George Heap

George Heap was an 18th-century American draftsman and engraver best known for his detailed views of colonial American cities, particularly Philadelphia. Though relatively little is known about his life, Heap's work is significant for its early visual documentation of urban development in the American colonies prior to the Revolutionary War.

Heap is best remembered for his collaboration with Nicholas Scull, the Surveyor General of Pennsylvania. Together, they produced “An East Perspective View of the City of Philadelphia”, one of the most iconic panoramic views of the city, originally drawn by Heap and engraved in London by Gerard Vandergucht around 1754. This image offered a bird’s-eye perspective looking westward from the Delaware River and was intended to promote the city as a hub of commerce and order. It is considered one of the earliest and most accurate visual records of Philadelphia in the mid-18th century.

In addition to his drawing and drafting work, Heap is sometimes credited with producing maps and urban surveys, though his known output is limited. He died in 1752, and some of his major projects, including the Philadelphia view, were published posthumously. His drawings were valued by contemporaries for their clarity and attention to architectural and geographic detail, providing an important visual record for both colonial authorities and future historians.