Joseph Wharton Water Supply Proposal Map - 1891

[NMuscella]

I figure many of you will find this map of interest,

This is a map of Joseph Wharton's intended plan to dam up many of the rivers and lakes under his control in his "Wharton Tract." The red lines mark out a system of canals and piping that would be used to ship the natural water into the cities of Philadelphia & Camden. Luckily this plan never came to fruition. But if it had, the Pine Barrens we know today would look almost unrecognizable! Many of the towns and recreational areas we love to visit today would be completely underwater!

Kind regards,
Nick

 

[martink]

I figure many of you will find this map of interest,

This is a map of Joseph Wharton's intended plan to dam up many of the rivers and lakes under his control in his "Wharton Tract." The red lines mark out a system of canals and piping that would be used to ship the natural water into the cities of Philadelphia & Camden. Luckily this plan never came to fruition. But if it had, the Pine Barrens we know today would look almost unrecognizable! Many of the towns and recreational areas we love to visit today would be completely underwater!

Kind regards,
Nick

View attachment 24773View attachment 24774

Thanks for sharing. I’ve studied the blown-up version in the Batsto Visitor’s Center. I know a couple of spots where a road would pass by one of these lakes and occasionally look over to imagine what the lake would look like.

 

[RednekF350]

Wow! Thanks for sharing this, it is fascinating.

While I knew the story of Joseph Wharton and his plans to corral the water in the Pines and divert it to Philadelphia, the map illustrates the scope of such a mammoth project. Had it come to fruition, I'd be sitting on some lakefront property right now. And, the city folks in Philly wouldn't be drinking bleached water from the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers.

 

[bobpbx]

All along I thought he'd be pumping the water out of the aquifer. Come to think about it, I wonder how many tributaries of Wading and perhaps others such as the Oswego currently under water used to grow cranberry.