Map 16: Plan of Boston Comprising a Part of Charlestown and Cambridge
George G. Smith (1795-1878) Boston, 1855 Engraving 52 x 66 cm. About this Map This map is one in a series of maps that first appeared in 1823… [ more ] Main Map
About this Map This map is one in a series of maps that first appeared in 1823 and then, published by George G. Smith, was updated periodically until 1860. By 1855 the Smith map was used as the official city map, for it appeared annually in the Municipal Register, a publication that contained the city charter and recent ordinances, rules of the City Council, and a list of city officers. The Smith map is at a larger scale than the 1838 Boynton map (see Map 15), necessitating inset maps in order to show South Boston and East Boston. The Smith map is, however, far more accurate than the Boynton and gives a good picture of Boston's development since 1838. Perhaps most striking is the street grid in Back Bay, an indication of the impending project to fill it. Also apparent is the large land making project in South Bay, which created the land between Massachusetts Avenue and Malden Street on which Albany Street is located. The map shows new railroads that entered Boston from the north across the Charles River and from the south across South Boston.
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