This Rare Footage Of Boston In 1903 Is Truly Mesmerizing
Sophia
Author
Ever wonder what it would be like to hop on a trolley and cruise around Boston as it was over 100 years ago? That’s a pretty specific daydream, but we’ve got you covered nonetheless.
This rare footage from 1903 provides a window through time. To give you some context, the Ottoman Empire was still around in 1903. That was the year of the first Tour de France race and the creation of the first teddy bear. Women did not have the right to vote. Shot by the Edison Film Company, preserved by the Northeast Historic Film and showcased by YouTube user Jim Dorman, this film is may be the earliest professional footage of Massachusetts in existence.
The streets of Boston are filled with horse-drawn buggies. Ladies in long dresses and gigantic hats walk primly down the sidewalks while the camera pans to take in the milling crowds of businessmen and shoppers crowding the streets. There are some familiar sites. A Jordan Marsh store makes an appearance, as well as the Boston Public Library and Beacon Street.
Warning: this video features some of the most soothing background music you’ll ever encounter. Grab a cup of coffee or something before playing, or you may find yourself lulled into a pleasant stupor.
What did you think of the footage? Did you recognize the route?
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