Map Research & Archives: Sharing Local History with Maps
Researching Local History with Maps
As a historian, I believe maps are one of the greatest sources of information, capturing a time and place. We use these maps to research history and find buildings, families, farms, or streets. We often compare those historic maps to current maps. Then, we go on a journey to find that actual location today. Once in a while, we take our research and create maps to give perspective. #readytoremember.
Want a Historic Map of one of 5 towns in the Somerset Hills? Click one of the maps below to find out how to get one.
MLH Get a Map Program. Free with every donation. Learn More
Mr Local History Google Research Maps
Mr Local History Interactive Google Maps
Check out our research, which includes digital maps. (Over 30 maps) – Diner History, Hamburger history, and all kinds of other maps tied to our research
Morristown 1779 – Robert Erskine, F. R. S., the Surveyor-General of the Continental Army
1888 – New Jersey Relief Map – The New Jersey Geological Survey “Historical Maps” page: “New Jersey Relief Map, 1888, 1889, 1892” — they note that the maps have been scanned in TIFF format – Various Maps in this collection. – NJ DEP Click Here
1850 – SOMERSET COUNTY – – Contributor: Otley, J. W. – Keily, James – Smith, Robert Pearsall – Van Derveer, Lloyd
1850 – Somerset County – Color – Relief shown by hachures. Plan of Somerville. Includes names of property owners and 7 views. LC Land ownership maps are available also through the Library of Congress website as a raster image, and zooms in very well on the Library of Congress website.
1850 Map of Somerset County, New Jersey: entirely from original surveys- Published by Lloyd Van Derveer, surveyor, 1850. Zooms in well. Used for Coffee House in Madisonville section of Basking Ridge.
1766 – Plan of Somerset County in the province of New Jersey: Copied from the original by Lieut. I. Hills, asst. engr. / surveyed by Benjamin Morgan.
John Smith Map Collection (Historic Recreations) List of Available Maps covering areas from 1700-1900, including: Somerset Hills, Bernards Township, Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner, Bedminster, Pluckemin, Bernardsville, including Bernardsville Center, and more. Click Here for Information
Digital Maps – Basking Ridge/Bernards Township/ Bernardsville
Do you have a map you’d like to share? Let us know.
MLHP Research with Maps (Typically Google Digital Interactive Maps)
There is a wealth of history to be learned from a map. We have historic maps and interactive maps embedded in many of our stories, and we try to list that research here. If you’re looking for something specific, try our search feature.
The 2025 Fall Foliage Map is the ultimate visual planning guide to the annual progression of leaf change. While no tool can be 100% accurate, this tool is designed to help travelers… Read More »Day Trips – Four Historic New Jersey Fall Locations…
General Washington, the Continental Army, and General Lord Stirling of Basking Ridge drew inspiration from history and created a sophisticated communications network to track the British movement. They were called… Read More »Lord Stirling’s Rev War Beacon Signal Towers
I’ve been creating a series of memories and researching the history of Lake Naomi, Pocono Pines, and the greater Pocono Mountains area. While some call me a historian, I’m more… Read More »Pocono Pines and Lake Naomi Area – Map Collection…
Start This Journey with 2 minutes of #burgerporn. Enjoy as we did! Who doesn’t love a good burger? Ah, yes, even the statement opens the door for interpretation. How big,… Read More »The History of Burgers and Mapping the Best Burgers…
UPDATE:Another Dayton family discussion came up…. we couldn’t refuse the query. MLH Introduces Ezra Dayton and the Dayton Families The name “Mount Airy” first appears in printed atlases and maps… Read More »Bernardsville’s Lost Dayton Home, Orchards and Mount Airy Nursery
Some called him William, others called him General. Some even called him Lord Stirling. Whatever you called him, William Alexander, aka Lord Stirling, was one of the most interesting people… Read More »Lord Stirling Deep Dive Series
Featured individuals include longtime resident and historian Ruth Thomson (with ties to the Peapack-Gladstone area) and her son, Barry Thomson, along with other local history advocates dedicated to preserving the region’s cultural… Read More »Meet the Historians Series
April 14th is National Garden Day, so make sure you get out there and enjoy our Garden State’s beauty (and history) While the Mr. Local History Project typically focuses on… Read More »Garden State’s Top Historic Gardens and Estates
The MLH Project is proud to be the exclusive reseller of the New Jersey Historic Wooden Keepsake Collection, created by the world-famous Cat’s Meow Village. Made in the USA!!! NEW… Read More »The New Jersey Historic Wooden Village Keepsake Collection Keeps…
Starting in 1836 in Paterson, New Jersey, Samuel Colt’s revolver is one of the 10 most influential inventions EVER produced. The Colt Paterson revolver was the first practical revolving-cylinder handgun, and it… Read More »Col. Samuel Colt Got His Start in Paterson, New…
Isn’t it interesting how history becomes a part of history? Take, for example, pay phones. When you were using them, you never thought about it, and then they’re gone and… Read More »Jersey’s History with Bar Room Shuffleboard
Sir Francis Bernard’s Legacy Carries On as Towns Honor the Royal Governor of New Jersey and Massachusetts In 1758, Francis Bernard, originally from Lincolnshire, England, was appointed Governor of the… Read More »Sir Francis Bernard Honored With American Town Names
As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn stories and are sent photos from our community. We will continue to expand this piece as… Read More »Retrospective: Building AT&T Headquarters Basking Ridge
Maybe we’re taking this too seriously, but we’ve been searching for bakeries serving New Jersey’s best crumb cake. If you’re not a fan of the cake, you might want to… Read More »Best Crumb Cake in New Jersey – Discuss Now
Distilling in Central New Jersey New Jersey has a deep history of distilling spirits that goes back to colonial times. The Somerset Hills is an area in central New Jersey’s… Read More »New Jersey Hills are Alive with Distilling History
NOTE: As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn stories and are sent photos from our community. We will continue to grow this piece… Read More »Where is West Millington, Lyons and Madisonville Sections of…
New Jersey holds a central place in the story of American independence, earning its nickname “The Crossroads of the American Revolution” due to the pivotal events that unfolded across its… Read More »America 250 Series
There is a wealth of history to be learned from a cemetery. We have a rich genealogy embedded in many of our stories, and we strive to describe other facts,… Read More »Local Cemetery History Research
There is a wealth of history to be learned from a map. We have historic maps and interactive maps embedded in many of our stories, and we try to list… Read More »Maps That Share Our Research – Mr. Local History…
Tucked in the northernmost section of Bernards Township, New Jersey, along the Passaic River lies a small historic district. If you drive through it, you’ll notice the area’s rich history,… Read More »Franklin Corners and William Childs Williamsburg-esqe Vision
Many people have asked why you post all this history stuff on the area you’re calling the Somerset Hills. Well, call it passion. Call it intrigue. Call it local awareness.… Read More »Grand Mansions and Historic Estates Mapped in New Jersey’s…
Bernards Twp. 2025 Charter Day is A MEMORYBut You’re Early for 2026 🙂 Weather Forecast Stop by the Mr. Local History Booth #89 on Henry Street Just outside the Washington… Read More »Bernards Township Charter Day Streetfair Memories
Interactive map showcases Bernards Township development history. Source: Mr. Local History Bernards Township has a long history of being a sleepy rural town. Then, the US built the Lyons VA,… Read More »History of Housing Developments in Bernards Township
Quick History – Irish Immigration to New Jersey By the mid-19th century, Irish immigration from Ireland to the United States surged, mainly due to the Great Irish Famine (1845-1852), which… Read More »Gotta Love the Irish in Jersey – The History…
Want to go to the #Daytona500 Speedweeks and feel like you know where to go? Here’s 20 years of experience all in one place where we’ve highlighted the top 15 Daytona spots to hit during Speedweeks. We’ve loaded THE BEST.
The term “dive bar” originated in the United States in the 1880s and was initially used as a derogatory term. It referred to drinking establishments often located in basements or below street… Read More »There’s a lot of History in These 100+ Jersey…
The MLH Project is proud to be the exclusive reseller of the New Jersey Historic Wooden Keepsake Collection, created by the world-famous Cat’s Meow Village. Made in the USA!!! The… Read More »The Exclusive New Jersey Historic Wooden Village Keepsake Collection
People keep asking us why a non-profit is dedicated to researching New Jersey history and building food maps. The short answer is that history has what we call threads. We… Read More »Finding New Jersey’s Giant Pizzas
Many critics say New Jersey might have the best pizza places in America. Being from New Jersey, we can’t disagree. Why there would be any Dominos, Pizza Huts or Pappa… Read More »VOTE for Jersey’s #1 Pizza Place
As a huge motorsports fan, this topic came up with a few of our researchers who can’t let it go! While the Mr. Local History Project normally focuses on New… Read More »Lost Motorsport Board Tracks Across America – Mapping Them…
This is a tale about auto racing legends of the early 1920s, known as daredevils and speed freaks, who traveled to a tiny new track built outside New York City… Read More »1928 – Woodbridge Speedway – World’s Fastest 1/2 Mile…
Believe it or not, the dead are alive in central New Jersey, especially in northern Somerset County. The question is not whether they are real or not, but rather whether… Read More »Haunted Tales From Central New Jersey #3
Congratulations, Basking Ridge and Bernardsville, on being the foundation for the New Jersey Historical Wooden Village collection, a group of over 40 Jersey collectibles. Each keepsake brings awareness to historic… Read More »Bernards Township/Bernardsville Historic Wooden Village Keepsake Collectibles
IF you build it, they will come. Sorry, we love maps and use them for our research all the time. Could be a cartoon map or a map from 1750, we have an entire map collection cause they tie back to history. Go for it.
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IF you build it, they will come. Sorry, we love maps and use them for our research all the time. Could be a cartoon map or a map from 1750, we have an entire map collection cause they tie back to history. Go for it.