1900 Map of Harlem

About this map

The Hudson River and its towering Palisades define this late 19th-century landscape, revealing a period of intense expansion across the Bronx, Westchester, and northern New Jersey. The map documents a complex web of transportation, including the Northern Railroad of New Jersey and the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad (Harlem Division), which fueled the growth of commuter hubs like Yonkers and Mount Vernon. On the Bronx side, the newly established Grand Boulevard and Concourse cuts through the urbanizing terrain near Crotona Park. Large green spaces like Van Cortlandt Park and the expansive Woodlawn Cemetery are well-defined, while the coastline shows significant maritime activity around Pelham Bay and the narrows at Hell Gate. In the east, islands like City Island and Hart Island sit in the Long Island Sound, illustrating the region's diverse waterfront and the early suburbanization of New Rochelle and Pelham.