1907 Walker Map and Bird's-Eye View of the Charles River, Massachusetts

This is a beautiful 1907 bird's-eye view map of the Charles River, Massachusetts, by the Boston publisher George H. Walker. Printed in chromolithography, Walker's view illustrates the winding Charles River from Waltham to Medway and includes Riverside, Newton, Wellesley, South Natick, Dover, Needham, Waban, Dedham, Medfield, Rockville and Highlandville. Several landmarks are also noted, including the Waltham Watch Factory, Mount Feake Cemetery, Norumbega Park, Walker-Gordon Milk Farm, and Echo Bridge near Newton Upper Falls. Dams, bridges, lakes, and pumping stations are identified. Walker also notes a number of railway lines and stations throughout.

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

Published by 'George H. Walker Lith. and Pub. Co.', 400 Newbury St., Boston, Massachusetts, in 1907. This view was published in folding format in a pamphlet entitled 'Canoe Map of Charles River;' we see only six examples catalogued in OCLC.