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History · Narragansett Pier

Narragansett Pier’s post office opened in 1867, and 27% of its homes were built before 1940

11 places in town are on the National Register. Below: 12 old photos and papers and maps from 1884 on.

1867first post office
11on the National Register
27%homes built before 1940
12old photos & papers
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Narragansett Pier’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Narragansett Pier began

When was Narragansett Pier founded?

1867

The Narragansett Pier post office opened in 1867, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 3,308159 years
Founding year: the first Narragansett Pier post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).

What stands out about Narragansett Pier’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

On the map since 18898 editions of the USGS map, 1889 to 1970. Watch Narragansett Pier change.Mapped building by building7 fire insurance maps, 1884 to 1921, drew every building in Narragansett Pier.Landmarks on the Register11 places on the National Register.A town in old photos12 old photos, postcards and papers, 1871–1899.
★ What stands out · On the map

Narragansett Pier on the map, 1889 to 1970

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Narragansett Pier. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Narragansett Pier on the 1889 USGS mapNarragansett Pier on the 1894 USGS mapNarragansett Pier on the 1904 USGS mapNarragansett Pier on the 1920 USGS mapNarragansett Pier on the 1931 USGS mapNarragansett Pier on the 1942 USGS mapNarragansett Pier on the 1957 USGS mapNarragansett Pier on the 1970 USGS map1889Newport sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Narragansett Pier.

Every building

Narragansett Pier, building by building, 1884–1921

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Narragansett Pier fire insurance map, 1884, sheet 11884Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

On the National Register

11 listings protect 142 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
11
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
142
each building in a district counts

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

The story so far

Narragansett Pier, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Narragansett Pier yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Narragansett Pier is an unincorporated village and a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Narragansett, Rhode Island, United States. As of the 2020 census, Narragansett Pier had a population of 3,308. It is named after the Narrangansett nation.

Its first post office opened in 1867. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 3,409 to 3,308 (-3%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

Timeline

Narragansett Pier, 1871 to 1890

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1871In the archiveNarragansett Pier title QS:P1476,en:"Narragansett Pier "label QS:Len,"Narragansett Pier "
  3. 1880In the archiveNarragansett Beach
  4. 1889On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 1890In the archiveNarragansett Pier, R. I
  6. 1890Born hereLincoln MacVeagh is born here
By decade

Narragansett Pier, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1870s to the 1890s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1870s–1880s5 items
Narragansett Pier title QS:P1476,en:"Narragansett Pier "label QS:Len,"Narragansett Pier "1871Narragansett Pier title QS:P1476,en:"Narragansett Pie…NPRR track near South Pier in Narragansett1876NPRR track near South Pier in NarragansettPostcardNarragansett Beach1880Narragansett BeachOcean road1880Ocean roadMathewson Hotel (New Mathewson)1880Mathewson Hotel (New Mathewson)
1890s7 items
Narragansett Pier, R. I1890Narragansett Pier, R. INarragansett Pier, R.I., bathing beach1890Narragansett Pier, R.I., bathing beachThe Casino1890The CasinoDetroit Photographic Company (0769)1897–1924Detroit Photographic Company (0769)Narragansett Pier, R.I1899Narragansett Pier, R.IThe Casino1899The CasinoThe Casino1899The Casino
1900s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Narragansett Pier title QS:P1476,en:"Narragansett Pier "label QS:Len,"Narragansett Pier "
Retake this viewNarragansett Pier title QS:P1476,en:"Narragansett Pier "label QS:Len,"Narragansett Pier ", 1871

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Narragansett Pier’s page.

Retake this view · +15
Help out

Finish Narragansett Pier’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewNarragansett Pier title QS:P1476,en:"Na…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Narragansett15 historic placesA−South Kingstown25 historic placesAWakefield-Peace Dale5 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Narragansett Pier’s history

What year was Narragansett Pier founded?

The Narragansett Pier post office opened in 1867, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (3), the Library of Congress (9), Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.