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1955 Map of Chatham

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Chatham
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Chatham and the surrounding suburban corridors of Northern New Jersey are caught in a period of significant postwar expansion in this mid-century survey. While established centers like Summit and Madison show dense residential patterns, the purple-tinted revisions indicate rapid urban extension into previously wooded areas. The landscape is defined by the prominent Watchung Mountains and the winding Passaic River, which separates Morris and Somerset counties.

Institutional and community landmarks are remarkably detailed, from the St Josephs Shrine near Stirling to the social organization of Free Acres. Transport remains tied to the Erie Lackawanna and Central Railroad of New Jersey, which fueled the growth of commuter towns like New Providence and Berkeley Heights. Educational and religious sites, such as St Marys Academy and the Washington Ave School, provide essential data points for genealogists tracing mid-century family life in this developing region.