1906 Map of Princeton

About this map

The Delaware and Raritan Canal carves a critical industrial path through this landscape, paralleling the Millstone River as it winds northward past Griggstown and Blackwells Mills. At the heart of the region, Princeton is a center of gravity surrounded by an intricate web of transportation, where the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New Jersey Electric Traction line intersect the local geography. Small agricultural and commuter hubs like Rocky Hill, Monmouth Junction, and Belle Mead are firmly established, linked by a dense network of watercourses including Stony Brook and Beden Brook. The map reveals a highly developed corridor of early 20th-century New Jersey, transitioning from the elevation of the Sand Hills to the lowlands near Pigeon Swamp. Local history is embedded in the numerous smaller settlements such as Plainsboro and Skillman, reflecting a period of significant growth at the junction of Somerset, Mercer, and Middlesex counties.