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1955 Map of Chatham

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Chatham
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Great Swamp dominates the western landscape of this mid-century survey, bordered by the established communities of New Vernon and Green Village. To the east, the terrain shifts dramatically as it rises into the Watchung Mountains, specifically First Mountain and Second Mountain. This geography dictated the region's development, forcing transportation and industry into the valleys between the ridges. The Passaic River snakes through the center, paralleled by the Delaware Lackawanna and Western RR, which connects the growing residential hubs of Chatham, New Providence, and Berkeley Heights.

Institutional presence is significant across the ridges, from the Mt St Marys Academy overlooking North Plainfield to the John E Runnells Hospital situated within the Watchung Reservation. The map captures a moment of post-war suburban transition, where older landmarks like the St Josephs Shrine and several golf courses such as Netherwood Golf Course sit alongside expanding street grids in Plainfield and Scotch Plains.