1905 Walker Trolley Map and View of New England Centered on Boston

This is a vivid 1905 chromolithograph bird's-eye view style pocket map of New England by George Walker issued for the Metropolitan News Company. The view was issued to promote the extensive but ephemeral New England streetcar network. Centered on Boston and oriented with north to the right, the map reveals New England from Portsmouth to New York City and Long Island, excluding Cape Cod. It features the extensive trolley lines connecting the major New England cities including Boston, Providence, Brockton, Plymouth, Manchester, Springfield, Portsmouth, Worchester, Hartford and others. It also notes railway lines, parks, lakes, rivers and other geographic features.

Interurban Streetcars

At the end of the 19th century, New England was serviced by an extensive network of interurban electric and steam powered streetcars. These were not proper railroads, but rather a separate system, run by various competing companies, that extended from New York to Boston, and throughout New England as far north as Bath and Lewiston, Maine. By 1919, most of the interurban streetcar lines were consolidated under the Shore Line Electric Railway. The rise of the automobile ushered in the end of streetcar travel by 1940.

Chromolithography

Chromolithography is a color lithographic technique developed in the mid-19th century. The process involved using multiple lithographic stones, one for each color, to yield a rich composite effect. Oftentimes, the process would start with a black basecoat upon which subsequent colors were layered. Some chromolithographs used 30 or more separate lithographic stones to achieve the desired product. Chromolithograph color could also be effectively blended for even more dramatic results. The process became extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when it emerged as the dominate method of color printing. The vivid color chromolithography produced made it exceptionally effective for advertising and propaganda imagery.

Publication History and Census

This map was created by George H. Walker and published by the Metropolitan News Company in 1905. Stylistically it is very similar to Trolley Wayfinder Birds Eye View of Trolley Routes in New England, published in the same year, also by Walker, but focused more broadly. It is scarce.