In 1901, the then mayor of Rio, Xavier da Silveira, took a boat trip along the Rio coastline. The event was covered by the press of the period, as in the Jornal O Paiz, which still offers a description of the region. Setting off from Cais Pharoux, in Praça XV, the mayor and his entourage went to inspect the facilities of Hospital São Sebastião, at Ponta do Caju. Next, they headed to the Porto de Maria Angu aboard the vessel 'Sampaio Vianna,' on a route among beaches and islands of what today are Maré and Ilha do Fundão. The trip “lasted 50 minutes, though eased by the beautiful scenery, as the Sampaio Vianna had to skirt quite a few enchanting islands.” The report provides further details of the route and, regarding the Porto de Maria Angu, states that it “renders great service to the small-scale farming of Penha, Irajá, and Inhaúma, which makes its point of embarkation there.”
Image description: The image is an old black-and-white newspaper. At the top, it reads "MAYOR'S VISITS" in large letters. Below, there is a detailed text about visits made by the mayor to São Sebastião hospital and to the port of Maria Angélica. The text mentions Dr. Xavier da Silveira and Dr. Pereira Draga. There are references to specific points such as Phareux pier and Quinze de Novembro square. The text also mentions the intendant Honorio Gurgel and Sampão Vianna, from the Customs House.O Paiz, n.6241, 09/11/1901. p. 1 – Hemeroteca Digital da Biblioteca Nacional
The renovation and modernization of Rio's port in the early 20th century — which extended its reach from Praça Mauá to Ponta do Caju — centralized the loading and unloading of goods in a single anchorage, modern and closer to what became the urban center of Rio de Janeiro. This caused the abandonment and decline of the smaller ports scattered along the northern shore of Guanabara Bay, made up of wooden piers and based on manual labor (for a long time performed by enslaved people), which were gradually left to fishermen.
The former region of farms, estates, and nature – which since the time of D. João VI and his bathing house had been used for therapeutic retreats – increasingly came to be devoted to activities supporting the city and country as a whole, such as expressways, waste dumps, and a sewage treatment plant, for example. Since the time of Dom João VI's Casa de Banhos, on Praia do Caju, the mild climate, the lush vegetation, and the healthfulness of Guanabara Bay made the area suitable for therapeutic retreats, with hospitals being established there.
The City Map of Rio de Janeiro (Planta da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro), prepared by the Diretoria Geral de Obras e Viação da Prefeitura (Municipal General Directorate of Public Works and Roads) in 1913, shows the city's northern coastline (lower part of the image). It is possible to identify the islands of Ferreiros, Sapucaia, Pinheiros, Bom Jesus, and Fundão, which in the 1940s were joined together by landfills to house the Cidade Universitária (University City). The project blocked better water circulation, causing the silting and pollution of the bay. Long before that, these islands were bordered by clean waters, mangroves, and forests that made up the Inhaúma micro-bay – also called Saco de Inhaúma – which was reshaped after successive landfills.
Image description: This is an image of an old map, likely of a coastal city. The image is in shades of brown and green, with lines representing streets and green areas. On the left side, there is a large green area, which may be a park or vegetation zone. Moving to the right, we see a dense network of streets extending toward the coast. At the bottom of the map, there are three areas surrounded by yellow circles, possibly indicating points of interest or specific areas. On the right, there are more green areas that may be natural areas or vegetation zones. In the bottom left corner, there is a mention of "Praia de Inhaúma," which appears to be the main focus of the image.
