Park Street station (Boston and Maine Railroad)

Park Street station is a former railroad station in Medford, Massachusetts. Constructed by the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1894, the building was abandoned in the 1930s, although passenger service continued to stop until 1957. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 as Park Street Railroad Station. It is the only extant railroad station building in Medford.[2]

Park Street
The former Park Street station in April 2017
Location121 Washington Street, Medford, Massachusetts
Line(s)Medford branch
History
Openedc. 1880s
ClosedOctober 1, 1957
Park Street Railroad Station
Coordinates42°24′59″N 71°5′55″W
Built1894
ArchitectClarence B. Cutler
NRHP reference No.75000280[1]
Added to NRHPApril 21, 1975

History
The original Park Street station

The Medford branch was built by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) in 1847.[3] A station at Park Street was not added until between 1875 and 1889.[4][5] The first station was a wooden structure with a gable roof, located on the north side of the tracks just east of Park Street.[6][7] In the 1890s, the B&M double-tracked the branch to provide more frequent service to compete with electric streetcars.[8] B&M vice president Samuel C. Lawrence became the first mayor of Medford in 1893, partially on promises to provide new station buildings at Park Street and Glenwood.[9]

The new Park Street station was designed by Clarence B. Cutler, and construction was completed in 1894. It was unusually large and well-appointed for a branch line station due to the influence of Lawrence; he had his personal gardeners attend to the station grounds.[8][9] The station is a one-story rectangular structure built of red brick with granite base and trim. A hip roof and porte-cochère are supported by posts with large curved brackets.[2][8] The station was located on the south side of the tracks slightly east of the former station; a footbridge was constructed at the station.[9] Reports vary as to whether the original station was demolished, or was moved and reused by the city highway department.[9][7]

Despite the new stations and frequent service, the branch lost most of its ridership to the streetcars and later automobiles. Service was discontinued for a period around 1933-34, and the station building remained in disuse even after service resumed.[10][8] The abandoned building was given to the city in 1942.[8] Passenger service on the Medford branch, including the stop at the abandoned Park Street building, continued until on October 1, 1957.[11][12] The tracks were abandoned west of Park Street in 1959, and east to Glenwood in 1961.[3][13]

The former station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 as Park Street Railroad Station.[1] It has been reused as an adult day care center.[6]

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See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. J Herzan; B.R. Pfeiffer (September 27, 1974). "Form B - Building: Park Street Railroad Station". Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System. Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  3. Karr, Ronald Dale (2017). The Rail Lines of Southern New England (2 ed.). Branch Line Press. pp. 289–296. ISBN 9780942147124.
  4. County Atlas of Middlesex, Massachusetts. F.W. Beers & Co. 1875. p. 105 – via Ward Maps.
  5. Atlas of Middlesex County, Massachusetts. George H. Walker & Co. 1889. pp. 18, 19 – via Ward Maps.
  6. Roy, John H. Jr. (2007). A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses. Branch Line Press. p. 213. ISBN 9780942147087.
  7. Dennison, Edward B. (March 1936). "Medford Railroad Stations: Notes and Reminiscences". The Medford Historical Register. Vol. 39 no. 1 – via Internet Archive.
  8. Boulding, Christine; Herza, John (March 1975). "NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM: Park Street Railroad Station". National Park Service.
  9. T. M. C.; F. W. L (October 1, 1943). "Petition For Abandonment of Park Street Railroad Station". Medford Courier – via MACRIS inventory form.
  10. "How would you like to live in a railroad station". Boston Globe. July 15, 1933. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "B&M Told to Up Earnings Or Face Control by Court". Boston Globe. August 3, 1957 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Middlesex County Court (3 April 1962). "CITY OF MEDFORD vs. MARINUCCI BROS. & CO., INC. & another". Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Massachusetts Cases.
  13. Karr, Ronald Dale (2010). Lost Railroads of New England (Third ed.). Branch Line Press. p. 153. ISBN 9780942147117.

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