Boston Map 1921

Topics for the Lecture and Slice of Life series.
Discussion about historical events, people, items, etc. that can add to the flavor to any historical game setting.
Discussion and sharing of links and resources.
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Logar
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Boston Map 1921

Post by Logar » Wed Feb 20, 2013 8:30 pm

Not sure where this would go so I put it here. Feel free to move it to wherever would be most appropriate.

Sick of trying to find a map of Boston from the 1920s? Scouring google, forums, etc.. Tired of that same old crap 18xx map that shows up all the time? If so, then my spasmodic research is your gain.
Here is a link to a flat out street map of Boston 1921 among others (courtesy of the BPL - Boston Public Library). This link has maps from Boston & vicinity from the 1600s up. Everything from the city planning board to the water and sewage board to private publishers. Almost 600 maps in all. All in one easy place. Sortable by date, location, publisher, etc.. Hope everyone can enjoy.
BTW, you can download them in full size or buy them if you wish. (Haven't tried doing this so I can't vouch for it.)

(The 1921 map is on this page along with some others of the same time frame)
http://maps.bpl.org/explore/location/bo ... -7?page=58

(Link for 1921 map - Sampson, Murdoch &Co. map)
http://maps.bpl.org/id/12593

(A rather nice generalized 1917 map if you just need an overall view of major streets and some locations - Bookshop for Boys and Girls map)
http://maps.bpl.org/id/12559

--Logar

Keeper Dan
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Re: Boston Map 1921

Post by Keeper Dan » Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:58 pm

:yay: :rock:

Excellent resource! Welcome to the forum, and thank you!
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Dr. Gerard
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Re: Boston Map 1921

Post by Dr. Gerard » Thu Feb 21, 2013 12:28 am

Awesome. Looks like an ingredient for time spanning Beantown campaign...
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Logar
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Re: Boston Map 1921

Post by Logar » Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:26 pm

Thanks guys for the welcome.
I was hoping to put up a small collection of information to first time keepers with the intent of fleshing out various areas about/around Boston with tidbits of information. Just quick notes, enough that a keeper would begin to feel comfortable saying where you would be if you wanted a farmer type town, a factory town, a metro area, something like that and some little bits of daily life. At the very least, the links so that keepers could easily research in a quick way (just enough for some comfort level) or get ideas for themselves. I always got the feeling that keepers never made scenarios based in the Boston area because they never felt comfortable enough not knowing information about the area. Possibly feeling/not wanting to get it wrong. Or feeling that they would have to do a lot of research. If any of you guys feel uncomfortable with me putting this stuff up just tell me.

BTW, here is something else.
http://www.bpl.org/online/govdocs/bosto ... _lists.htm
Click on 1921 (you can click on other years as well but just use this as an example), then to the left, click "Read Online"
Now it is digital copy of a 1921 giant list of streets (about 178 pages) but then AFTER, starting on page 179 it lists "Hotels and Apartments" for some pages. Then on page 199 it lists all "Fire Engines" (Fire Houses). On page 202, it lists all "School Houses". But, importantly, on page 209, it starts to list "Institutions, Hospitals, etc." That's where the good stuff begins. :o

Among others are:
The Adams Nervine Asylum, (990 Centre Street) - there are many asylums listed, this is just the first
the Boston Home for Incurables, (2049 Dorchester Ave.)
the Boston Port and Seaman's Aid Society (11 North Sq.) (hmmm... sounds... fishy...)
the "Detention" Hospital (112 Southampton Street)
the Free Home for Consumptives (there are several consumptive hospitals)
the "House of Angel Guardian" (hmmmm...)
the Mass Cremation Society
the Mass Historical Society
the Mass Horticultural Society
the "New England Helping Hand Society"
the Quarantine Hospital (on Gallup's Island)
and, of course, the Scandinavian Sailor's and Immigrants' Home (???)
(All addresses are listed, I just didn't feel like typing them all in)

Now, I'm sure all these places are/were fine places helping a great deal of people, and I don't mean to disparage nor call to question any of their reputations. I just want to be clear on that. But just for fun, it would be great for a keeper to take a look at the list and find a real place to use during a campaign. For example, a cult member trying to set up a front, or that a particular cult member is hiding out using one of these places for their own purposes. (Recruiting, waylaying unwary victims, etc.) The names are just great. Do they have to be extremely historically accurate in your campaign? Maybe not. But you can find them now from the maps and make it feel more authentic. And the keeper can feel more comfortable about the overall situation (at least positionally). Also, having to go to a place called, "the Quarantine Hospital on Gallup's Island" is just too good to be true.

Click on it yourself and take a look. At the bottom you can use a slide to go to the appropriate pages.
Btw, I think the show is just great and I look forward to it all the time.

Logar
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Re: Boston Map 1921

Post by Logar » Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:30 pm

Dr. Gerard wrote:Awesome. Looks like an ingredient for time spanning Beantown campaign...
Why I was thinking something very, very similar :)

Logar
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Re: Boston Map 1921

Post by Logar » Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:41 pm

OH wait, should I start putting this stuff under the National Historic Honors Society Section? I wasn't sure. I was thinking Keeper stuff / history stuff. Maybe I should move this there if that is possible.

Dr. Gerard
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Re: Boston Map 1921

Post by Dr. Gerard » Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:57 pm

Yeah, maybe I'll appeal to Dan to move it over.

Hey, did you know about the thread on YSDC about a "possible" Boston sourcebook? Not that I want to stop you from posting about these awesome Boston resources here, but you should get in touch with those guys.

http://www.yog-sothoth.com/threads/2477 ... post262846
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Logar
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Re: Boston Map 1921

Post by Logar » Sat Feb 23, 2013 6:12 am

Dr. Gerard wrote:Yeah, maybe I'll appeal to Dan to move it over.

--Please do so it can be under one umbrella. The whole point was to make it easy to find and like a one stop shop for info.

Hey, did you know about the thread on YSDC about a "possible" Boston sourcebook? Not that I want to stop you from posting about these awesome Boston resources here, but you should get in touch with those guys.

http://www.yog-sothoth.com/threads/2477 ... post262846

---Wow, I had no idea. Just took a look at it. The stuff they are talking about is some of the same things I was thinking of. I was combing the Boston Globe 1921/22, to get prices for apartments/boarding houses. "Hotels" (the more 'YMCA' type for long term stays much like the boarding houses). I have typical costs for rents, ads for cars and how much certain professions make through the help wanteds - men and women. Stuff like that. Just stuff for a scenario/campaign.
Dr G. do you think I should still bother? I would like to continue to post stuff here as I don't really know that site and rather like it here.

Dr. Gerard
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Re: Boston Map 1921

Post by Dr. Gerard » Sat Feb 23, 2013 1:56 pm

Logar wrote:
Dr. Gerard wrote:Yeah, maybe I'll appeal to Dan to move it over.

--Please do so it can be under one umbrella. The whole point was to make it easy to find and like a one stop shop for info.

Hey, did you know about the thread on YSDC about a "possible" Boston sourcebook? Not that I want to stop you from posting about these awesome Boston resources here, but you should get in touch with those guys.

http://www.yog-sothoth.com/threads/2477 ... post262846

---Wow, I had no idea. Just took a look at it. The stuff they are talking about is some of the same things I was thinking of. I was combing the Boston Globe 1921/22, to get prices for apartments/boarding houses. "Hotels" (the more 'YMCA' type for long term stays much like the boarding houses). I have typical costs for rents, ads for cars and how much certain professions make through the help wanteds - men and women. Stuff like that. Just stuff for a scenario/campaign.
Dr G. do you think I should still bother? I would like to continue to post stuff here as I don't really know that site and rather like it here.
Oh, hell yes -- please post your goodies here, and please don't be discouraged from compiling Boston resources or campaign ideas. There's no guarantee that such a project will reach a printing press anytime soon.
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Rip Wheeler in the Call of Cthulhu "No Man's Land" scenario
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Logar
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Re: Boston Map 1921

Post by Logar » Mon Feb 25, 2013 6:26 pm

Oh, hell yes -- please post your goodies here, and please don't be discouraged from compiling Boston resources or campaign ideas. There's no guarantee that such a project will reach a printing press anytime soon.[/quote]


Thank you for your kind response. I'm posting some pricing up now but I want to see if I can get some actual ads up. From the 1922 Globe. I'll have to see what I can do.

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