1859 Gaston Wall Map of New Jersey

A previously uncatalogued and impressively detailed 1859 Samuel N. Gaston wall map of New Jersey. Covering the entirety of New Jersey along with parts of New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, Gaston's map fills an essential gap in New Jersey cartography between the Squire map of 1836 and the Kitchell map of 1860. Black lines representing the state's growing road and railroad network stand in stark contrast against this patchwork of brilliant color. Railroads, a relatively new phenomenon, cross the state in every direction, with the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, New Jersey Railroad, and New Jersey Central Railroad among them. The proposed New York and Norfolk Railroad stands as it is illustrated by a surprisingly straight line through a large portion of eastern New Jersey.

Wall Map of New Jersey

When compared with other large-format maps of New Jersey, Gaston's map holds its own. While not as comprehensive or detailed as Kitchell's 1860 work, changes in southern New Jersey, particularly with respect to roads, transportation networks, and other areas of development, are striking in contrast to earlier maps, such as the 1836 Bela S. Squire, Squire's Map of New Jersey. Despite its obvious advances, within a year, Gaston's map would become obsolete, eclipsed by Kitchell's seminal work. This fact also may explain the Gaston map's exceptional rarity.

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn by Charles W. Morse and published by Samuel M. Gaston in 1859. This is the only known surviving example.