A Striking Navigational Chart of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard

ELDRIDGE, GEORGE W. [Boston, 1914/ 1915]

Nantucket/ Martha’s Vineyard/ Cape Cod.  ELDRIDGE, George [Boston: 1914/ 1915 (stamped)] Geo. W. Eldridge’s Chart C Vineyard Sound Light-Ship to Chatham.  27 ¼ x 47 ½ inches. Lithograph mounted on original linen as originally issued, with identifying label & price list of available charts by Eldridge pasted on back; minor wear & staining, soft wrinkling due to use at sea, still excellent of this type.                                                                                                                     

A scarce, highly detailed, and very well-preserved nautical chart of the challenging waters in the area of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.  The chart has the characteristic bold clarity and legibility of the Eldridge firm that found favor with both commercial and recreational mariners.  The work reflects the benefit of local knowledge in indicating hazards, anchorages and preferred courses through Nantucket Sound’s very tricky waters.  It contains several references to Eldridge’s still used pilot book that provided greater detail for particular areas.  On Nantucket can be seen the rail line that connected the town of Nantucket with Siasconset.  It was the second of two rail lines on the island, the first appearing in 1881.  In 1895, the central line depicted here replaced the earlier one that followed shoreline; rail service was altogether abandoned in 1917.  The line’s track and cars were sent France during the first World War…except for one of the cars that still remains on the island as part of the Club Car restaurant.  A few courses drawn by hand in pencil indicate the chart had indeed been used at sea.  In addition to the two large islands, the chart includes the southern shore of the Lower and Mid Cape from Woods Hole to Chatham, along with the Elizabeth Islands. 

            George Eldridge (1821-1900) of Chatham produced his first chart (of the Chatham area) in 1851, and his firm published charts through 1932.  However, The Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book is published to this day.  “[Eldridge’s charts] survived because of good design, simplicity, omission of extraneous shore topography, legible sounding and notes, and the use of compass courses only. … Their loyal public; fishermen, coaster, tug masters, and yachtsmen, often continued to use obsolete Eldridge charts until the beginning of World War II” (Guthorn).  Interesting background information on Eldridge can be found on page 129 in Surveying the Shore, Historic Maps of Coastal Massachusetts by Joseph G. Garver.

Cf. Guthorn, P. U. S. Coastal Charts, p. 12.

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