The Hudson River Guide and Map [with] Hudson By Daylight Map from New York Bay to the Head of Tidewater

Spectacular strip map and accompanying itinerary for day cruises along the Hudson River in the early 20th century.

This wonderful accordion-style folding map shows the course of the Hudson River from The Narrows, near Coney Island, to the confluence with the Mohawk River a few miles north of Albany. Clever cartographic distortions allow for the presentation of a uniform scale along the length of the route, with the adjacent banks filled with place names (notably Native American versions in many instances), landmarks, and condensed street plans.

Numerous interesting annotations are provided throughout, ranging from the historic (Henry Hudson’s landing site) to the scenic (best points to view the Man of the Mountain). The bottom of the sheet contains a number of manuscript updates, noting a specific ferry and elevated line route through New York City. Undoubtedly the most complicated part of the trip for many of the Hudson River sightseers!

The map was originally created in 1894 by Wallace Bruce. This particular example was issued in a 1903 guidebook and itinerary to a Hudson River steamboat cruise published in New York by Bryant Union. By this period, timetables were well kept to the point where the accompanying text provides exact moments when particular landmarks (helpfully identified in the accompanying map) will come into sight!