1955 Map of Plainfield

About this map

Watchung Mountain and its prominent Washington Rock State Park loom over a landscape defined by rapid mid-century suburban expansion and industrial transport corridors. The southern portion of the map is dominated by the US Military Reservation Camp Kilmer, a significant World War II-era staging area still clearly outlined by its sprawling grid and rail spurs near Stelton. This survey captures the dense network of rails that fueled the region's growth, including the Lehigh Valley RR and Reading RR intersecting at South Plainfield. Local life is visible through numerous neighborhood institutions like Sacred Heart Sch and the Plainfield Country Club. Small, historically distinct settlements such as Pumptown, Possumtown, and Newtown appear between the larger residential blocks of North Plainfield and Metuchen, while the Raritan River and Raritan Canal trace the southern boundary.