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 GEOGRAPHY OF CONNECTICUT 
 
 By Henry T. Burr 
 
 Principal, Willimantic Normal School, WiUmiantic, Connecticut 
 
 EARLY HISTORY 
 
 The first settlement in Connecticut was 
 made about 1614 by the Dutch, who sailed 
 up the Connecticut River and establisiied a 
 trading post where the citv of Hartford now 
 stands. Thev chose this location because it 
 was near the head of navigation on the river 
 and therefore convenient for their purpose as 
 traders. In 1633 English settlers from Mas- 
 sachusetts began to come to the same region. 
 They were attracted by the strips of fertile 
 land which border the river on both sides at 
 this point. The first English settlements 
 were made at Windsor, Wethersfield, and 
 Hartford, and soon afterward the interven- 
 ing territory was occupied. There was con- 
 stant friction between the English settlers 
 and the Dutch traders. The latter were 
 soon outnumbered and finally withdrew, 
 leaving the English in full possession. 
 
 English settlements were independently 
 made at Saybrook in 1635 and at New Haven 
 in 1638. Saybrook was chosen because of its 
 situation at the mouth of the Connecticut 
 
 E. p. 6 
 
 Copyright, 1916, 1921, by American Book Company. 
 
 River, which provided a harbor and offered 
 easy access to the interior. New Haven was 
 selected for its excellent harbor and also be- 
 cause of the broad lowland which lay to the 
 north of it. 
 
 Other settlements soon de\eloped along 
 the shore both east and west of New Haven 
 as well as in the central lowland. In 1662 
 these settlements were all united under the 
 name of the Connecticut colony by a charter 
 granted by King Charles II. The influence 
 of geographical conditions in determining the 
 location of the settlements of the colony is 
 indicated by the fact that, of the first twenty 
 settlements, ten were on the coast, six on the 
 river, and two on both coast and river. 1 he 
 uplands were not settled until later, after 
 the more favorable locations were largely 
 occupied. 
 
 Connecticut undoubtedly owes its inde- 
 pendent existence as a colony and later as 
 a state to its geographical conditions. The 
 fertile lowland which attracted the early 
 settlers was separated from the Massachu- 
 setts Bay colony by over a hundred miles of 
 
 ©CI.A617605 
 
66 
 
 GEOGRAPHY OF CONNECTICUT 
 
 / r. 
 
 rough wilderness, which, at rliat time, offered 
 no inducement to settlers and was without 
 roads other than Indian trails. Thus the 
 Connecticut settlers soon became used to 
 governing themselves, and Massachusetts 
 made no determined effort to exercise author- 
 ity over them. 
 
 POSITION, FORM, AND SIZE 
 
 Position and Form. — Connecticut is the 
 southernmost of the New England states. 
 It IS roughly rectangular in shape, its length 
 from east to west being nearly twice its 
 breadth from north to south. 
 
 Size. — Connecticut is one of tlie smallest 
 states. It occupies but one degree of lati- 
 tude and a little less than two degrees of 
 longitude. An automobile can easily go 
 from Rhode Island on the east to New 
 York on the west in less than a day, and 
 the fast express trains running from Bos- 
 ton to New \'ork cross it m about three 
 hours. 
 
 It IS about four times the size of the neigh- 
 boring state of Rhode Island, which is the 
 smallest in the country. It is less than one 
 sixth the size of Maine, the largest New 
 England state, and it would take nearly 
 fifty-four states the size of Connecticut to 
 equal the area of 1 exas. 
 
 RELIEF 
 
 Uplands and Lowland. — Connecticut is 
 divided into three parts, — an eastern up- 
 land, a western upland, and a broad lowland 
 lying between. In a general way the uplands 
 are alike. Each consists of numerous hills, 
 rounded and smooth of slope for the most 
 part but occasionally broken by rugged 
 cliffs. Neighboring hills rise to the same 
 general level. Very rare]\' does a single hill 
 overtop the others near it. In general, the 
 eastern upland is lower than the western. 
 In both the heights increase gradually from 
 the shore northward. The greatest altitudes 
 of Connecticut are in the northwest corner 
 of the state. Bear Mountain, in the extreme 
 northwest, with a height of 2355 feet, is the 
 highest peak. 
 
 The central lowland is underlain by softer 
 rocks than those of the uplands, and by 
 weathering and erosion this region has been 
 reduced to a nearly level plain. Some layers 
 of trap, a la\'a rock, in the soft sandstone are 
 harder and stand up as ridges above the 
 general level. East Rock and West Rock at 
 New Haven, the Meriden Hills, and the 
 ridge running from Meriden to Mount Tom 
 and Mount Holyoke in Massachusetts are of 
 this character. 
 
 Claciation. — Connecticut lies within the 
 glaciated region. The great ice sheet mov- 
 ing southward over the hills smoothed them 
 into the rounded forms that are now so 
 common. The materials worn from the 
 hills were spread over the lowlands. In 
 places this material, known as till, was heaped 
 
 S — S.iti<JsIone out of «likh tin; luwl.ind hns been eroded. 
 
 0-Ol'i roc^iS of tlic uplands which are harder to erode tlian sandstone. 
 
 T - Trap rock. Notice Ihc ridg^c, which is an outcrop of trap. 
 
 Diagram showing a portion of the lowland 
 and uplands in Connecticut 
 
 JUL-7'^J 
 
GEOGRAPHY" OF CONNECTICUT 
 
 67 
 
 by the mo\'ing ice into rounded hills called 
 drumlins. Such hills are foimd in Pomfret 
 in eastern Connecticut and near New Britain 
 in the central lowland. The streams from 
 the melting glacier carried much sand and 
 clay into the valleys and there deposited 
 these materials. Much of the original soil 
 produced b\' the weathering of the underlying 
 rocks was removed and replaced hv clay and 
 other glacial materials which the ice brought 
 from other places to the north. In places 
 the glacial deposits acted as dams to form 
 lakes. In other places they produced falls 
 and rapids. Connecticut owes its man\' 
 ponds and its fine water power to glacial 
 action. 
 
 Coast. — The coast of Connecticut is rocky 
 and irregular but lacks the cliffs and bold 
 promontories ot the northern New England 
 coast. The irregularity of the coast line 
 produces some excellent harbors. Ihose at 
 New London, New Haven, and Bridgeport 
 are the most important. Others, however, 
 are used as ports tor fishing boats, pleasure 
 craft, and small coastwise vessels. New 
 London harbor is the only one deep enough 
 for large steamers. 
 
 DRAINAGE 
 
 The Connecticut is the longest and one of 
 the most important of the New England, 
 rivers. It early formed one of the great 
 trade routes of the region, first as a water- 
 way and later as a route tor railroads which 
 
 Dam in Farmington K 
 
 i .niffville 
 
 extend along its banks throughout almost us 
 entire length. Its falls and rapids have been 
 dammed to turnish power to many mills. Its 
 strips of flood plain and terraces afford, on 
 the whole, the most tertile tarm land in 
 New England. It is navigable to vessels of 
 moderate draft as far as Hartford, nearly 
 fitr\" miles from its mouth. Iiom the Massa- 
 chusetts line on the north to Middletown it 
 lies within the lowland. At Middletown it 
 enters the eastern upland and flows to the 
 sea in a narrow, picturesque valley. 
 
 The Housatomc River rises in the Berk- 
 shire Hills of Massachusetts, and traverses 
 the western part ot Connecticut from north 
 to south. Its main tributary, the Nauga- 
 tuck, furnishes water power tor some of the 
 most prosperous manufacturing cities in the 
 state. 
 
 Connecticut Valley near Middletown. Ni 
 
 V 111 It the I i\( 1 1( avts Liu 1 II o.id ](nvUi 
 
 .land 
 
68 
 
 GEOGRAPHY OF CONNECTICUT 
 
 The Thames, really a tidal estuary rather 
 than a river, is navigable to Norwich. Its 
 mouth, at New London, forms one of the 
 finest harbors on the Atlantic coast. Its 
 head waters, the Shetucket, Qumnebaug, and 
 Willimantic rivers, furnish abimdant water 
 power. 
 
 There are many ponds and small lakes, 
 due, in most cases, to glacial obstructions in 
 the river valleys. These are valuable as 
 reservoirs which restrain the floods m ramy 
 seasons and maintain the flow of the rivers 
 in dry periods. Some have been enlarged 
 for this purpose by dams built across their 
 outlets. Many summer visitors are attracted 
 to these lakes by their beauty and the oppor- 
 tunities for boating and fishing which they 
 afford. Bantam Lake, in the towns of 
 Morris and Litchfield, is the largest body of 
 fresh water in Connecticut. 
 
 CLIMATE 
 
 The climate of Connecticut resembles that 
 of the other New England states. It is cold 
 in winter and warm in summer, but sudden 
 changes of temperature are liable to occur in 
 all seasons. There is less snowfall in Con- 
 necticut than in the northern New England 
 States, and, except in the extreme northwest, 
 the snow seldom lies on the ground for long 
 periods. 
 
 The rainfall is, on the whole, abundant, 
 reaching a yearly average of about forty- 
 five inches. Dry spells are, however, not 
 uncommon and are sometimes serious to the 
 farmers and to those manufacturers who 
 depend on water power. In fact, most fac- 
 tories which use water power have steam 
 plants ready for use when the water power 
 is not sufficient for their needs. 
 
 FORESTS, GAME, AND FISH 
 
 Forests. — A considerable portion of the 
 state is covered with trees. The original 
 forests, however, have been cut off and most 
 of the trees now standing are of compara- 
 tively recent growth. Lumbering has, there- 
 fore, ceased to be a very important industry, 
 although carried on in a small way in all 
 parts of the state. The trees are largely oak, 
 maple, chestnut, and other hardwoods, and 
 scattering growths of the softwoods, particu- 
 larly pine, hemlock, and cedar. 
 
 Game. — The larger wild animals excepting 
 the deer have disappeared from Connecticut. 
 The deer have been protected by law in 
 recent years and have become very numer- 
 ous. Small game is still fairly abundant in 
 the uplands. 
 
 Fish. — Fishing is carried on in a small 
 .way at many of the shore towns, but there is 
 no large market for fish in the state. The 
 cultivation of ovsters is an important indus- 
 try at many places along the shore, and the 
 total value of the product is considerable. 
 The natural oyster beds which formerly 
 existed in great numbers along the entire 
 shore have become greatly depleted and are 
 no longer used except for the gathering 
 of young or " seed " oysters. These are 
 planted in favorable localities and carefully 
 cultivated until they reach marketable size. 
 Shad fishing was formerly an important in- 
 dustry on the Connecticut River. It is 
 still carried on, but the catch is growing 
 smaller. 
 
GEOGRAPHY OF GONNECl ICU T 
 
 69 
 
 AGRICULTURE 
 
 Soil. — The soil ot Ooiiiucticut is largely 
 glacial in its origin. It is otten so full of 
 bowlders that it cannot be profitably worked, 
 and large areas are fit only for pasture and 
 woodland. The rough stone walls so char- 
 acteristic of New England hill farms bear 
 witness to the heavy labors of the early 
 settlers in clearing the land for tillage. The 
 central lowland contains much good soil. 
 It IS composed largely of sand and clay 
 washed from the glacier during its melting 
 stages. This soil is nor richer than the 
 bowlder clay of the uplands, but is finer and 
 more easily worked. The level or gentl\' 
 rolling surface ot the lowland region is also 
 a great advantage to the farmer, making pos- 
 sible the more extensue use of labor-saving 
 machinery and reducing the cost of carrying 
 his products to markets. Good farm lands 
 are found in other parts of the state along the 
 streams and in places among the hills. 
 
 Products. — The leading crops of the state, 
 m the order of value, are hay. tobacco, pota- 
 toes, and corn. lobacco is largeh raised in 
 a limited area in the northern part of the 
 central lowland and m the vicinity of New 
 Milford in the western part of the state. 
 Connecticut tobacco is largely used for the 
 outer layers or " wrappers " of cigars. 1 he 
 other three crops are rather evenly distrib- 
 uted over the entire state. 
 
 The large number of near-by markets, 
 including those of Boston and New^ ^ ork, 
 and the excellent railroad connections are 
 great advantages to the Connecticut farmer. 
 These make it profitable to engage in market 
 gardening, dairying, and poultry raising. 
 For the same reason flowers, nursery stock, 
 and small fruits are extensively grown, 
 largely on small farms near the cities. 
 
 MINING AND MANUFACTURING 
 
 Mining. — The rocks of the Connecticut up- 
 lands contain a great variety of minerals. 
 
 Tobacco in the Connecticut Vallev 
 
 In former times copper, iron, and lead were 
 miiutl. Ihe deposits are not, however, in 
 pa\ ing iiuantiries, and the onlv mine now in 
 operation is a small iron mine near Salisbur\ . 
 1 his mine can be worked profitably in com- 
 petition with the great iron ore deposits in 
 other sections of the country because of the 
 presence of manganese in the ore. This 
 unites with the iron in smelting and produces 
 a \'erv tough metal which is particularlv 
 adapted to the manufacture of car wheels. 
 
 Cuanite quarries are found in a number ot 
 places, notably at Stony Creek and 1 homas- 
 ton. Man\' small quarries scattered through 
 the upland region produce a stone which is 
 known locally as granite but which is really 
 gneiss. It IS an inferior stone which is used 
 large!\' in foundations and walls of buildings. 
 
 1 he red sandstone of the Connecticut low- 
 land, known commercialK as brownstone, 
 was formerly quarried extensively at Port- 
 land. Brownstone is, however, no longer in 
 fashion as a building stone and the industry 
 has dwindled. Feldspar is quarried at Glas- 
 tonbury, Portland, and Haddam. It is used 
 in the manufacture of porcelain. Kaolin, 
 used for a similar purpose, is quarried in the 
 town of Sharon. Limestone is quarried in 
 North Canaan both for marble and for the 
 manufacture of lime. Ihe Capitol at Hart- 
 ford is made of marble from these cpiarries. 
 
7° 
 
 GEOGRAPHY OF CONNECTICUT 
 
 Warping department ot a cotton mill, Putnam 
 
 Typcvvritcr factory, Hartford 
 
 Extensive deposits ot" brick clay are found 
 in the lowland from the Massachusetts line 
 to New Haven. 
 
 The hills of the lowland region afford an 
 unlimited supply of trap rock. This is 
 crushed and used for surfacing roads and 
 building concrete walls. 
 
 Manufacturing. — The chief wealth of Con- 
 necticut lies in its manufactures. When the 
 great agricultural lands of the Middle West 
 were opened to settle- 
 ment, the Connecticut 
 farms were unabit- to 
 compete with the more 
 productive farms of the 
 West, and the people 
 turned their attention 
 largely to manufactur- 
 ing. Thev were led 
 in this direction also 
 by the abundance of 
 water power, and by 
 the nearness of large 
 cities where tlie jirod- 
 ucts could be sold. 
 1 he people seem to 
 have been particularly 
 adapted to manufac- 
 turing, and their inven- 
 tive genius has become 
 proverbial. In later 
 
 years the railroads passing through Connecti- 
 cut, between Boston and New York, have 
 been important factors in the growth of 
 manufacturing. In spite of the lack of raw 
 materials, practically all ot which have to be 
 imported, the growth of manufacturing has 
 been rapid and still continues. 
 
 The variety of manufactured products is 
 very great even within the limits of each of 
 the cities. In general, however, the area east 
 
 of the Connecticut 
 
 River IS devoted to 
 textile industries, while 
 the central and west- 
 ern sections produce 
 metal goods. Since 
 the raw materials tor 
 the latter industries 
 must be brought from 
 considerable distances 
 at heavy freight 
 charges, it is found 
 most profitable to 
 produce goods which 
 require considerable 
 skill in manufacture, 
 such as clocks, builders' 
 hardware, cutlery, and 
 firearms, rather than 
 the bulkier metal prod- 
 ucts. 
 
 k factory, Thomaston 
 
GEOGRAPHY" OF CONNECTICUT 
 
 71 
 
 TRADE ROUTES 
 
 Long Island Sound is an imporrant water- 
 way for Connecticut. Steamers run daily 
 from Connecticut ports to New ^ ork. 1 here 
 are also steamboat connections with Ldtii;; 
 Island. The Connecticut and the Thames 
 rivers carry the Sound traffic mlanil. 
 
 The chief railroad routes he alont; the shore 
 and in the Connecticut lowland from Spring- 
 field in Massachusetts to New Haven. Along 
 these routes it has been possdile to build 
 railroads without steep grades or shar|i 
 curves. Other miportant 
 radroad lines follow the 
 valleys of the larger 
 streams. The Williman- 
 tic, Ouinnebaug, and 
 Thames in the east, the 
 Farmington m the north, 
 the lower Connecticut in 
 the south, and the Housa- 
 tonic and Naugatuck in 
 the west are bordered by 
 railroads. The only rail- 
 road line of importance 
 which does not cltiseh' 
 follow the larger rivers 
 is the line which trav- 
 erses the state from east 
 to west through Wilhmantic, Hartford, 
 Waterbury, and Danbury. In spite of its 
 sharp curves and steep grades this road is 
 important because it forms the shortest route 
 between some of the large Connecticut cities 
 and because it connects with railroads from 
 the west. 
 
 As noted before, a part of Connecticut's 
 industrial prosperity is due to its location on 
 railroad lines between Boston and New ^'ork. 
 Through trains between these two cities 
 cross the state over three separate routes, 
 and give nearly all the cities of the state 
 direct access to these two great seaports. 
 Two important freight routes from northern 
 New England and Canada traverse the state, 
 
 one passing through Palmer, Massachusetts, 
 to New London, the other through Spring- 
 field to New Haven. 
 
 GOVERNMENT 
 
 The most striking feature of state govern- 
 ments in New England is the importance of 
 the local unit, or town. Annually the legal 
 voters of each town gather together in a 
 town meeting to elect officers, to lay taxes, 
 and to determine the policx' of the town tor 
 the coming year. The chief officers are the 
 silictmen. 
 
 When the population 
 of a town becomes so 
 large that its problems 
 become too complicated 
 to be dealt with in a 
 popular assembly, the 
 town or, in some cases, 
 the populous section of 
 the town applies to the 
 legislature for a city 
 charter. City govern- 
 nunts are not uniform 
 t\(.n tor cities of the 
 same size. In general, 
 however, provision is 
 nuKle for a representa- 
 ti\e bod\' known as the 
 cit\ council or board of aldermen, which is 
 elected b\ the people and makes laws or 
 ordinances for their government. A mayor 
 is also elected, whose duty it is to see that 
 the ordinances are carried out. 
 
 A borough, in Connecticut, is a unit of 
 government intermediate between that of 
 the town and the cit\. Its chief executive is 
 called the warden and its legislative body the 
 burgesses. The borough officers are nor 
 given so much authority as are those of the 
 city, and the popular assembly is retained. 
 
 The strong tendency, to preserve the influ- 
 ence of the town in Connecticut, is shown 
 in the manner of choosing representatives to 
 the state legislature. 'This consists of two 
 
72 
 
 GEOGRAPHY OF CONNECTICUT 
 
 Connecticut Agricultural College, Storrs 
 
 Ihe CDiinty is, however, in Connecticut, of 
 vei\ sli<iht political importance. The chief 
 oHicials in the county are the county com- 
 missioners. 
 
 EDUCATION 
 
 1 he educational interests of the state are 
 m the hands of the state board of education. 
 The executive officer is the secretary of the 
 board. In accordance with the strong feeling 
 in Connecticut tor local self-government, the 
 towns are allowed much freedom in con- 
 ducting their schools, but the state board 
 has many important powers. 
 
 Tiie state maintains four normal schools 
 for the training of teachers. These schools 
 are located at New Britain, Willimantic. 
 New Haven, and Danbury. 
 
 Connecticut Agricultural College, situated 
 at Storrs, about eight miles north of Willi- 
 mantic, is maintained by the state in con- 
 
 legislative bodies, the senate and the house 
 of representatives. No town may elect more 
 than two representatives to the latter body. 
 Thus New Haven, with its large population, 
 has no more representatives than the smallest 
 town in the state with a population of less 
 than four hundred. The senators are chosen 
 by senatorial districts, which are made as junction with the national government, 
 nearly equal in population as possible. Thus Connecticut docs not maintain a state 
 
 the Connecticut senate represents the people; university. It contains, however, four en- 
 the house of representatives, the towns. dowed institutions of this rank, — ^Yale Univer- 
 
 The legislature makes the laws by which sity at New Haven, Wesleyan University at 
 the state is governed. The enforcement of Middletown, Trinity College at Hartford, and 
 the law is intrusted to the executive depart- Connecticut College for Women at New 
 ment, of which the governor is the head. 
 Other officers of this department are the 
 lieutenant governor, the secretary of state, 
 the treasurer, and the comptroller. The latter 
 two officials look after the state's financial 
 affairs. Boards or commissions are ap- 
 
 London. 
 
 Yale University is, with the exception of 
 Harvard, the oldest in New England. It 
 was founded at Saybrook in 1701 and moved 
 to New Haven in 1717. 
 
 Hartford Theological Seminary at Hart- 
 
 pointed to carry our important activities of ^oil and Berkeley Divinity School at Middle- 
 
 the state. Among these are the board of edu- town are important institutions for training 
 
 cation, the board of agriculture, the board of ministers and religious workers, 
 health, the public utilities commission, the 
 
 workmen's compensation commission, and the r*.7rULAl lUiN AiNU LI 1 Itb 
 
 highway commissioner. Connecticut has a population of 1,380,631. 
 
 The judicial department of the state con- It the people were evenly distributed over 
 
 sists of a supreme court, a superior court in the whole state, there would be 286 to each 
 
 each county, and justice courts in each town square mile. Rhode Island, Massachusetts, 
 
 for minor affairs. Other courts are estab- 
 lished for special purposes. 
 
 Tlfe state is divided into eight counties. 
 
 and New Jersey are the only states in the 
 country more densely populated. 
 
 The early population of Connecticut was 
 
GEOGRAPHY' OF CONNF.C'l'ICUT 
 
 73 
 
 almost wholly of English descent. Within 
 the last half century, however, immigrants 
 from other parts of Europe have entered the 
 state in large nunihers. At first these came 
 from northern and western Europe, hut the 
 hiter comers are largely from eastern and 
 southern Europe. According to the last 
 census over one quarter of the people ot 
 Connecticut were born in tortign countries. 
 
 The great industrial development of the 
 last fifty \ears has tended to draw the native 
 population also toward the cities. 1 hus the 
 rural towns have grown very slowly t)r even, 
 in some cases, have diminished in size. 1 he 
 cities, on the other hand, have had a rapid 
 growth which still continues. About two 
 thirds of the population of Connecticut now 
 live in cities of io,ooo t)r more inhabitants. 
 New Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford, and 
 Waterbury, the four largest cities, have a 
 combined population of about 400,000, which 
 is more than one third of the total popula- 
 tion ot the state. 
 
 Coast Cities. — The two largest cities of 
 Connecticut, New Haven and Bridgeport, 
 owe their growth very largely to their harbor 
 facilities. New London is another coast city 
 that possesses a good harbor. 
 
 New Haven is the largest city in the state 
 and the second in the value ot its manu- 
 factured products. With its harbor and 
 exceptional railroad facilities, it is a trade 
 
 E 
 
 ^'^AA1'h''iK^^^ 
 
 Buildings of Yale University, New Haven 
 
 center ot imiiortance. Its principal manu- 
 factures are hardware, plumbers' supplies, 
 firearms, steam boilers, machinery, and other 
 products of iron, steel, and brass. It is the 
 seat ot ^ ale Universitv, long a powerful 
 influence in the affairs of the state and in 
 the educational world. Ihe Green, fronting 
 the university-, in the heart of the city, with 
 Its row of historic old churches and its beau- 
 tiful elms, is nearl\' as famous as the univer- 
 sity itself. 
 
 Bridgeport, the first city in Connecticut in 
 value of its manufactures and the second in 
 population, is situated about seventeen miles 
 west of New Haven, on the best harbor in 
 western Connecticut. It owes its growth to 
 
 Factory for making army supplies. Bridgeport 
 
74 
 
 CJEOGRAPHY OF CONNECTICUT 
 
 IhWP^I Wi 
 
 Cities of the Central Lowland. — In colonial 
 days, the fertile soil of the Central Lowland 
 led to rapid growth of settlements. 1 he 
 level surface of this lowland encouraged the 
 building of railroads through it, and these 
 are now the chief advantage which this region 
 presents to the manufacturer. 
 
 Hartford, the state capital, is situated near 
 the center of the state, at the head of navi- 
 gation on the Connecticut River. Its fine 
 capitol, with its beautiful park sloping toward 
 the heart of the city ; its many public build- 
 ings ; and its broad and well-kept streets 
 make it a very attractive city. 
 
 It is an important manufacturing city and 
 its harbor and to its location near New ^'ork o^e of the great insurance centers of the 
 on the main line of traffic. Irs principal country. Its manufactures include ma- 
 products are guns and other munitions of chinery, firearms, typewriters, rubber tires, 
 war, submarines, sewing machines, electrical ^.^^\^ ^^^ screws, and other metal goods, 
 machinery, graphophones, corsets, and metal Railroads radiate from Hartford in all 
 
 goods of many kinds. directions. These lines and the navigable 
 
 New London, at the mouth of the Thames, ^iver make it an important trade center. 
 is located on one of the finest harbors on the Xh^ fertile farm lands and the smaller manu- 
 New England coast. In the days of the facturing towns which surround it bring it 
 whaling industry it was a great shipping p^uch local traffic and help support its fine 
 center and still has a considerable trade by retail stores. Among the educational insti- 
 sea. It is on the main railroad line between tuitions located in Hartford are Trinity Col- 
 New York and Boston and is the terminus \^^^ a„j ^j^e Hartford Theological Seminary, 
 of the Central Vermont Railway, which Next to Hartford the largest city in the 
 
 brings freight from northern New England lowland is New Britain, known as the " Hard- 
 and Canada. ware City." It manufactures a wide \ariety 
 
 New London is the center of a group of ^f ,T^etal goods, including builders' hardware, 
 summer resorts. Connecticut College for i,,(,ks, cutlery, aluminum ware, screws, tools, 
 Women is north of the city. 2,.,j machinery. 
 
 The chief manufactures of New London 
 
 Meriden, about halfway between Hartford 
 and New Haven, is known especially for its 
 silver-plating industries. It manufactures 
 also lighting fixtures, cutlery, electrical ap- 
 pliances, and other metal products. The 
 Connecticut School for Boys, a reformator\ 
 institution, is located here. Wallingford, near 
 Meriden, also manufactures plated ware. 
 
 North of H:irtf()r(l on the river are the iiiami- 
 facturinf; towns of Windsor, Windsor Locks, and 
 homes of people whose business interests are in Enfield. Thompsonville, in the town of Lnfieid, is 
 the city of New \'ork. noted for its carpet works. 
 
 xiv 
 
 an- (]uilts and silk goods. Across the harbor, 
 in Groton, is a plant for the maiiufacture of 
 fine marine engines especially adapted to 
 submarines. The United States government 
 is developing a submarine base here. 
 
 South Norwalk is engaged in the coastwise 
 trade and has a variety of manufacturing interests. 
 Stamford is noted for its manufacture of locks, 
 i he modern type of locks with the flat key orig- 
 inated here. At Greenwich are the beautiful 
 
GEOGRAPHY OF CONNECTICUT 
 
 East of Hartford is South Manchester, iiotiil 
 for its great silk mills. Still taitlui L-ast, on tlu- 
 edge of the upland, a small stream falling to the 
 valley below furnishes unusually fine water power 
 to the city of Rockville. This is a textile city, 
 manufacturing both ct)tt()n and woolen goods. 
 
 Middletown, at the bend of the CdiiiKcticut 
 where it enters the eastern upland, manufactures 
 hydraulic machinery, rubber goods, and textiles. 
 Wesleyan University is located here. Near the 
 city is a state hospital for the insane. Across 
 the river is Portland, with its great brownsto'ie 
 quarries. 
 
 Bristol is situated on the western edge of the 
 lowland where the Pequabuck, a tributary of the 
 Farmington, issues from the hills. It makes iron 
 castings, clocks, fishing rods, and a variety ot 
 metal goods. Collinsville, farther north on the 
 Farmington River, manufactures tools. 
 
 Inland Cities of Eastern Connecticut. — 
 The inland cities of eastern Connecticut are 
 engaged chiefly in the manufacture of textiles. 
 
 Norwich, at the head of navigation on the 
 Thames, is a prosperous manufacturing city. 
 The Yantic and Shetucket rivers, which 
 unite at this point to form the Thames, are 
 swiftly flowing streams which furnish abun- 
 dant water power. Tiie chief manufactures 
 are cotton te.xtiles. 
 
 Norwich has a beautiful memorial library 
 and art gallery. On the mer, below the 
 cit\', is a state hospital lor the insane. 
 
 Willimantic, sixteen miles north of Nor- 
 wich, is widely known as the "Thread City." 
 In addition to thread, it manufactures cotton 
 cloth and silk and velvet goods. It owes its 
 location to the fine water power developed 
 in the Willimantic River. 
 
 Grosvenor Dale, Putnam, Danielson, Plainfield, 
 and Jewett City, in the eastern end of the state, are 
 largely engaged in the manuhicture of textiles. 
 
 Cities of the Naugatuck Valley. — The 
 cities of the Naugatuck \ alley are largely 
 engaged in the manufacture of brass products. 
 
 Waterbury, the fourth city in population 
 and the third in the value of its products, is 
 located on the Naugatuck River at the junc- 
 tion of two important railroad lines. It is 
 
 the leading center of the brass industry of 
 the United States. Its products include 
 rolled and cast brass and copper, German 
 silver goods, clocks and watches, copper wire, 
 and plated ware. 
 
 Torrington, in the north, produces rolled and 
 sheet brass, needles, plated goods and castings. 
 Thomaston has long been a center for the manu- 
 facture of clocks. Naugatuck and Beacon Falls 
 produce rubber goods. Ansonia and Derby make 
 heavy castings and brass protlucts. 
 
 Inland Cities of Western Connecticut. — Dan- 
 bury is the most impnrtant center in the country 
 for the manufacniie of hats. Winsted, in the 
 northern part ot the st.ite. makes clocks, edged 
 tools, and many other products. 
 
 Cities .\nd Boroughs that had 2500 Inh.^bitants or More 
 IN 1020 
 
 
 Population 
 
 
 POPUL 
 
 \TION 
 
 Cities 
 
 
 
 Cities 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 l<^20 
 
 HJIO 
 
 
 1920 
 
 1910 
 
 An^ntiia 
 
 1 7. "4.3 
 
 i.=!,i.';2 
 
 New London 
 
 25.6S8 
 
 10.6W 
 
 Bridgeport 
 
 l4f.,v5S 
 
 118.4.34 
 
 Norwall; 
 
 27.743 
 
 6.g54 
 
 Bri-lul 
 
 20.020 
 
 0..i27 
 
 Norwit h 
 
 22,304 
 
 2o.,;07 
 
 Danljurv 
 
 l>!.Q4.i 
 
 20.2J4 
 
 Putnam 
 
 7,711 
 
 6,6(7 
 
 Di-rljv 
 
 ll.2;S 
 
 S.flo I 
 
 Roikville 
 
 7,726 
 
 7.077 
 
 H.irtford 
 
 138,0,56 
 
 gS,oi5 
 
 Shelton 
 
 g.47.=; 
 
 4.807 
 
 .Mtriden 
 
 20,807 
 
 27.2U.S 
 
 St am lord 
 
 35.og<i 
 
 25, n8 
 
 Middletown 
 
 i,>,0j8 
 
 11,851 
 
 Water!)nry 
 
 g ■ . 7 1 .? 
 
 73.141 
 
 New Britain 
 
 .Si^.O" 
 
 4.3.0 lb 
 
 \\ illimantic 
 
 12,330 
 
 1 1.230 
 
 New Haven 
 
 It)2.SI0 
 
 IJ3.005 
 
 
 
 
 Boroughs 
 
 
 
 Boroughs 
 
 
 
 Bethel 
 
 ;,2oi 
 
 ,5.041 
 
 Naugatuck 
 
 I s,osi 
 
 12,922 
 
 Branford 
 
 2, dig 
 
 2.560 
 
 Soutiiington 
 
 s 08 s 
 
 3.714 
 
 Danielson 
 
 .i.l.iO 
 
 2.g34 
 
 Stafford .Springs 
 
 3,385 
 
 3.050 
 
 Greenwich 
 
 S.ijSg 
 
 ?,806 
 
 TorrinRton 
 
 20,023 
 
 I.';.4S3 
 
 Groton 
 
 4,2.i(> 
 
 i,8g5 
 
 W'allingfor.l 
 
 g.04S 
 
 S,6go 
 
 Jewett City 
 
 j.io'J 
 
 .S.02.3 
 
 
 
 
76 
 
 ^ t /-h,-/,.- p,»,,,/^r -^-AiiYl^rli^r^ .E.U:i!/aaiv.>-^y i\ p \ ^\{ /W.Hartlarid ^ / ^\ V 
 
 Ni- Ir^'i -V . I.P " 0,"''"7''"'?"'*lFa11si Vnlage / /\l5 ,- lO^'^KA 
 - ,''' n \\ V-* ''^"^''Fi-r-J/ t> r > '^^ +^\V\^^ lf\'\ r /^ 
 
 '^ E 
 
 Ml 
 
 
 V\i / "^ aVv / \ Wfn^tSd-:./. BARkHAMSiTED /( '-n /A -^r^i' 
 
 //IfflK /^'^rV^^'MY// /IVS''«"''"/''''I^ S" / ■Tfinuft???" < NEW HMTFORSjjy. , /tantori/ J|7 blo»field . feWinlsSr^i, ; ,„ 
 
 \av.S»i^^ iasdr'7%': Brook I;. «f,Ellihbtpn- 
 
 jXuitc 
 
 
 Vuitchtleld, 
 
 Bantarr^^ 
 
 Vyrnon Cen 
 
 'E 5i+( o)nI 
 
 ernf 
 
 
 
 
 'flCaVldri.v/le /^i s S-iVg^to n&s' v*'"p„;:S'r ''^-31!*'' 
 
 VXH\lf/ /ifS ft y?' r6ETHLEHE> U BW*'^^' 
 
 ^%//(V V //Iw Qfl!l"' 1 S\ IwATERTOWI. 
 Nfm l«liLf"RD\t^ \JiiJ-T — TT^ni Waterto\ 
 
 yp BsUit-YJ i\ 
 
 ^lotchkissviUe 
 
 
 estvilliE 
 
 fH«Mi1:^?^lVvJ 
 
 iT|' /.' IPIantiivillo' MiiJ ' ' .'.111- - ' * J^ "m-ii^.n ty if* TiliiJ 
 
 (WOLtoTTl SpUT3lNGT6NX';'»rg5tf,.,J,|t ' 
 
 / l' \l 0\ t y'cW^ ...RoxbSry V-^';^'?^-; 
 
 / Soiith bucy ) St U iiii'iyC^t.i^i 
 
 ^l. ft I "XT Vjpi ^"^^ ' ■ 
 
 i^eSaijdy Hool 
 
 
 Pro^ffiScv 
 
 
 kitoaf: . |m,odl#>'\ t:S^I^ WVy-tlS 
 
 i» // :?// / />>^iDU,RHAM / \,HA^5>bA M 
 
 ox F O R\D\ 
 
 StHEi 
 
 / *^ 
 > 1 . 
 
 ' <>WAriinBfOT«Durham Ceri-.S 
 
 
 
 
 
 ,\BranchvHJfT) \ J \\"-| ^ \_, ^ WNL^''*^ 
 
 » (Jffilfordjiy ^j 
 
 i V '7'.!/^"' ' V-"!" <'i'^S'ife''M.ti 
 
 1 I _l I WE&T PORT v 
 
 "fordi ^VAAN Winnll ukl i ffl\vtjtp*l' 
 
 
 
 Lf V\... i.S,S?omr,.^rf«l•NorofX^i-^-- 
 
 72 .30 West 
 
 XVI 
 
\/rv 
 
 
 
 tCE 
 
 4- 'ij-iLL^ i'r"::r??!!KS 
 
 jT^btJlin, ( ^ C9>rnft^* Ri» 
 
 
 ^ o J r Center' ^■-— V- n 
 ^^ W e-S(X r R E f N v/l C H^^-i* 
 
 J~^ 
 
 r 
 
 ^ 
 
 Narragansctt 
 \i\ * / pier 
 
 i^' r 
 
 ( Gciz-rf/nera Pt. 
 j\ bAROlNERS 
 
 Sandy Pt., 
 
 \Clay Hd 
 
 /new/ 
 
 BLOCK ISLAND M/ 
 (ToNVwporl Co-.U.!,) ,';f UBIock 
 
 Oivkvns f>t,\»^^fi^KfSOId Hafhai 
 
 Pi. , 
 
 B/i(cA PotA 
 
 Phyt^icul and rulitical 
 
 Connecticut 
 
 AND 
 
 RHODE Island 
 
 Sl.iIi: ..f ?l.;tult Milt- 
 
 ■^^g Harboj 
 
 CD' 
 
 '•^it Capitals -'-County Scats 
 Citifs are underlined. 
 
 Size of type indicates n-IuMvt populatinti 
 i>f ritici. towns :iud boroughs. 
 
 100.000 and o;cr Bridg'eport 
 
 T'Coon to 100. 000 Pawtucket 
 lO.OOfi (u r.o.o^n) New Britain 
 
 r..000 to Ul.dOO Winkled 
 
 County Seats with less than 
 fj.OOO popnlation Kniyston 
 
 Steam Uailioadt; 
 
 Elettru' KaJlroads. — -^ — -*^' 
 
 COP'RIGHT.SV AMEBICAN ROOK CO 
 
 I I 
 
 svn 
 
GEOGRAPHY OF RHODE ISLAND 
 
 By Robert M. Brown 
 
 Professor of Geography, Rhode Island Normal School, Providence, Rhode Island 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 other settlements were made at Newport and 
 Portsmouth on the island which gives its 
 " To hold forth a lively experiment that name to the state and which is said by one 
 a most flourishing civil state may stand and authority to be named for the island of 
 best be maintained with full liberty in reli- Rhodes and by another to have been named 
 gious concernments." This is the inscription by its discoverer, Rhoode Eylanat, "red 
 written on the Capitol at Providence, and the island." These settlements were later united 
 sense of the motto is expressed frequently in under the name of Rhode Island and Pro\i- 
 the early history of Rhode Island. Previous dence Plantations. 
 
 to 1636, the area about Narragansett Bay was 
 inhabited solely by Indians and they have left 
 behind them as monuments the many names 
 of the physical features of the state. It is 
 recorded that the explorer Verrazano dis- 
 covered Narragansett Bay in 1524 and that 
 
 The history of the state centers almost 
 entirely about Narragansett Bay, and it is 
 not strange that very early the colony had a 
 navy of its own. Conscious of the intent of 
 the founders, it resisted any imposition of 
 taxation by the mother country, sinking in 
 
 Adrian Block, who gave his name to Block 1669 the armed sloop Liberty and in 1772 
 Island, explored the bay in 1614. The first burning the Gaspee, vessels which had been 
 permanent settlement was not made until sent by England to curb the activities of the 
 
 1636, when Roger Williams, driven from 
 Massachusetts becau.se his opinions were in- 
 tolerable to his neighbors, established near 
 the headwaters of the bay a town which he 
 called Providence, " for God's merciful provi- 
 
 inhabitants; and, in reality, these were the 
 first overt acts of the Revolution. 
 
 Still jealous of her freedom, the state was 
 the last of the thirteen states to enter the 
 Union ; and the strength and insistence of 
 
 dence to me in my distress." Soon after, her sons in convention during the early years 
 
 £ P t, Copyright, 1916, 1921, by American Book Company. x\iii 
 
 J 
 
 ©CI.A617G06 
 
GEOGRAPHY' OF RHODE ISLAND 
 
 79 
 
 of the Republic maintained the integrity of line. Mount Hope, the scene of Indian 
 the state and prevented its partition by Mas- 
 sachusetts and Connecticut. Once firmly es- 
 tablished, ho\ve\er, the growth of the state has 
 gone on with tew mterruptions, hrst as a 
 farming community, then as a commercial 
 district, and now as a manufacturing state. 
 
 POSITION AND SIZE 
 
 Position. — The southern shore of Block 
 Island is about 8' north of the 41 ' parallel, 
 and the northeastern corner of the state ex- 
 tends about z' north of the 42" parallel. 
 The southern point of the mainlantl, in the ex- 
 treme southwestern corner, is in the latitude 
 
 of 41° 6' N. The east-to-west dimension of tends along the western side of Narragansett 
 the state is somewhat less than the distance Bay from Pro\idence to Warwick, 
 from north to south, and it lies wholl\ between The most important part of the coast line 
 
 wars 
 
 during colonial da\"s, is a knoll, 200 feet 
 high, situated on an inlet of Narragansett 
 Ba\ neai Bristol. The surface of the state 
 has a rolling character; the plain has been 
 cut and worn by streams, lea\ing rounded 
 hills and between them broad \'alle\ s, while 
 the invasion of the great ice sheet during the 
 glacial period co\ered the state with a layer 
 of glacial drift, m which are many bowlders 
 of great size. In places the glacial drift 
 formed moraimc hills. In addition to the 
 hills of drift, the glacier left much material 
 scattered in plains of faint relief, called sand 
 plains, a good representatne of which ex- 
 
 the 71"' W. and 72' W. meridians. 
 
 of Rhode Island is the great indentation, 
 
 Size. — Rhode Island is the smallest state Narragansett Bay, which extends two thirds 
 of the Union. I rom Providence at the head of the way into the state. The south shore, 
 of the Providence Ri\'er, one may reach facing the Atlantic, is low and slopes gradually 
 Woonsocket on the northern border by train under the water, so that vessels cannot ap- 
 within a half hour. Westerly in the southwt-st proach the land except where a river, as the 
 in one ht)ur and fifteen minutes, and the Pawcatuck, scours a channel across the con- 
 sail down the Bay to Newport consumes tinental shelf. Narragansett Bay was formed 
 but two hours. Delaware, the next state in b\' the sinking of the land, which allowed the 
 size, IS nearh' twice as large, while I exas, the sea to enter the broad vallex' now occupied by 
 largest in the United States, is 213 times the the waters of the ba\ . In this broad valley 
 size of Rhode Island. were numerous hills which were not sub- 
 merged in the subsidence and now extend their 
 RELIEl* AND DRAINAGE ^^^^ above the waters, forming the islands of 
 
 Relief. — The upland region of southern Rhode Island. 
 
 New England, an uplifted plain, slopes from Drainage. — The term "river" is applied m 
 
 the Berkshire Hills in western Massachusetts 
 and Connecticut and from the White Moun- 
 tains of New Hampshire to the sea. Rhode 
 Island's position in the southern margin of 
 this upland, with no point fifty miles from 
 the ocean, gives it a relatively low relief, 
 rhe highest point in the state, Durfee Hill, 
 near the northwestern corner, is 805 feet above 
 rhe level of the sea, and only a small section, 
 in the same general locality, is above ^oo feet ; 
 while a much larger area, adjacent to rhe 
 ocean and bay, is below the 200 foot conrour 
 
 Rhode Island not only to rivers proper but 
 also to the estuaries or great arms of the bay. 
 Thus the Seekonk River is a narrow parr of 
 the bay extending from Pawtucket to Pro\ i- 
 dence. Providence River is the northern and 
 narrower portion of the bay, and the Warren 
 and Barrington rivers are likewise estuaries. 
 
 The true rivers of the state flow into Nar- 
 ragansett i5a\', except the Pawcatuck which 
 reaches the sea in the extreme southwest- 
 ern corner of rhe state. I he Blackstone 
 River, rising rwent\ miles to the northwest 
 
8o 
 
 GEOGRAPHY OF RHODE ISLAND 
 
 of Woonsocket in Massachusetts, flows into 
 the Seekonk ; the Pawtuxet, rising in the 
 western part of tlie state and flowing through 
 the center, flows into the Providence River; 
 and the Pawcatuck, draining a large part of 
 the southwestern part of the state in its lower 
 reaches, forms the boundary line between 
 Connecticut and Rhode Island. 
 
 The invasion of the ice during the glacial 
 period brought to the state a great quantity 
 of loose materials, which were deposited 
 unevenly over the area when the ice melted. 
 Many streams were turned from their former 
 courses and found new pathways to the 
 sea. In cutting dovv^n new channels these 
 streams encountered bed rock which halted 
 the erosion at various points, and as the 
 softer materials on the downstream side were 
 removed, falls were formed. Navigation is 
 therefore not possible upon them, but the 
 rivers are valuable as sources of power, 
 especially the Blackstone and the Pawtuxet. 
 
 Besides turning many streams from their 
 original beds, the deposition of glacial drift 
 over the state blocked the headwaters of the 
 streams and formed many small lakes. Rhode 
 Island is dotted with lakes. Some are now 
 used for water supply and some as camping 
 sites. Many of these lakes were shallow and 
 filled up quickly, forming swamps, which 
 remain as undrained areas that sometime 
 may be reclaimed to yield rich harvests of 
 vegetables and fruits. 
 
 Climate. — The most important climatic 
 control is latitude, and Rhode Island's posi- 
 tion between the 41st and 42d parallels of 
 north latitude gives to it a high sun and long 
 days in summer with the consequent high 
 temperatures, and a low sun and short days 
 in winter with low temperatures. Prevailing 
 winds and nearness to the sea are two other 
 factors that determine its climate. 
 
 Rhode Island is located in the westerly 
 wind belt (Sees. 61, 62), and the cyclonic 
 storms (lows) and anti-cyclonic storms (highs) 
 of this belt cause great variations in the 
 
 seasonal temperatures. The proximity to the 
 sea, although less influential on an east coast 
 than a west coast under westerly winds, 
 gives to the state fewer excesses of heat and 
 cold than are experienced by an inland state. 
 In Providence the average temperature ot 
 July is 73.4° and that of January is 27.2°, 
 making an annual range of 46.2° ; while at 
 Block Island, the average temperature ot 
 July is 68.1°, and that of January is 31.4"^, 
 giving an annual range of but 36.7°. The 
 diflerence between the annual range of these 
 two places illustrates the influence of dis- 
 tance from the sea upon climate. Altitude 
 causes only slight local difterences, as the 
 relief of the state is not great. 
 
 The growing season (Fig. 71), which is the 
 time between the last killing frost in spring and 
 the first killing frost in autumn, is longer in 
 Rhode Island than in any of the other New 
 England states. This period is shorter in the 
 northern part of the state than in the southern 
 part. The last killing frost sometimes occurs in 
 March, but more frequently it comes in April ; 
 and the first killing frost is frequently as late 
 as November. Especially along the coast 
 ot the state the modif\ing influence of the 
 sea IS felt, and thoiigii the winter days are at 
 times bleak, they are never excessively cold. 
 The influence of the sea in modifying tem- 
 perature, however, is most potently marked 
 in the summer, when the cooling influences 
 of the ocean attract many summer visitors to 
 the state and give a temporary increase to the 
 population. Watch Hill, Narragansett Pier, 
 and Newport stand out preeminently as 
 summer resorts. The rainfall of the state is 
 ample and is the heaviest along the ocean 
 front, where over 45 inches per year is the 
 average amount (Fig. 72). In the northern 
 part of the state the annual rainfall is from 
 40 to 45 inches ; while the extreme north- 
 western section receives 35 to 40 inches. 
 The rainfall is fairly well distributed through 
 the year, so that the soil is kept moist, and 
 long-continued droughts are not common. 
 
GEOGRAPHY' OF RHODE ISl^AND 
 
 Si 
 
 
 INDUSTRIES 
 
 Agriculture. — Most of the 
 soil in the state is of glacial 
 origin. In the upiaiuis it is 
 of no great thickness, and 
 fre(]uently bare ledges are ex- 
 posed, while o\"er the lowland 
 a greater depth pre\ ails. As 
 there are but small areas of 
 alluvial soil, the greater part 
 of the state has a rather 
 coarse-textured soil. In the 
 uplands the clay, usually in 
 glacial soils, is absent, and 
 the porous and stony char- 
 acter of the soil makes it less 
 valuable than the lowland soil, which contains 
 the clay. According to the soil survey nearly 
 fifty per cent of the state has a light brown 
 sandy loam, the most ot this being too rough 
 and too rock\' for profitable tillage and best 
 suited to forestry or to orcharding. About 
 twenty-one per cent ot the state's area has 
 a mellow brown loam, the most productne 
 soil in the state. 
 
 About two thirds of the area of the state 
 consists of farm land, but only one fourth of 
 the total area consists of improved farm land. 
 It is estimated that about 400 square miles, or 
 thirty-seven per cent of the state, is covered 
 with trees, but the growth is not vigorous 
 and most of the trees are too small for timber. 
 A few patches of pines exist, and cedars fill 
 many of the southern swamps, but most of the 
 forest area is covered with hardwoods. 
 
 Hay is the leading crop of Rhotle Island 
 and potatoes are second in importance. Corn 
 is the most important cereal crop. In the 
 vicinity of the large centers market gardens 
 have sprung up and have been uniformly 
 successful. Providence and the towns in its 
 immediate vicinity offer an extensive market 
 for garden products, and in the southern part 
 of the state the summer resorts make a good 
 demand for vegetables and fruits grown in 
 
 -ife i-,-«;^^P .^jjfesiS 
 
 A market garden near Providence 
 
 the ail|acent areas. I he state is considered a 
 natural orchard area, but only small quanti- 
 ties of fruit are raised. 
 
 1 he most important farm animals of Rhode 
 Island are horses, dairy cattle, and poultry. 
 The large manufacturing centers and summer 
 resorts furnish ready markets for milk, eggs, 
 and poultry. 
 
 Mining. — Ihe \alue of minerals exceeds 
 the \'alue of the agricultural output of the 
 state, but does not ecjual in value the fisheries, 
 fhe most famous product is granite, and 
 Rhode Island stands ninth among the states 
 in granite protluction. I his stone is quarried 
 in main' places, but the real center of the in- 
 dustiA is at Westerly in the southwestern 
 part of the state. The WesterK granite has, 
 because of its fine texture and color, found 
 an extensn e m.irket for monumental work. 
 Coal is mined 111 small amounts on Aquidneck 
 Island, but it is of inferior (juality. 
 
 Fishing. -Narragansett Hay offers a great 
 extent of shallow water which has been used 
 since the foundation of the colony as a fishing 
 ground. Fishing gives occupation to onl\ a 
 very small percentage of the people of the 
 state (one half of one per cent), but the 
 yieUl is worth in money ten times the output 
 of the farms. More than one luilf the \alue 
 
82 
 
 GEOGRAPHY' OF RHODE ISLAND 
 
 of the fisheries comes from shellfish. Rhode points in New England. One line runs from 
 
 Island clams are widely known and its oysters Providence westward into Connecticut, one 
 
 are shipped in great quantities. The OAster extends northwestward to Pascoag and into 
 
 catch is valued at three 
 
 fourths of a mdlion dollars 
 
 per year. Scup, squeteague, 
 
 and lobsters are caught and 
 
 form twenty-five per cent 
 
 of the value of all products 
 
 of this industry. 
 
 Manufacturing. — Rhode 
 Island is above everything 
 else a manufacturing state, 
 about fifty-five per cent of 
 the working population be- 
 ing engaged in this industry. 
 
 The leading manufactur- 
 ing industries of Rhode 
 Island, in order of mipor- 
 tance, are manufacturmg of 
 
 Massachusetts, another runs 
 northwestward to Worces- 
 ter, and another southeast- 
 ward to Fall River and 
 Newport. One of the main 
 railroads of this system 
 connects Providence with 
 Boston and New York. 
 
 From Providence exten- 
 sive trolley lines parallel the 
 railroads and carry on a 
 hea\'y business in both 
 freight and passenger traffic. 
 
 Providence is also the 
 center of a coastwise traffic 
 and is connected by boats 
 with New York and Chesa- 
 
 woolen and worsted goods, cotton manufac- peake Bay. One transatlantic line, the Fabre, 
 
 turing, dyeing and finishing of textiles, and from southern Europe, stops at Providence, 
 
 the making of jewelry. To-day Rhode Island and the state has recently erected a new 
 
 holds first rank among the states in the value state pier in the city in order to extend its 
 
 of jewelry manufactured. The state ranks facilities and attract trade. The bay during 
 
 second in worsted goods, third in dyeing and the summer months is filled with many kinds 
 
 finishing, and fifth in cotton goods. of vessels, and a fleet of steamers plies 
 
 Most of the raw materials for manufactur- between the large resorts. 
 
 ing come from afar. Rhode Island has no 
 gold nor silver mines, no cotton fields, and 
 but few flocks of sheep. It does, however. 
 
 GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATION 
 
 Government. — The settlement of Rhode Is- 
 
 contain a densely settled district of skilled land in somewhat isolated towns developed a 
 artisans. The disadvantage of distance from purely democratic form of government in 
 the sources of raw products is 
 compensated by the abun- 
 dance of skilled labor and by 
 the nearness of markets for 
 the finished products (Fig. 80). 
 Transportation. — All the 
 railroads in Rhode Island be- 
 long to the New York, New 
 Haven, and Hartford Railroad 
 system (Page iv). By these 
 lines Providence is connected 
 with other cities and villages 
 of the state and with other 
 
GEOGRAPHY OF RHODE ISLAND 
 
 83 
 
 which every voter could liave a hearing and a 
 direct vote upon every issue. As soon as 
 the town meeting became unwieldy, because 
 of the mcreasmg size of the town, cities 
 organized under representative government. 
 Groujis of towns and cities are jomed as 
 counties tor the holding ot court sessions onlv. 
 
 The governor of Rhode Island, elected 
 biennially, has less power than is granted 
 governors of other states, inasmuch as the 
 veto power is denied him. The legislature, 
 called the General Assemhlv, is a small bodv ; 
 each town or city has one senator, making 
 thirty-nine, and each has representati\es ac- 
 cording to the population, but the House is 
 limited to a membership of seventy-two. 
 
 Education. — The public schools of Rhode 
 Island consist of elementary schools, high 
 schools, the Rhode Island State Normal 
 School, and the Rhode Island State College. 
 The state board of education and the com- 
 missioner of public schools have general su- 
 pervision of the schools of the state. Some of 
 the best features of the school system of Rhode 
 Island are: the large number of professionally 
 trained teachers, the length ot the school term, 
 evening schools for those who cannot attend 
 day schools, and the introduction of industrial 
 education, including agricultural education. 
 
 The Normal School trains teachers for the 
 schools of the state. The State College offers 
 courses in agriculture, engineering, and other 
 applied sciences. 
 
 Brown University, an endowed institution, 
 is one of the leading universities of the United 
 States. 
 
 POPULATION AND CITIES 
 
 Population. — Rhode Island has a popula- 
 tion of 604,397. Although it is the smallest 
 state in the I'nion, there are ten states 
 with a smaller population. If the people 
 were distributed uniformly o-'er the state, 
 each square mile of area would contain 563 
 persons, and tiiis density of population ex- 
 ceeds that of anv other state of the United 
 
 States. This high density is the result of 
 the concentration of people in manufacturing 
 centers. The six cities of the state contain 
 429,175 persons, or over seventy per cent (A 
 the entire population, and the total number 
 of people in villages and cities ot 2500 in- 
 habitants or more constitutes 96.7 per cent 
 ot the population. 1 his percentage ot urban 
 population is not exceeded by any other state 
 of the Union. Two thirds of the population 
 is native and one third is foreign born. The 
 foreign white stock, including foreign born 
 and those having one or both parents of 
 foreign birth, exceeds two thirds ot the total 
 population. 
 
 Providence, at the head of the Providence 
 River, is the largest city, the capital of the 
 state, and the chief distributing center. It 
 is the second city in size in New England, 
 
 Distribution of population in Rhode Island 
 
84 
 
 GEOGRAPHY OF RHODE ISLAND 
 
 being exceeded by Boston. Providence is 
 primarily a jewelry center. It is also noted 
 for the manufacture of cotton, worsteds, 
 high-grade tools, engmes, and boders. Be- 
 sides being the center of the industrial life, 
 Providence contains the state Capitol, Brown 
 University, and the State Normal School. 
 
 Pawtucket, the second city in population, is at 
 the ht;id i)f the Seekonk River, an arm of 
 Narragansett Bay, and along the lower reaches 
 of the Blackstone River. Cotton and worsted 
 goods and machinery are manufactured. 
 
 Woonsocket, on the Blackstone and bordering 
 Massachusetts, is noted for the manufacture of 
 cotton and rubber goods. 
 
 Newport, once a famous port and the capital of 
 the state, is noted as a summer resort. The 
 
 # 
 
 
 State Capitol, Providence 
 
 United States War College and Naval Training 
 Station is located here. 
 
 Cranston and Central Falls are manufacturing 
 centers. The former is noted for bleaching, dye- 
 ing, and calico printing, and the latter for the 
 manufacture of textiles. 
 
 Cotton goods are manufactured in Lonsdale, 
 Valley Falls, ManviUe, Warren, Warwick, West 
 Warwick, and Westerly. Chemical products are 
 manufactured at East Providence and fish oil and 
 fertilizers at Tiverton. Bristol, noted for ship 
 building, has sent out many " cup defenders." 
 Kingston, in the southern part of the state, is the 
 seat of Rhode Island State College. Block Is- 
 land, Narragansett Pier, Jamestown, and Watch 
 Hill are famous resorts. 
 
 Population of Counties, Cities, and Towns op 
 Rhode Island, igjo 
 
 Bristol County . . 
 
 Barrington 
 
 Bristol .... 
 
 Warren 
 Kent County 
 
 Coventry . 
 
 East Greenwich . 
 
 Warwick . 
 
 West Warwick . 
 
 West CIrccnwich . 
 Newport County . 
 
 Jamestown 
 
 Little Compton . 
 
 Middletown . 
 
 Newport (city) . 
 
 New Shoreliam . 
 
 Portsmouth . 
 
 Tiverton . 
 Providence County 
 
 Burrillville 
 
 Central Falls (city) 
 
 Cranston (city) . 
 The State . . 
 
 23.11,5 
 3.8q7 
 
 11,375 
 7.841 
 
 38,269 
 5.670 
 3,290 
 
 13.481 
 
 IS. 461 
 367 
 
 42.893 
 6.633 
 1.389 
 2,094 
 
 30.255 
 1,028 
 2,590 
 3.894 
 475.190 
 S,6o6 
 
 24.179 
 
 26,407 
 
 Cxmiberland . 
 East Providence . 
 Foster .... 
 Gloucester 
 Johnston . 
 Lincoln 
 
 North Providence 
 North Smithficld 
 Pawtucket (city). 
 Providence (city) 
 Scituate . 
 Smithfield 
 Woonsocket (city) 
 Washington County 
 Charlestown . 
 Exeter .... 
 Hopkinton 
 Narragansett 
 North Kingston . 
 Richmond 
 South Kingston . 
 Westerly . . 
 
 10.077 
 
 21,798 
 
 0C5 
 
 1,389 
 
 6,855 
 
 0,543 
 
 7.647 
 
 3.200 
 
 64.248 
 
 237.595 
 
 3.006 
 
 3.199 
 
 43.496 
 
 24.932 
 
 759 
 
 1,033 
 
 . 2,316 
 
 993 
 
 3.397 
 
 I..?OI 
 
 S.iSr 
 
 9.952 
 
 604.397 
 

 
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