The silent black-and-white footage records sidewalks jammed with pedestrians while horses and buggies share the road with electric streetcars. Seeing Boston By Streetcar was one of the first times the city was filmed, according to the historical society’s website.

The motion picture captures some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, such as the Jordan Marsh Department Store, the Boston Public Library and elevated rail lines.

The images were documented by Massachusetts native Billy Bitzer, a cinematographer who went on to become a major figure in Hollywood. He’s credited with developing early cinematic techniques like the fadeout, soft focus and the close-up.The film, which is eight minutes long, debuted in 1906 at Boston’s first movie theater, the Theatre Comique. It was a unique treat for moviegoers at that time because the American motion picture industry was only about 12 years old.

For today’s audiences, Bitzer’s film is a unique historical record that provides an extraordinary glimpse of one of America’s major cities at the turn of the century.