1985 Map of Boston North

About this map

The northern suburbs of Boston are presented here in high-resolution detail during the mid-1980s, showcasing the dense urban and academic landscape of Middlesex and Suffolk counties. Prestigious institutions including Harvard University, Mit, and Tufts University anchor the southern portion of the sheet, while the northern sections reveal the significant protected green spaces of the Middlesex Fells Reservation and Breakheart Reservation. The industrial and transit legacy of the region is evident in the corridors of the Boston and Maine RR and the modern Mbta lines that weave through Somerville and Cambridge. The hydrology of the area is equally prominent, featuring the winding Mystic River and numerous basins like Mystic Lake, Fresh Pond, and Spot Pond which served as critical water resources for the expanding metropolitan area. This survey documents the final years of the 20th century before further modern redevelopment changed these historic neighborhood skylines.