Plainfield, New Jersey 1874

Includes key on title page and "Guide map of the city of Plainfield, New Jersey, Union Co., N.J." sheet coverage key followed by 9 pages of fire insurance maps.; "Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1874 by William A. Miller in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington."This insurance atlas of Plainfield, New Jersey was prepared for and submitted to the Librarian of Congress by William A. Miller. The atlas, like the more famous Sanborn fire insurance maps, includes a key with indications of building materials and other important features. The nine pages of maps included in the atlas cover neighborhoods, industrial complexes, and waterways throughout the city. These maps would have been used by fire insurance companies to assess potential fire risks in the city and to determine insurance rates for business and homeowners. Plainfield, New Jersey was built as part of the effort to establish the Central Railroad of New Jersey. The town originally had five CNJ train stations—one of the depots can be seen on map sheet 10—but only two remain in operation today. Besides its obvious function as a station town, Plainfield also gained a reputation as the “Colorado of the East”; its dry climate made it a popular destination for anyone with respiratory problems. Because of the comparison to Denver, Colorado made by Thomas W. Morrison in 1886, Plainfield was given the nickname “The Queen City” in honor of Colorado’s own Queen City. In 1984, Plainfield Station was added to the state and federal registers of historic places. LPM.Color