Blog · October 14, 2026 · Rhode Island
Washington County Plat Book in Rhode Island
What a Washington County plat book is, where to find one around Narragansett, and the free map that covers the gaps.
Main page: Washington County, RI GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Washington County facts and neighboring maps).
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Old copies of the Washington County plat book turn up at auctions and in kitchen drawers around North Kingstown, and new ones are harder to track down. Below is how to track one down for Washington County, RI, and what the online map does better.
Plat books vs. recorded plats in Washington County
Think of the Washington County plat book as a bound, printed version of ownership: township pages, owner names on each tract, and road maps for places like Exeter. Deeds and recorded plats, not the atlas, still govern land near Carolina in the county.
Finding the tract on the Washington County map
For Washington County, the free public parcel layer is state-run: open the RIGIS statewide Tax Parcels layer in ArcGIS Map Viewer and pan to Exeter. Most people find their Washington County tract fastest by searching an address in Exeter, then clicking the outline. For a backup route to the map covering Exeter, our Washington County directory entry keeps the link current.
Finding a printed Washington County plat book
Private publishers have printed plat books for many rural counties, but editions for Washington County come and go; check at the courthouse, the extension office or a farm supply store in North Kingstown. An old atlas can help trace when a tract close to Exeter split off from a larger farm.
Atlas details and limits
Plat book pages for Washington County usually include an index of owners, so you can find a family name near Narragansett without knowing the township. Acreage printed in a county atlas is rough; the deed and a licensed survey decide the real figure for a tract close to Narragansett. If you use a plat book for hunting permission near Charlestown, recheck the landowner on the county map first.
Old atlases and family history in Washington County
Names in an older Washington County atlas can lead you to the right deed in the grantor-grantee index for land near Carolina. If you cannot find a printed edition, a screenshot of each township from the county map makes a serviceable homemade atlas for the area around North Kingstown.
Work and land use in Washington County
Washington County's 2022 business count was 3,753 establishments, with construction, retail trade, and accommodation and food services the largest groups. Textile mills and fishing, hunting and trapping make up an above-average share of Washington County businesses, a clue to how land around Exeter gets used.
From Charlestown to the back roads
Smaller places such as Ashaway, Bradford, and Carolina appear on the county map as little clusters of lots. Census Bureau estimates put Washington County at about 129,982 residents in 2023 on about 329 square miles of land. Subdivision lots dominate the county map around New Shoreham, and open tracts are scarce.
Near the Washington County line
Near the edge of the county, check the next map over: New London County, CT, Suffolk County, NY, Kent County, and Newport County all border it. Every map bordering Washington County is listed on our Rhode Island directory.
Using the Washington County map as a modern plat book
For current ownership, the free RIGIS statewide Tax Parcels layer in ArcGIS Map Viewer beats any printed book: owners update as deeds are processed, and you can click any tract close to North Kingstown. Print a screenshot of the tracts around North Kingstown if you want a paper copy in the truck.
Quick answers for Washington County
Can I use a plat book to find lot lines near Hopkinton?
It lists rough ownership blocks; for lines near Hopkinton, use recorded plats and surveys.
Are older plat books for Washington County, Rhode Island online?
Check the library in Hopkinton, local historical groups and estate sales for older Washington County editions.
Is a plat book the same as a recorded plat for a lot in Hopkinton?
No; a lot in Hopkinton answers to its recorded plat, and the county atlas is a reference, nothing more.
Is the Washington County, Rhode Island online map better than a plat book?
For current owners near North Kingstown, yes; the RIGIS statewide Tax Parcels layer in ArcGIS Map Viewer updates as deeds are processed.
Can I buy a new plat book for Washington County, Rhode Island?
It depends on whether a publisher has a county edition in print; local offices in Hopkinton usually know.
Open the official Washington County, RI parcel map Washington County in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.