From the early years of the colonization of America, there have been maps. These are generally small, sparsely-detailed, inaccurate maps. In 1812, William Watson of Gloucester County created a map of New Jersey that was highly inaccurate; in some cases, townships are drawn miles away from their actual locations. In 1822, Thomas Gordon was engaged by the state to ­create an official state map. The resulting map, engraved by Henry S. Tanner, was published in 1828 and later revised in 1833 and 1850. Gordon’s map was the first highly detailed map of the State, with great attention paid to roads and the turnpike.

The Kitchell and Hopkins Map
In 1835, Henry D. Rogers was appointed as the first state geologist of New Jersey. He began making a geological survey of the state until 1840, when the project went unfunded for fourteen years. In 1854, William Kitchell was appointed the second state geologist and surveys began anew until 1860, when funding was once again withheld. In addition to defunding the project the state legislature also requested that a new map be drawn. Thus Kitchell, working with Griffith Morgan Hopkins, drew up the new state map, published by H. G. Bond of Philadelphia. This map is distinct because, along with seventeen inset maps, it attempts to show every street in the state. The Kitchell and Hopkins map supplanted the Gordon map as the new standard because of its attention to detail.