Transportation worcester historical museum worcester. The underground railroad was a series of safe houses that stretch from the south all the way to canada these safe houses provided shelter and protection for runaway slaves trying to find freedom in the north. By 1835 there were three railroad systems opened in massachusetts. Fascinating history of bostons railroad stations and terminals. The boston and worcester railroad was chartered june 23, 1831 and construction began in august 1832. He acquired the train symbol nickname wx1 for his frequent research trips between worcester, keene, and bellows falls, vt. Manchesters railroads 1965 1990 by rick kfoury 2019.
Though the railroad was only in operation from 19121937, it was an important part of westchester county history. Until 1899, when south station opened, the boston terminal was at park square, with a crossing at grade of the boston and worcester railroad at the current merge at back bay station. His book is as close to a standard catalog as we have in scripophily. Portland and rochester, and worcester and nashua railroads, most of which themselves were. See more ideas about massachusetts, train and railroad pictures. There are many books on railroad history available to you, but none can give. Fascinating history of the norwich and worcester railroad which ran between norwich, connecticut and worcester, massachusetts as well as the steamboats that connected norwich to new york city. Underground railroad ran through worcester news telegram. Sep 02, 2009 in 1867, the boston and worcester railroad changed its name to boston and albany railroad as service was extended all the way to albany, ny. Plans showing deed and old location lines of the western railroad in the county of worcester and state of mass.
Fascinating history of boston s railroad stations and terminals. Sep 03, 2011 the hayden house in boston is one of the most well documented stations on the underground railroad. City of worcester offers additional parking at nearby open lots. The railroad system in and around framingham ca 1910. The boston and worcester railroad was chartered june 23, 1831 and.
Boston and maine railroad railroad history and classic. Its opening jumpstarted worcesters rapid transition from agriculture to industry, and introduced the irish to town, the first of many immigrant groups that were to come in search of work and new homes. Guild, william, map detailing miles 94100 west of boston on the boston and worcester railroad and the western railroad, in a chart and description of the boston and worcester and western railroads boston. Boston and worcester street railway post by aline1969 mon jun 23, 2008 12. Railroad stations in massachusetts, now in its twentysecond year, is a site devoted to the history, location, and uses of railroad depots, whether still standing or long gone, throughout the thirteen counties of massachusetts. Boston and worcester railroad corporation records, 18311882. Worcester is approximately 40 miles 64 km west of boston, 50 miles 80 km east of springfield and 40 miles 64 km. While the collection is of great interest in regard to railroad history, it also holds value as a resource.
These images constitute a record of the companys construction activities, rolling stock, stations, and specialized equipment from the late 1890s until approximately 1920. The corporation was a primary eastwest transit through the commonwealth, with branches connecting towns including athol, ware, north adams, and hudson, n. Named after worcester, england, as of the 2010 census the citys population was 181,045, making it the secondmost populous city in new england after boston. Lines in east boston and of the building of stations in framingham, worcester. Boston and albany railroad engineering department map collection. The providence and worcester railroad reporting mark pw nasdaq. Our society has published several books about the boston and maine railroad.
Long after the line was converted to buses, boston and. Providence and worcester railroad pw was incorporated in massachusetts on march 12, 1844 st. Map, available online, plans showing deed and old location. Readers are invited to consult the tables and links below and submit additions, corrections, photos, and comments to make this a. Boston and albany railroad map collection finding aid. The abandoned railroad was sold off, covered over, and otherwise forgotten. The state, the investor, and the railroad the boston. Twin babies found near railroad tracks in worcester.
Nov 16, 2019 construction at norwich began november 18, 1835. The railroad connects from gardner in central massachusetts, south through its namesake cities of worcester and providence, rhode island, and west from rhode island through connecticut and into new york city. Like the mta, the mbta was formed as a state agency. Although slavery was illegal in northern states, the fugitive slave act passed in 1793 and 1850 make it legal for slave hunters to travel to free states and capture runaway slaves. Within a year, massachusetts interests had secured approval for the necessary rail link from. Terry has centralized and organized more information about railroad certificates than anyone else. The main line, built by the boston and worcester street railway, was an interurban streetcar line partly on the old boston and worcester turnpike now route 9 and partly on private rightofway. This house was owned by an escaped slave, lewis hayden, and his wife harriet. History for tons of information about railroad stocks, go see terry at and buy his book. A fearful catastrophe occurred on the boston railroad this forenoon, two miles east of this city, caused by the breaking of an axle.
The mbta, or the t, was voted into law on august 3, 1964, becoming the first combined regional transit system in the u. Worcester police are investigating after twin baby boys were found near railroad tracks early wednesday morning, authorities said. Transportation worcester historical museum worcester historical. Since the berkshires made construction of a canal infeasible, boston turned to the emerging railroad technology for a share of the freight to and from the midwestern united states. The charter of the boston and providence was granted june 22nd, 1831, and that of the boston and worcester, june 23rd, 1831, with several others about the same time, which were never used. The boston and albany railroad was formed between 1867 and 1870 from the merger of three existing lines, the boston and worcester chartered 1831, the western 1833, and the castleton and west stockbridge 1834. In 1867, the boston and worcester railroad changed its name to boston and albany railroad as service was extended all the way to albany, ny. Annual report of the directors of the boston and worcester. The boston and worcester railroad corporation was incorporated in massachusetts in 1831. Lessee as of 1956 0429, from employee timetable no. Beginning date 1832 ending date 1867 former title report of the directors of the boston and worcester railroad corporation to the stockholders together with the report of john m. I was rereading for the umpteenth time don balls book portrait of the rails.
Boston and worcester street railway post by aline1969. Passenger service is still provided on the line by amtrak, as part of their lake shore limited service, and by the mbta commuter rail. Business leaders in nearby norwich also saw an opportunity to share in the economic boom associated with railroads and organized a stock company to construct a railroad linking long island sound with boston via norwich and worcester. The haydens purchased the house in the 1850s and turned it into a boarding house. Traveling the underground railroad in massachusetts. Within a year, massachusetts interests had secured approval for the necessary rail link from worcester to boston. Worcester in the precivil war era, the underground railroad quietly chugged through the northern united states and created a historical role for worcester. Heald has written several books on the history of new hampshire.
It merged with the western railroad corporation in 1867 to form. Boston and maine railroad new york, new haven and hartford railroad co. From court house to round house perspectives on worcester. In 1965, the federal governments newly formed urban mass transportation administration umta, now known as the. Railroad scripophily collection certificate collector. The original providence terminal was at fox point, from which it ran east along the seekonk river shore and over the river via the india point railroad bridge into. Connecticuts early railroad history had at its core the goal of linking new york city and boston through a hybrid system of steamboats and trains. Each of these pioneer railroad lines ran from boston to a major population center.
Apr 14, 2017 worcester in the precivil war era, the underground railroad quietly chugged through the northern united states and created a historical role for worcester. After 1900, the old colony railroad lines came under the control of the new york, new haven and hartford system. The boston and albany railroad was formed by a series of mergers beginning in 1867 that subsumed both the first commercial line in new england, the boston and worcester railroad chartered 1831 and the western railroad 1833, the most important line in western massachusetts. Coit and those run by the boston and providence owned by cornelius.
While the collection is of great interest in regard to railroad history, it also holds. Railroad extra history of the railways of massachusetts. Contrary to past assumptions, the author details how the road was built less as a way to compete with new york city and more because of a desire by boston and springfield businessmen to open up the interior of massachusetts to industrial development to replace the aging agricultural. Location of the boston and worchester railroad, 1835.
The state, the investor, and the railroad the bo by. Iron roads of the monadnock region historical society of. These three, the lowell, the providence, and the worcester, were the pioneer railroads of the state. Compiled from locations filed in 18378 at the office of the county clerk, worcester, mass. The two statechartered companies merged on november 25, 1845, as the providence and worcester railroad company. Deed and location lines of the western railroad in worcester county, mass. City of worcester is responsible for parking garage snow removal, maintenance and fee collection.
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