The 1860 New Jersey Topographical Map, Introduction
Introduction
Description
The official name of the map is long and descriptive:
Topographical Map of the State of New Jersey Together with the Vicinities of New York and Philadelphia, and with Most of the State of Delaware from the State Geological Survey and the U.S. Coast Survey, and from Surveys by G. Morgan Hopkins, Civil Engineer
The map measures 70.1 x 58.3 inches (or 178.05 x 148.08 centimeters), not counting the frame. Its scale is 1:158,400 or 2 ½ miles to an inch.
The map is important to New Jersey, as well as American history in general, because:
- It was the last state map published prior to the U.S. Civil War.
- It is the last, and arguably most important, work of William Kitchell, the second State Geologist of New Jersey.
- It documents the rare use of a Time Dial on a map to set time, rather than Standard Time (not enacted into law until 1918).
- It provides illustrated views of Camden, Delaware Water Gap, New Brunswick, Newark, Paterson, and Trenton during that time period.
- It documents each road, hill, farm, river, and building in the state, especially within the street map insets of Belvidere, Beverly, Bordentown, Burlington, Camden, Elizabeth, Jersey City/Hoboken, Morristown, Mount Holly, New Brunswick, New Jersey, Newark, Newton, Orange, Paterson, Rahway, Salem, and Trenton.
To view a much larger and more detailed file of the map, click this link:
https://localhistory.chesterlib.org/chesterlibrary/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/1860njtopomapweb.jpg
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Local History Librarian, Chester Public Library, 250 W. Main Street, Chester, NJ 07930.
Exhibit Publication Date: Published in 2013. ©Copyright Chester Public Library 2012
