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1940 Map of Ramsey

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Ramsey
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

Campgaw Mountain and the surrounding ridgelines of the New York-New Jersey border dominate this 1940 edition, showing the transition from the wooded Ramapo Mountains to the burgeoning suburbs of Bergen County. The Erie railroad corridor serves as the primary spine for development, linking established communities like Ramsey and Mahwah. Between the hills, the Ramapo River snakes through the valley, while the uplands are dotted with early 20th-century institutions such as the Immaculate Conception Seminary and the Don Bosco Institute.

Genealogists and local historians can trace the evolution of residential enclaves like Cragmere Park and Skylands, as well as numerous private camps including Camp Yaw-Paw and Camp Tamarack. The landscape is notably defined by its many water bodies, from the Havemeyer Reservoir to the series of ponds in Franklin Lakes, reflecting an era before post-war suburbanization fully leveled the varied terrain of the Piedmont.