This early 20th century lithograph of East Boston's harbor area is a focused map of Boston's Harbor's maritime and rail shipping industry at the turn of the century as the beginning of a new boom in infrastructure development. This map is therefore a historic land use planning document that illustrates plans for the rapid development of East Boston as a rail transportation hub. The plan is shown in red overlay of land in East Boston with little concern for wetlands or existing uses as to how new train track will come into East Boston to serve the new 21 warehouses planned for the site. The interplay of train and warehouse facilities with the existing piers and shipping channel alongside the U.S. Navy Yard show the highly developed commercial uses of Boston Harbor at this time.
The plan shows water depths in soundings of feet. Rail and railroad company property are color coded according to the color key on the plan.
This map is a picture of Boston's role in the local, regional and national economy at the outset of the 20th century.