I have been noting the continual reference to the use of the most recent quad maps on explorations, with occasional reference to the older maps such as Cook's from the 1880's (I think). Now since I have been a map collector since childhood when you could get free road maps from gas stations, and apparently some others of you have admited to having similar interests now, I thought I might refer y'all to a book published in 1973 (but is currently out of print). It is called The Mapping of New Jersey - The Men and the Art by John P. Snyder, and published by Rutgers University Press. Using Google, I was referred to Amazon.com which showed a price of $20 new, but that was way incorrect. Further down on their site and on other similar sites there were offers of used copies for close to $100. Perhaps they can be obtained cheaper than that, and I'm sure some of you hip online shoppers would find that true. The book has descriptions and illustrations of probably close to 100 old maps, dating back into the 1600's.
My primary reason for digging this book out of its secretive hiding place was to verify what I knew to be true concerning the Lawrence line separating East and West Jersey back in Colonial times. Shortly (?) after that line was established, the surveyor general of East Jersey, George Keith, was commissioned to lay out the line, only in reality to establish a new course a few degrees to the west but starting from the same point near the southern tip of Ocean County. This was done in 1687, and the result appears on all maps of New Jersey showing county boundaries. This line separates Ocean and Monmouth from Burlington, then goes through Mercer where it is the dividing line between several townships, and finally splits Hunterdon from Somerset. Keith ended it at the south branch of the Raritan River, but it was later redirected somewhat easterly toward its eventual terminus at the New York line. My interest in this resulted from the recent story on attempts at locating mile stones delineating the Lawrence line, but I was quite surprised that there was no reference made to Keith's line. Incidentally, the Lawrence line actually wasn't laid out until 1743, and its main purpose affects deeds to private property.
There is an interesting section near the back of the book covering a complete listing of New Jersey Geological Survey Maps (Appendix C) and U.S. Geological Survey Maps of New Jersey (Appendix D). In the state series there are named sheets (1 thru 17), complete with dates of the various issues (1884 thru 1902); and also numbered sheets in a grid pattern (21 thru 37), with issues shown dated from 1903 to 1970. Both sets had a scale of 1 inch equals 1 mile. In addition, there is a very scattered set of 1:24000 named sheets, only 24 altogether, mostly in North Jersey and the Monmouth coastline, but a block of four in and near Camden. The listed U.S. topo sheets are the familar 7.5', 15' and 30' maps with which we are more familiar. Finally, Appendix A has a listing of all known state and county maps and atlases issued prior to 1910.
I was tempted to scan and post copies of some of the old maps from the Snyder book, but was reluctant to do so because of possible copyright issues. Incidentally, this man earlier authored another interesting book on the history of county and municipal boundaries, but I don't recall the title.
