Here are three maps that continue the story of the development of the Hopewell Valley road network.
The 1920s N. J. State Road Maps show the original route of our Route 31 (previously Route 69) – directly through downtown Pennington and then forking at Marshall’s Corner.
The 1962 Hopewell Township Road Map then shows roads in the process of being expanded and upgraded – from unimproved to improved township roads, and then to county and state highways.
- See the earlier post on 1961 and 1969 Road Maps that highlight the name change of Route 69 to Route 31, and show several proposed routes for I-95 though our area.
1924 & 1926 Hopewell Township Road Maps
The 1924 and 1926 N. J. State Maps were prepared by the State Highway Commission to show “State Highway Routes and other principal roads.” The 1926 map is courtesy of Rich Anderson, and has been used – you can see the fold marks and wear.
Comparing the Hopewell Township sections of the two maps, the 1924 map is much simpler, focusing on the major roads between towns, with mileage, while the 1926 map adds significantly more detail on secondary roads and additional towns, plus the railroad line.
Both maps show the original route of our Route 31 (previously Route 69). It goes directly through downtown Pennington (i.e., before the current circle and bypass were built), and then continues north and forks at Marshall’s Corner, going northeast to Hopewell and northwest to Woodsville and Ringoes (before the new route that went more directly north).
These maps fold up to a familiar 7 1/2 x 4 inch size, and unfold to contain a full N. J. road map on one side. The other side has details on the state highways – lists of routes, photos of roads, types of signs, and a map of major metropolitan roads around New York. The 1926 map also adds a table of mileages and a map of the major highways (with the thickness showing the volume of usage).
These maps are posted in several versions – scans of the full maps as PDF files, with both sides and sections as separate pages, plus extracts of the greater Mercer County and Hopewell Township areas as separate image files for more convenient browsing.
- Browse the full set of 1924 & 1926 Hopewell Township maps in the Map Collection
- Explore the 1924 Hopewell Township Road Map in the Pan/Zoom Viewer
- Explore the 1926 Hopewell Township Road Map in the Pan/Zoom Viewer
1962 Hopewell Township Road Map
The Hopewell Township Road Map is a 1962 update of a 1953 map prepared by the Township of Hopewell showing the “status of roads,” provided courtesy of Roger Labaw. Roads and streets are identified in five categories – State and County highways, Improved and Unimproved Township roads and streets, and Undeveloped streets that were shown on filed plans.
For example, Route 69 (later Route 31) is shown as a state highway up from Ewing to Amwell, but part of the new bypass around Pennington still is an unimproved township road. Route 29 along the Delaware is the other state highway.
The county highway network is fairly complete and consistent, but with some pieces turning into unimproved township roads at Acers Corner and Harbourton.
Meanwhile, most of the local roads in Pennington and Hopewell are unimproved township roads, while Titusville and “Washingtons Crossing” have mostly improved roads.
- Explore the 1962 Hopewell Township Road Map in the Pan/Zoom Viewer
What other changes do you notice about these maps?
Do you have similar road maps from other years that you can share to show changes in our roads?
More on Local Road Maps and Travel
Posts on local road maps and travel guides showing the development of the road infrastructure in the Hopewell Area.
- 1924 A.L.A. Automobile Green Book – Early touring guide with maps, travel information, and directions
- 1932 N. J. Driver’s Test Brochure – Q&A on traffic laws
- 1920s and 1962 Hopewell Road Maps – State and Township maps showing the original route of our Route 31 – through Pennington and forking at Marshall’s Corner
- Hopewell Valley Changes – 1962 & 1972 Road Maps – Township maps showing roads from new developments
- 1960s Hopewell Maps with Route 69 and I-95 – Esso maps showing the predecessor to our Route 31, and the plans for routing I-95 through the Hopewell Valley
