1898 Map of Philadelphia

About this map

The Delaware River serves as the central artery for this late-19th-century study, dividing the industrial grid of Philadelphia from the burgeoning rail towns of New Jersey. The riverfront is defined by significant maritime and military installations, including the U. S. Navy Yard on League Id. and the defensive works at Fort Mifflin. Inland, the landscape reveals a transition from the dense urban wards of Overbrook and Paschallville to the sprawling parklands of Fairmount Park. Across the water, the interconnected rail networks of the Pennsylvania R. R. and various Atlantic City divisions facilitate the growth of Camden-area communities such as Pavonia, Cramer Hill, and Merchantville. The survey captures a high-water mark of Victorian-era infrastructure, where established settlements like Haddington and Angora are linked by an intricate web of steam railroads and river ferries.