Transportation, Railroad Train, Advertising Broadside, Boston to New York, Antique Print, 1850

Great Land Route from Boston to New York
Boston: July 1850
Letter press broadside on paper
16 x 12 inches
$1,100

Early ephemeral advertising broadside announcing a railroad route between Boston and New York, printed in black and red letterpress. It is dated  July 1850 — just 18 months after the first all-rail journey was opened between Boston and New York by the New York & New Haven Railroad in January 1849. Accordingly, it probably refers to trains operated by that company. The route advertises daily eight-and-one-half-hour trips on express mail trains via Worcester and Springfield, Massachusetts, and Hartford and New Haven, Connecticut, and a daily “Accommodation Train” taking 12 hours to travel between Boston and New York. At the bottom is contact information for George Lovis, Agent, on State Street in Boston. Prior to the opening of the New York & New Haven Railroad all-rail route, the predominant Boston-New York route combined rail with a lengthy steamship trip between Norwich, Connecticut, and New York, which explains why this broadside prominently features the words “Great Land Route.” As such, this broadside is historically significant in the early history of railroad routes in the United States. It is also rare; we have been unable to locate any other extant examples.

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