All-in-one Large Old Street Map Of Boston By Walker, 1905: Boston Common, Harvard, Charles River, Back Bay With A 90% Price Cut [X1RlodDH]

Step into the urban tapestry of early 20th-century Boston with "Boston and Surroundings," an exquisitely detailed city street map published by the renowned George H. Walker & Co. in 1905. This map offers a rare and immersive glimpse into Boston at a time of dynamic growth and transformation, capturing not only the city’s intricate street grid but also its relationship with the surrounding municipalities of Milton, Quincy, Dedham, Malden, Revere, Brighton, and Watertown. The map’s meticulous cartography is a testament to Walker’s commitment to accuracy and artistry, providing both a practical guide for contemporary users and a historical artifact for modern collectors.

The map’s coverage is remarkable in its breadth, spanning the heart of Boston and radiating outward to encompass the city’s vibrant neighborhoods and significant suburbs. It traces the evolution of Boston’s urban core, from the bustling streets of Downtown and Back Bay to the leafy expanses of Jamaica Plain and the emerging communities of Brighton and Watertown. Each neighborhood is rendered with precision, inviting viewers to trace the development of iconic districts and the connections between them—a visual chronicle of Boston’s expansion in the years before the automobile and subway would reshape its urban landscape.

Among the map’s most captivating features are its depictions of Boston’s celebrated parks and public spaces. The Boston Common and Public Garden, nestled in the city’s center, are clearly marked, as are the verdant stretches of Franklin Park and the Arnold Arboretum in the south. The Back Bay Fens and Jamaica Pond offer further evidence of the city’s commitment to green spaces, reflecting the influence of Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace park system. These landmarks, alongside the meandering Charles and Mystic Rivers and the iconic Boston Harbor, provide a lush counterpoint to the city’s dense urban fabric and underscore the importance of nature in Boston’s civic identity.

Landmarks of learning and culture are also prominently featured, including Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in neighboring Cambridge. The Boston Public Library, a beacon of knowledge near Copley Square, is clearly labelled, as are important cemeteries like Mount Auburn. These institutions, along with the city’s historic thoroughfares—Beacon Street, Commonwealth Avenue, Tremont Street, and Washington Street, to name a few—anchor the map in the intellectual and social life of early 20th-century Boston. The inclusion of major rivers, harbor areas, and the city’s evolving transportation network further enriches the historical narrative captured by this map.

George H. Walker & Co., the map’s publisher, was celebrated for producing some of the most accurate and aesthetically refined maps of the era. Their expertise is evident in the clarity, detail, and artistry of "Boston and Surroundings." This map stands as a vital document of Boston’s past, offering historians, collectors, and enthusiasts an unparalleled window into the city’s geography, infrastructure, and daily life at a pivotal moment in its history. Whether displayed as a statement piece or studied for its urban insights, this map is both a work of art and a portal to the Boston of 1905.

Streets and roads on this map

• Adams Street
• Beacon Street
• Blue Hill Avenue
• Boylston Street
• Broadway
• Cambridge Street
• Centre Street
• Charles Street
• Columbus Avenue
• Commonwealth Avenue
• Concord Avenue
• Court Street
• Dartmouth Street
• Dorchester Avenue
• Dudley Street
• Essex Street
• Hanover Street
• Harvard Street
• Huntington Avenue
• Massachusetts Avenue
• Milk Street
• Morton Street
• Mount Auburn Street
• Newbury Street
• School Street
• Shawmut Avenue
• Summer Street
• Tremont Street
• Washington Street
• Western Avenue

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Boston Common (large central park)
• Public Garden (adjacent to Boston Common)
• Franklin Park (large park in southern Boston)
• Arnold Arboretum (noted green space in Jamaica Plain)
• Charles River (major river bordering Boston and Cambridge)
• Mystic River (northern boundary river)
• Boston Harbor (waterfront and harbor area)
• Back Bay Fens (parkland in the Back Bay area)
• Jamaica Pond (notable body of water in Jamaica Plain)
• Blue Hills (southern edge, partially visible)
• Harvard University (labelled in Cambridge)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (labelled in Cambridge)
• Boston Public Library (labelled near Copley Square)
• South Bay (water/harbor area)
• Fenway Park (site labelled, though predating the current stadium)
• Mount Auburn Cemetery (labelled in Cambridge/Watertown area)

Historical and design context

• Created in 1905 by George H. Walker & Co., a prominent Boston-based map publisher known for detailed city and regional maps in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Shows the City of Boston in detail, including surrounding areas such as parts of Milton, Quincy, Dedham, Malden, Revere, Brighton, and Watertown.
• Primarily a city street map, focusing on street-level detail and urban layout, highlighting the urban development and municipal boundaries of Boston and its immediate suburbs in the early 20th century.
• Focuses on Boston, Massachusetts, and neighboring municipalities within Suffolk County and parts of Norfolk and Middlesex Counties.
• Typical of early 20th-century city maps, with clear labeling, a focus on legibility, and detailed street grids; monochrome with fine linework, characteristic of George H. Walker & Co.'s style.
• Provides a snapshot of Boston's urban landscape and infrastructure in 1905, just before major 20th-century developments such as the expansion of public transit and the growth of suburbs.
• Useful for historical research, genealogy, and urban studies.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

Please note: the labels on this map are hard to read if you order a map that is 36in (90cm) or smaller. The map is still very attractive, but if you would like to read the map easily, please buy a larger size.

The model in the listing images is holding the 24x36in (60x90cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.