Loading map...

1890 Map of Great Egg Harbor

Name: 1890 Topographic Map of Great Egg Harbor
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1890
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1890

About this map

Mays Landing serves as a focal point for the river-and-rail commerce of late 19th-century southern New Jersey. Situated where the Great Egg Harbor River meets a network of early overland routes, the area shows a distinct transition between the agrarian interior and the salt-marsh economy of the coast. The shoreline is defined by numerous family-named landings, including Wilson's Landing and Gibson's Landing, which point to a period when small-vessel water transport was essential for moving goods through the intricate channels of Lake's Bay and Scull's Bay.

Railways such as the West Jersey Railroad and the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad (Atlantic City Line) crisscross the landscape, linking inland stations like English Creek Station to emerging coastal destinations. Maritime safety and industry are also evident through the presence of a Fish Factory and multiple coastal outposts like Life Saving Station (30) near Ocean City. This survey captures the region just as the railroad was beginning to reshape the traditional riverfront settlements of Atlantic County.