stuart Memorial
- Howard Avenue
- Bayview Avenue
- US Route 1
- Various unnamed ponds and streams
- Wickford Park
- Roads and trails connecting various localities
- Reclaimed land and recreational areas along the waterfront
- Various elevation markings and contours on surrounding hills and valleys
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Wickford, Rhode Island, and the surrounding area.
- Based on survey data collected in 1957, with a 1968 imprint.
- Published by the US Geological Survey, known for detailed topographic maps used in ecological studies, land use planning, and recreation.
- Focuses on Wickford, a historic Rhode Island village with a rich maritime history.
- Features detailed contour representation of the terrain, with color gradients used to depict elevation changes.
- Includes symbols for geographical features such as rivers and roads.
- Shows a diverse landscape of hills and bodies of water through contour lines and shaded relief techniques.
- Provides insight into the geographical and infrastructural landscape of Wickford during the late 1950s.
- Reflects changes brought about by human development and natural processes over subsequent decades.
Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.
Detailed 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.
This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.
Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.
Every 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.
With 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 rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.
This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.
For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
Every Unique Maps piece begins with an authentic cartographic source or an original design from our London studio.
For our historic maps, we source rare originals from libraries, archives, auction houses and private collections around the world. We carefully restore each map for print—repairing age-related damage, balancing colour and improving clarity while preserving its original detail, texture and character.
Once restored, the map is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our map prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks, creating a rich, non-glossy finish designed to last. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Canvas, cotton-rag and other specialist presentations are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
Personalising your map
You can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. For personalised designs, we send a proof before printing and you can request changes before approval.
For more complex bespoke commissions, contact our design team.
Original or Aged
Choose Original for true-to-source colour, or Aged for a warmer, richer antique character created with our specialist ageing process. See examples of our Aged maps.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
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