1898 Map of Plainfield

About this map

Watchung Mountains define the northern topography of this 19th-century New Jersey landscape, creating a dramatic barrier between the developing rail corridors to the south and the sprawling Great Swamp to the north. Surveyed in 1887, this map illustrates the dense network of townships and early suburban settlements before the mid-century industrial boom. A complex system of transit is visible, dominated by the Central Railroad of New Jersey and the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which facilitated the growth of places like Scotch Plains and Summit.