Published in 1942 at a scale of 1:31,680, “Tiverton” presents the southeastern edge of Rhode Island and neighboring coastal Massachusetts with the disciplined clarity of a US Geological Survey quadrangle. Little Compton occupies a central place in the composition, set among the fields, lanes, coves, and low hills that define the Sakonnet shore. The map captures a landscape poised between rural continuity and modern change: villages, farm roads, shoreline settlements, and maritime landmarks appear in relation to waterways and elevations. Its date lends particular resonance, preserving the area as it stood during the early years of the Second World War, when accurate mapping of coastal regions held both civic and strategic value.

The US Geological Survey brought to this map the rigorous visual language that made its topographic sheets indispensable to engineers, planners, naturalists, and travelers. Contour lines articulate the rise and fall of the land, revealing the modest but meaningful elevations of Puncatest Hills, Hummock Hill, Round Hill, and other uplands. Roads, trails, streams, wetlands, and built-up areas are carefully distinguished through the restrained color conventions typical of mid-twentieth-century USGS cartography. Rather than merely naming places, the map explains their setting: how settlements sit above creeks, how roads follow ridges or low ground, and how the coastline shapes the movement of people and commerce.

Water gives the “Tiverton” sheet much of its character. The Sakonnet River forms a commanding north-south presence, separating Tiverton and Little Compton from Aquidneck Island and guiding the eye toward Sakonnet Point and the open Atlantic. Buzzards Bay appears to the east, while the intricate coastal margins around Seapowet, Silver Creek, and Westport suggest tidal environments, inlets, and low-lying maritime terrain. Sakonnet Lighthouse marks one of the region’s most evocative landmarks, standing at the meeting of navigational necessity and coastal identity. Brenton Point and the surrounding waters further emphasize the area’s long relationship with sailing routes, fishing grounds, and ocean weather.

The towns and named places on the map evoke a distinctive New England coastal world. Tiverton, Little Compton, Westport, Fales, and Chauncey are shown not as isolated communities but as parts of a closely connected regional fabric. The network of roads and trails records the practical geography of daily life: routes to farms, shore landings, village centers, and neighboring towns. Stone Tower, Round Hill, and other named elevations add a human layer to the topography, showing how prominent features became points of reference in the local imagination. The result is a richly legible portrait of settlement, movement, and memory along the Rhode Island–Massachusetts shore.

As a historical document, “Tiverton” is especially compelling because it preserves a coastal landscape before many later pressures of suburban development, environmental alteration, and changing transportation patterns. The map records the relationship between open land, shoreline, waterways, and small communities at a moment when the region still retained much of its agrarian and maritime character. For those interested in Little Compton, Sakonnet Point, Tiverton, or the broader Buzzards Bay and Sakonnet River area, it offers more than geographical information; it offers a carefully measured view of place in time. Its contours, roads, and names together form a refined record of a vanished mid-century landscape.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Little Compton
• Tiverton
• Sakonnet Point
• Silver Creek
• Westport
• Brenton Point
• Buzzards Bay
• Sakonnet River
• Fales
• Chauncey
• Puncatest Hills
• Stone Tower
• Round Hill
• Seapowet
• Sakonnet Lighthouse
• Hummock Hill

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey
• Published in 1942
• Scale: 1:31,680
• The map prominently features Little Compton, Rhode Island, and the surrounding areas
• The US Geological Survey is known for detailed topographical mapping used in environmental studies, urban planning, and related applications
• The map captures geographical and populated areas relevant in 1942, documenting the landscape and settlements of the period
• Contour lines denote elevation changes
• The color scheme indicates different land uses and characteristics typical of USGS maps of the period
• The map displays varied terrain, including hills and waterways
• The landscape may have changed significantly since 1942 due to urban development and environmental change, making the map a valuable historical document
• Numerous roads and trails are marked, indicating routes and access within the area

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.