Narragansett Bay

Rhode Island, the Ocean State, consists of only 1,200 square miles, and one-quarter of the state is tidewater. With over 350 miles of coastline, a third of the citizens live within a mile of the seashore. The Narragansett Bay, spanning 102 square miles, is the heart of the state. From the early 19th to the mid-20th century, the shell and finfish industries flourished within the bay. Amusement parks and seaside dining halls sprang up on both sides. Beaches catered to Victorian ladies and gen...