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1900 Map of Raritan

Name: 1900 Topographic Map of Raritan
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1900
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1900

About this map

Lake Hopatcong and the surrounding highlands of Northern New Jersey dominate this late 19th-century landscape, surveyed during a period of significant industrial and transit development. The intricate network of rail lines, including the Central R.R. of N.J. and the Lehigh Valley R.R., crisscrosses a terrain defined by ridges like Schooleys Mountain and Cushetunk Mountain. The map reveals the early industrial footprint of the region, specifically near Mine Hill and the reservoirs supporting local enterprise such as Stanhope Reservoir and Cranberry Reservoir.

Settlement patterns follow the river valleys and rail junctions, from the manufacturing hub at Dover to the agricultural centers of Flemington and Somerville. The topography, documented by George H. Cook and C.C. Vermeule, captures the transition from a water-and-rail economy to a more integrated industrial region. Distinctive landmarks like Picatinny Peak and Chimney Rock provide fixed points for genealogists and local historians tracing property lines and family origins in Morris and Somerset Counties.