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Falmouth Subdivision Map Centered on Palmer's Pond
This detailed lithographed subdivision map depicts the planned development of Belvidere Plain, a seaside residential enclave in Falmouth, Massachusetts, laid out along the shore of Vineyard Sound. While the subdivision was apparently completed, its promoter, Marcus Starbuck, seems to have had very little success, as the only significant mention of his name revolves around his bankruptcy filing in the late 1870s.
The plan is structured around a prominent central feature—Park Lake (today's Palmer Pond)—with radiating roads and named parks such as William’s Park, Swaney’s Park, and Observatory Park. Avenues including Vineyard Avenue, Clinton Avenue, and Sheridan Avenue form the main east-west thoroughfares, while cross streets—Lake Avenue, Reading Avenue, and Orchard Avenue among them—create an orderly framework of residential lots, each precisely numbered.
The layout is flanked by several named landmarks, including Deacon’s Pond, Clinton Pond, and a smaller unnamed Pond. The map also shows Falmouth Heights to the east and identifies surrounding property owners such as J.M. Beebe, C. Swift, and J.A. Cogswell.
Of particular note is the Vineyard Beach along the southern edge of the plan, with a Bathing House indicated—a clear indication of the developers’ intention to market the area for seasonal or leisure residency. Several lots are grouped into larger tracts, possibly for hotels, public buildings, or larger villas.
This map was issued by real estate broker Marcus Starbuck of Falmouth and contractor C.H. Robinson of Mayflower, Massachusetts.
![(First Separate Map of Nantucket) Letters from an American Farmer [with maps:] Map of the Island of Nantucket; Map of the Island of Martha's Vineyard with its Dependencies.](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/91513.jpg)
