1905 Blanchard Map of New England Electric Railways, Roads, and Railroads

An important and scarce 1905 map by F. S. Blanchard detailing New England's extensive, if ephemeral, electric interurban trolley network. When this map was issued, interurban railways (more akin to trolleys) stretched from New York to Boston to Maine and were a key driver of tourism and commerce. The short-lived and ill-documented trolley system served as a transitionary public transit, supplementing large-scale railroads until the rise of the automobile.

A Closer Look

Coverage embraces New England from New York City to Bangor, Maine, including all or part of the states of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. Bold red lines highlight both operational and proposed electric railways. Conventional railroads are also illustrated, along with their nemesis, the ever-expanding road network. A town index occupies most of the Atlantic Ocean and includes population notes. A distance chart appears in the upper left.

Verso: A Map of Maine

A large map of Maine occuppies the verso. Maine's famous educational grants are noted, including the Hopkins Academy Grant, the Atkinson and Gilmanton Academy Grant, and the Dartmouth College Grant. The township grid dominates Piscataquis and Aroostook counties, underscoring Maine's comparatively sparse population. Bold black lines illustrate the railroad network.

Interurban Streetcars

By the end of the 19th century, New England was serviced by an extensive network of interurban electric and steam-powered streetcars connecting urban centers with surrounding rural areas and smaller towns, facilitating travel, commerce, and communication. These were not proper railroads but rather a separate trolley system run by competing companies that extended from New York to Boston and throughout New England as far north as Bath and Lewiston, Maine. Interurban trolleys emerged in the late 19th-century as a solution to the limitations of steam railroads, providing more frequent and accessible service for short to medium distances. New England, with its densely populated cities and towns, was particularly suited for such networks. By 1919, most of the interurban streetcar lines were consolidated under the Shore Line Electric Railway. The interurban network supported tourism and suburban development by making all parts of New England accessible to the general public. The rise of the automobile ushered in the end of interurban streetcar travel by 1940.

Publication History and Census

This map was compiled and engraved from government surveys by F. S. Blanchard and Co. and published by the Home Educator Company in 1905. We note two examples of the 1905 edition, which are part of the collections at Yale University and the Newberry Library. Maps with very similar titles were published in 1907 and 1909.