1900 Map of Harlem

About this map

The Hudson River splits this landscape, separating the dramatic Palisades of New Jersey from the burgeoning residential and industrial districts of Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. At the turn of the century, the region was defined by massive public works projects like the Croton Aqueduct and the New Aqueduct, which traced the terrain to supply the growing metropolis. Large estates and public spaces like Van Cortlandt Park and Pelham Bay Park preserved open land even as the grid of New York City pushed northward. The map details a complex maritime environment, from the treacherous waters of Hell Gate to the sheltered inlets of Pelham Bay and the isolated City Island. Institutional and commemorative landmarks are prominent, including the riverside Grant's Tomb and the sprawling Woodlawn Cemetery, while numerous railroad lines, such as the West Shore RR and the Northern RR of New Jersey, highlight the era's dependence on rail travel.