Physical Overview

Views from the Atlascope map of Boston

1882 map of Hanover Street

1882

1922 map of Hanover Street

1922

1932 map of Hanover Street

1932

Here we have depicted the location of 158-204 Hanover Street in Boston, Massachusetts from a few different years. We are looking at the maps to focus on the physical changes that happened on the street during this time.

First, we need to unpack what these various colors on the map mean. The reddish color indicates that the building material here is mainly brick. The yellowish, tan color is used to represent a location that is mainly made of wood. Lastly, the greenish, blue portions are areas that indicate buildings of fire-resistant materials.

Boston Daily Globe article 1900 describing a fire caused by an overheated stove on Hanover Street

As you look from the first map from 1888 and the second one from1922, you notice that a large portion of the map from 182-190 is a new color indicated that this is a new brick construction. To the left is a documentation of a fire that happened to the building that at the time was owned by John Rennison, a merchant within the city of Boston who had bought the land. The new construction would begin in the 1900s and Rennison had acquired the land around 1890.

1922 historical map of Hanover Street

The image on the left is the 1922 map, and the right is the 1932 version. As you can observe, building addresses 192-196 were removed to make Cross Street wider. This was a drastic change that took away all the buildings that were along this road.

1932 historical map of Hanover Street

works cited

"BLAZE ON HANOVER ST." Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922), Jan 26 1900, p. 3. ProQuest. 

https://www.proquest.com/hnpnewyorkbostonglobe/docview/499284791/AB7528869F034698PQ/1?accountid=11456