This bird’s-eye (or more properly “balloon’s-eye”) view of Boston presents a vista out into the bay when the city was still a busy seaport. The city was just beginning to take on its familiar shape in 1868. At far right, the South End was already dense with houses and factories; but the Back Bay (closer to the bottom of the picture) was only just beginning to fill up with buildings. The feature that may be most dramatic to modern eyes, though, is Logan Airport—it’s still open water.

---