Historical Charts of the Charles River Basin

As part of the due diligence for this project, we have collected various charts, maps, and reports that have been generated for areas in the Lower Charles River Basin in the past. In the sidebar to the right, there are several sets of documents in approximate chronological order. There is also a Google Drive spreadsheet that is more extensive.

  1. A Plan of Boston in New England with its environs, Mount Vernon copy, Henry Pelham, 1777
  2. A Plan of Boston in New England with its environs, Leventhal Map Center copy, Henry Pelham, 1777
  3. A Plan of Boston in New England with its environs, Harvard University copy, Henry Pelham, 1777
  4. [Boston Harbour, with the surroundings, &c], John Hills, 177?
  5. A plan of those parts of Boston, and the towns in its vicinity, with the waters and flats adjacent, which are immediately or remotely connected with the contemplated design of erecting perpetual tide-mills, Benjamin Dearborn, 1814
  6. A plan of those parts of Boston, and the towns in its vicinity, with the waters and flats adjacent, which are immediately or remotely connected with the contemplated design of erecting perpetual tide-mills, Benjamin Dearborn, 1814
  7. [Plan of the Mill Dam Project], in Survey of Boston and Its Vicinity, John G. Hales, 1821
  8. Copy of a Plan of the Harbour of Boston (Charles River), Massachusetts Harbor Commissioners, 1839
  9. Plan of Charles River to the head of tide waters, Massachusetts Harbor Commissioners, 1846
  10. Plan of Part of the City and Harbor of Boston, Baldwin, 1846
  11. Plan of the Charles River and Warren Bridges, with the vicinity, Thomas Doane, 1853
  12. Plan accompanying the proposal made to the City of Boston by the Commissioners on Boston Harbor and the Back Bay, Commissioners on Boston Harbor and the Back Bay, 1854
  13. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1857
  14. Comparative Map of Boston Harbor, Chart no. H01960, scale=20000, U.S. Coast Survey, 1860
  15. Topographical Plan of the Watertown Arsenal, November 1863, no indication of island even though island of future Squibnocket Park is drawn, 1863
  16. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1867
  17. Plan showing new location of draws over Charles and Miller's Rivers, Massachusetts Board of Harbor Commisioners, 1869
  18. Compiled Plan, Showing Millers Creek and a Portion of Charles River, E.F. Bowker, 1873
  19. Plan showing the Harbor Line on Charles River, Board of Harbor Commissioners, 1873
  20. [Charles River] : soundings and contour lines in river are taken from plan made for the United States in 1861, L.M. Hastings, 1875
  21. Charles River Embankment : Boston District , Second Report of the Board of Commissioners of the Department of Parks for the City of Boston, 1876, Boston Park Department, 1876
  22. Urban Park System - Charles River Embankment, Second Report of the Board of Commissioners of the Department of Parks for the City of Boston, 1876, pp 15-18, Boston Department of Parks, 1876
  23. Plan showing the harbor line in Charles River, Board of Harbor Commissioners, 1877
  24. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1878
  25. Charles River Embankment - Section A, Fifth Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners of the Department of Parks for the City of Boston, 1880, Boston Department of Parks, 1880
  26. Suggestion for the Improvement of Muddy River and for Completing a Continuous Promenade from the Common to Jamica Pond, Sixth Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners of the Department of Parks for the City of Boston, 1881, F.L. Olmsted, 1880
  27. General Plan for the Sanitary Improvement of Muddy River, Seventh Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners of the Department of Parks for the City of Boston, 1882, Boston Department of Parks, 1881
  28. Plan of the Proposed Muddy River Improvement, Seventh Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners of the Department of Parks for the City of Boston, 1882, Boston Department of Parks, 1881
  29. Plan of part of Charles River, showing encroachments of bridge structures and physical changes in the river between U.S. Navy Yard and West Boston Bridge, Board of Harbor and Land Commissioners of Massachusetts, 1882
  30. Proposed plan of terminal grounds for the New York and Boston Inland Railroad, Boston, Heliotype Printing Co., 1882
  31. Sketch of Charles River, U.S. Corp of Army Engineers, 1884
  32. Improvement of Back Bay showing Progress of Portions of Work to Dec. 31, 1885, Eleventh Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners of the Department of Parks for the City of Boston, Boston Department of Parks, 1885
  33. New Boston and Charles River Bay, J.H. Bufford's Lith, 1886
  34. The Embankment and Park on Charles River Bay, in Papers of Frederick Law Olmsted, vol. 8, page 360, Plan 907-10, Department of Parks, 1886
  35. The Embankment and Park on Charles River Bay, Charles Davenport, 1886
  36. Preliminary Study of Plan for Recreation Gounds on Charles River Embankment between Canal and West Boston Bridges, Twelfth Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners of the Department of Parks for the City of Boston, Boston Department of Parks, 1887
  37. Boston Harbor Mass., Charles River, From Brookline Street Bridge to Its Mouth, U.S. Harbor Line Board, 1888
  38. Boston Harbor Mass., Charles River, From North Beacon Street to Brookline Street Bridge, U.S. Harbor Line Board, 1888
  39. Boston Harbor, Mass. Map of Charles River: From Brookline Street Bridge to Charles River Bridge, U.S. Harbor Line Board, 1889
  40. Boston Harbor Mass : Charles River from Brookline Street bridge to Market Street bridge, US Harbor Line Board of 1888, 1890
  41. Boston Harbor, Mass : map of Charles River from Brookline Street bridge to its mouth, US Harbor Line Board of 1888, 1890
  42. Boston Harbor, Mass. Map of Charles River: From Brookline Street Bridge to its Mouth, U.S. Harbor Line Board, 1890
  43. Charles River, Brookline Street Bridge to its Mouth, U.S. Harbor Line Board of 1888, 1890
  44. Key Map showing location of Charles River Embankment, Annual Report of the Department of Parks for the Year 1891, Boston Department of Parks, 1891
  45. Plan of Charlesbank, Annual Report of the Department of Parks for the Year 1892, Boston Department of Parks, 1892
  46. Cheese Cake Brook, Newton, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, page 101, January, 1893, 1893
  47. Cheese Cake Brook, Newton, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, page140, 1898 also 1893 report, Charles Eliot, 1893
  48. Muddy River, Brookline and Boston, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, page 104, January, 1893, 1893
  49. Muddy River, Brookline and Boston, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, page 143, 1898, Charles Eliot, 1893
  50. Plan of Charlesbank from West Boston Bridge to Back Bay Fens, Annual Report of the Department of Parks for the Year 1894, Boston Department of Parks, 1893
  51. Plan of the Charles River from the Waltham Line to Boston Harbor, in Report of the Joint Board consisting of the Metropolitan Park Commission and the State Board of Health upon the Improvement of Charles River from the Waltham Line to the Charles River Bridge, Metropolitan Park Commission and the State Board of Health, 1894
  52. Plan of the Charles River from the Waltham Line to Boston Harbor, Plan #1, in Report of the Joint Board consisting of the Metropolitan Park Commission and the State Board of Health upon the Improvement of Charles River from the Waltham Line to the Charles River Bridge, page 2, Metropolitan Park Commission and State Board of Health, 1894
  53. Plan of the Charles River from the Waltham line to Boston Harbor, Plan #1, in Report of the Joint Board consisting of the Metropolitan Park Commission and the State Board of Health upon the Improvement of Charles River from the Waltham Line to the Charles River Bridge, page 2, April, 1894, Metropolitan Park Commission and the State Board of Health, 1894
  54. Sketch Plan showing the Existing and Proposed Public Reservations upon the banks of the Charles River between Waltham Line and Craigie Bridge, Plan #3, in Report of the Joint Board consisting of the Metropolitan Park Commission and the State Board of Health upon the Improvement of Charles River from the Waltham Line to the Charles River Bridge, page 36, 1894, Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot, 1894
  55. Sketch Plan showing the Existing and Proposed Public Reservations upon the banks of the Charles River between Waltham Line and Craigie Bridge, Plan #3, in Report of the Joint Board consisting of the Metropolitan Park Commission and the State Board of Health upon the Improvement of Charles River from the Waltham Line to the Charles River Bridge, page 36, April, 1894, Olmsted, Olmsted, and Eliot, 1894
  56. Charles River Reservation, Boston, Cambridge, Newton, and Watertown, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, page 53, 1896, Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot, 1895
  57. Map Showing Public and Semi-Public Reservations on the Banks of Charles River Between Newton Upper Falls and Mother Brook, in "Report of the Joint Board consisting of the Metropolitan Park Commission and the State Board of Health upon the Improvement of Charles River from the line between Watertown and Waltham to Mother Brook, page 10, 1896, Metropolitan Park Commission and State Board of Health, 1895
  58. Map Showing Public and Semi-Public Reservations on the Banks of Charles River Between Watertown Dam and Newton Upper Falls, in "Report of the Joint Board consisting of the Metropolitan Park Commission and the State Board of Health upon the Improvement of Charles River from the line between Watertown and Waltham to Mother Brook, page 10, May, 1896, Metropolitan Park Commission and State Board of Health, 1895
  59. Suggestive Sketch for Location of Charlesmouth Bridge, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, page 44, January, 1897, Frederick Law Olmsted, 1896
  60. Typical Cross Sections of the Charles River, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, page 42, January, 1897, Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot ?, 1896
  61. Boston Inner Harbor, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1897
  62. General plan for Charles River Speedway: for horses and bicycles, in Report of the Metropolitan Park Commissioners, page 62, January, 1897, Metropolitan Park Commission, 1897
  63. Sketch Plan of Public Reservations upon the Banks of the Charles River between Watertown and Craigie Bridge, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, rear, 1898, F.L. and J.C. Olmsted, 1897
  64. Sketch Plan of Public Reservations upon the Banks of the Charles River from Hemlock Gorge to Watertown, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, rear, 1898, F.L. and J.C. Olmsted, 1897
  65. Sketch plan of public reservations upon the banks of the Charles River: between Watertown and Craigie Bridge, Metropolitan Park Commission, 1897
  66. Sketch plan of public reservations upon the banks of the Charles River: from Hemlock Gorge to Watertown, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, page 150, 1898, F.L. and J.C. Olmsted, 1897
  67. Broad Canal, Cambridge, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, page 419, 1903, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1902
  68. Charles River Basin Contour Map of Lower Basin, Arsenal Street to River Street, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, inside back envelope, 1903, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1902
  69. Charles River Basin Contour Map of Lower Basin, River Street to the Craigie Bridge, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, inside back envelope, 1903, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1902
  70. Charles River Basin Contour Map of Upper Basin, Watertown Dam to Arsenal Street, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, inside back envelope, 1903, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1902
  71. Lechmere Canal, Cambridge, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, page 425, 1903, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1902
  72. Map of Territory Bordering the Charles River giving locations of the breeding places for mosquitoes, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, page 114, 1903, Bormay & Company, 1902
  73. Sketch of the Charles River Basin and Tributaries, showing locations of measurements and samples of sewage pollution, Report of the Committee on the Charles River Dam, page 142, 1902
  74. Boston Inner Harbor, Chart no. 248, scale=10000, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1903
  75. Charles River Dam at Craigie Bridge, preliminary studies for the purpose of estimating cost, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, page 506, 1903, John R. Freeman, 1903
  76. Charles River, Boston Harbor, and the Proposed Charles River Basin, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, inside front cover, 1903, also shows proposed North Channel, Percy M. Blake, 1903
  77. Comparison of Depths in Boston Harbor, According to Surveys of 1835, 1861, 1888, 1892, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, page 378, 1903, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1903
  78. Diagram of flow from Fens basin to Charles River, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, page 215, 1903, 1903
  79. Diagram of flow into Fens basin, from Charles River and Stony Brook, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, page 215, 1903, 1903
  80. Diagram of salinity of the Charles River estuary, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, page 46, 1903, 1903
  81. Diagram of the percentage of fresh water at various localities in the Charles River basin, below the Watertown dam, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, page 46, 1903, 1903
  82. Map of the Fens basin, showing breeding places of mosquitoes, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, page 116, 1903, 1903
  83. Proposed New Channel near Longfellow Bridge, Cambridge Bridge Commission, 1903
  84. Relation of the Fens Basin to the former Tide Mill ponds, in Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, page 192, 1903, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1903
  85. Proposed Dam and Lock, Charles River Basin Commission, 1905
  86. Charles River, Bridges of the Boston and Maine Railroad, U.S. Engineer Office, Boston, Mass., 1906
  87. Charles River, carries shown by red lines, bird's-eye view, Walker Lith & Pub Co., 1907
  88. Map of the Charles River Valley between South Natick and Tide Water, Ralph F. Perry, 1908
  89. Map of the Charles River Valley between the Source and South Natick, Ralph F. Perry, 1908
  90. Island in Charles River - Diagram of Schemes A,B and C, showin the Relation of Island to the Basin, in Final Report of the Joint Board on Metropolitan Improvements, page 98, Joint Board on Metropolitan Improvements, 1910
  91. Charles River, John A Lent, 1911
  92. Charles River dredging near Watertown, narrow channel, shallow outside of channel, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, 1911, 1911
  93. Charles River Reservation (Upper Basin) Construction Plan, Proposed Dredging of the Charles River Basin Between North Beacon St. and Galen St., Watertown, Newton, & Boston, John R. Rablin, Engineer, 1913
  94. Contract for additional dredging above the Arsenal, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, 1913, 1913
  95. Contract for additional dredging above the Arsenal, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, 1913, 1913
  96. Metropolitan Park Commission Minutes, vol 13, page 84, item 8, Sept. 10, 1913, Plan entitled "Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Metropolitan Park Commission, Charles River Reservation, (Upper Basin), Construction Plan, Proposed Dredging of the Charles River Basin Between North Beacon St. and Galen St., Watertown, Newton & Boston", is approved, 1913
  97. Proposed Dredging between North Beacon St and Galen St, Metropolitan Park Commission, 1913
  98. Summary of Dredging done between North Beacon and Galen sts. - 5 ft of depth for entire width of river, in Report of the Board of Metropolitan Park Commissioners, 1914, 1914
  99. Bird's Eye View of Proposed Overpass Connection Between Back Bay Fens and Charles River Basin Previous to Construction of the Proposed Charlesgate Bridge to Cambridge, in Report on Proposed Improvements of the Charles River Basin [1929], Boston Park Department, 1926
  100. Proposed Changes at Charlesgate, in Report on Proposed Improvements of the Charles River Basin [1929], Boston Park Department, 1926
  101. Lower Charles River Basin, Cambridge St. to the Charles River Dam, Proposed Future Development, in Report on Proposed Improvements of the Charles River Basin [1929], Special Commission on the Charles River Basin, 1928
  102. Lower Charles River Basin, Watertown Sq. to Cambridge St. Brighton, Proposed Future Development, in Report on Proposed Improvements of the Charles River Basin [1929], Special Commission on the Charles River Basin, 1928
  103. Proposed Fill in Charles River, Metropolitan District Commission, 1928
  104. Alternate Plan for the Embankment Section of the Proposed Charles River Roadway, in Report on Proposed Improvements of the Charles River Basin [1929], Perry Shaw and Hepburn, 1929
  105. Perspective of Proposed Improvements from North of Longfellow Bridge, in Report on Proposed Improvements of the Charles River Basin [1929], Special Commission on the Charles River Basin, 1929
  106. Perspective of Proposed Improvements from West of Harvard Bridge, in Report on Proposed Improvements of the Charles River Basin [1929], Special Commission on the Charles River Basin, 1929
  107. Placing Solid Filling in Charles River, Boston and Cambridge, Mass., Boston and Maine Railroad, Terminal Division, 1929
  108. Cottage Farm Bridge to Dam, Location and Profile of Borings [Sheet 1], [Sheet 2], [Sheet 3], Metropolitan District Commission, 1930
  109. Proposed Dredging and Filling in the Charles River Basin at Boston & Cambridge, Mass. Sheet 1 of 8, from Charlesbank to Cottage Farm Bridge, duplicate sent with permit application, Sheet 1 of 8, Location Plan, from Charlesbank to Cottage Farm Bridge, Sheet 2 of 8, detail near Charlesbank, Sheet 3 of 8, detail near Longfellow Bridge, between Fruit St. and Mt. Vernon St., Sheet 4 of 8, detail between Berkeley St. and Fairfield St., Sheet 5 of 8, detail between Fairfield St. and Charlesgate West, Sheet 6 of 8, detail between Raleigh St. and Granby St., Sheet 7 of 8, detail between Ashby St. and Cottage Farm Bridge, Sheet 8 of 8, Typical Cross Sections of Fill, Metropolitan District Commission, 1930
  110. Proposed Filling in Charles River at Newton, Mass. Sheet 1 of 2, Location Plan, Metropolitan District Commission, 1932
  111. Proposed Dredging in Charles River at Watertown, Mass., and Newton, Mass. Sheet 1 of 3, Location Plan, Metropolitan District Commission, 1932
  112. Proposed Filling in Charles River at Newton, Mass. Sheet 2 of 2, Cross Section of Fill, Metropolitan District Commission, 1932
  113. Proposed Dredging in Charles River at Watertown, Mass., and Newton, Mass. Sheet 2 of 3, Plan of Site A (near Galen St.), Sheet 3 of 3, Plan of Site B (near Maple St.), Metropolitan District Commission, 1932
  114. Plan Showing Proposed Filling on South Bank of Charles River at Farwell St. Bridge, Waltham, Mass., J.R. Worcester & Co., 1935
  115. Proposed Dredging and Filling in the Charles River Basin at Boston & Cambridge, Mass. Sheet 1 of 8, Location Plan, from Charlesbank to Cottage Farm Bridge, Sheet 2 of 8, detail near Charlesbank, Sheet 3 of 8, detail near Longfellow Bridge, between Fruit St. and Mt. Vernon St., Sheet 4 of 8, detail between Berkeley St. and Fairfield St., Sheet 5 of 8, detail between Fairfield St. and Charlesgate West, Sheet 6 of 8, detail between Raleigh St. and Granby St., Sheet 7 of 8, detail between Ashby St. and Cottage Farm Bridge, Sheet 8 of 8, Typical Cross Sections of Fill, Metropolitan District Commission, 1936
  116. Dredging near Charlesgate East [Sheet 1], [Sheet 2], Metropolitan District Commission, 1946
  117. Plan of Land and Soundings, Watertown Yacht Club, Metropolitan District Commission, 1946
  118. Charles River Reservation, Watertown, Proposed Dredging and Shore Improvement, Metropolitan District Commission, 1948
  119. Constructions Plans of the Eliot Bridge, Burns and Kenerson, Inc., 1949
  120. Proposed Dredging, Filling and Erecting Structures in the Charles River Basin at Boston & Cambridge, Mass. Sheet 1 of 8, Location Plan, from Charlesbank to Boston University Bridge, Sheet 2 of 8, detail near Charlesbank, Sheet 3 of 8, detail near Longfellow Bridge, between Fruit St. and Mt. Vernon St., Sheet 4 of 8, detail between Berkeley St. and Fairfield St., Sheet 5 of 8, detail between Fairfield St. and Charlesgate West, Sheet 6 of 8, detail between Raleigh St. and Granby St., Sheet 7 of 8, detail between Ashby St. and Boston University Bridge, Sheet 8 of 8, Typical Cross Sections, Metropolitan District Commission, 1949
  121. Storrow Memorial Embankment, in Landscape Architecture, vol. 40, no. 1(1949): 20, Arthur A. Shurcliff and Sidney N. Shurcliff, 1949
  122. Proposed Dredging, Filling and Erecting Structures in the Charles River Basin at Boston & Cambridge, Mass. Sheet 1 of 2, Plan, Sheet 2 of 2, Detail showing drain conduits for Muddy River and Stony Brook, Metropolitan District Commission, 1951
  123. Charles River Dam and Adjacent Estuary [Sheet 1], [Sheet 2], Metropolitan District Commission, 1958
  124. Plan for Dredging Charles River Fanueil Valley Brook Outlet, Metropolitan District Commission, 1965
  125. New Charles River Dam, Final River Grading, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, 1973
  126. New Charles River Dam, General Plan, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, 1973
  127. Charles River & Fanueil Brook Cross-sections [Sheet 1], [Sheet 2], [Sheet 3], [Sheet 4], [Sheet 5], Metropolitan District Commission, 1976
  128. Charles River Cross-sections [Sheet 1], [Sheet 2], [Sheet 3], [Sheet 4], [Sheet 5], Metropolitan District Commission, 1976
  129. Charles River & Fanueil Brook, Metropolitan District Commission, 1976
  130. Charles River Lower Basin, Charles River Destratification Plan, Metropolitan District Commission, 1976
  131. Chart, Charles River wrecks, Harold Edgerton, 1985
  132. Bottom Profiles of the Lower Charles River Basin, Excerpt from "Users of the Water Sheet, Bathymetry and Aquatic Vegetation in the Charles River Basin", Cortell Associates for MDC, 1997
  133. Water depths, thickness of post-1908 sediment, and sediment sampling locations, lower Charles River JPG [52 MB], PDF [15 MB], from USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 2000-4180, U.S. Geological Survey, 2000
  134. Depth Chart, Old Charles River Dam to Harbor, Democratic National Convention, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, 2004
  135. Charles River Soundings near BWSC Outfall 032, [Fanueil Brook outlet], Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2011
  136. Rehabilitation of the Anderson Memorial Bridge, Mass-DOT, 2012
  137. Charles River Dredging -A 24 Hour Operation, Description of dredging at Fanueil Brook Outlet, Charter Environmental, 2016
  138. [Map of proposed series of railroad draw bridges over the Charles River], ????