and for extra credit, when?
Where was this taken?
by Adam Peller | Apr 30, 2014 | Newton | 25 comments
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Is that the Route 9 overpass, above Centre St/Winchester? No idea when it was taken though!
No, but you’re not too far off…
Look like the future Mass Pike to me. But that’s probably too obvious.
Is it looking under Rt 9 towards Boston? With what’s now the Riverside line on the left and the empty space on right is where the spur line once was that will soon be the Upper Falls Greenway?
The lower track is so wide that it’s likely the Boston-Worcester line. The crossing bridge looks like another rail crossing. So where in Newton was there a rail line crossing over another rail line?
I would guess Auburndale with the old Comm Ave trolley crossing.
Where and when — how about why? It’s not exactly a postcard scene. Greg is probably right, construction is about to begin on the pike.
This is a photograph the old Boston Worcester Air Line Trolley that followed the path of the Worcester Turnpike, which is now Route 9. The overpass is the trolley line that goes to Eliot Station in Newton Highlands. The trolley line was built in 1903 and was discontinued some time prior to 1932, when the state built Route 9. I’d say this was taken when Route 9 was being laid out. I think this is looking west, based on the current street view on Google maps.
Good one Adam!
Looks like Ted was the only one crafty enough to click on the pic — it says right there what it is
Oops :) Well, still, congrats to Ted! Boston (actually Chestnut Hill) to Worcester in an hour on route 9. Try doing that today! I think the terminal was on what is now “The Street”.
Here’s what the scene looks like today. Note the billboard in the old photo, in “the triangle”.
The key to identifying the date is probably picking out which houses are visible at the left.
Actually, I recognized the overpass because I just passed by this spot traveling on Route 9. But the photo description did help me find the name of the trolley line, which led me to the history of Route 9 on MAPC’s website.
A standing house has is a date clue? It would be easier if it was on fire.
Also, notice the lack of overhead wires on the overpass. Where the green line highland branch runs today was a steam locomotive running a circuit to Riverside and back downtown along what’s now the Pike. Pretty sure the bridge in the picture predates the air line.
Hoss, those houses are on Circuit Ave. Nothing in front of them. That means the photo was taken somewhere between 1915-1920.
Adam, the Newton Atlas of 1895 shows Boylston Street running under the old Boston & Albany Railroad Line at this location (p. 10), so my guess is that the overpass dates to the early 1900s when the BWALT was built. The 1907 Atlas (p. 28) shows the Boston & Albany RR passing over Boylston Street and the BWALT.
For extra, extra points, Adam, perhaps you can tell me the origin of the term “commuter.”
Adam seems to be pinpointing the prohibition period. But there’s no bar near there. Or was there once?
You mean Boylston Street ran over the railroad in 1895… good find!
Given your legal background, I’d guess it’s like reducing a sentence?
Oops. Guess my history recall is pretty poor. What could have been in place for a significant period, except for 5 years?
Pretty close, Adam. Alice Ingerson, the Community Preservation Planner in Newton, explained to me that it came from the reduced fares for season tickets sold to “commuters” on the Boston & Worcester Railroad, which is now the Framingham Worcester commuter rail line that runs along the MassPike. The term “commuter” originated from the “commuted” price reduction.
Here is link to an interesting article about commuter railroads in Newton.
This is a 5 minute walk at most from my home, but I don’t think I would have guessed it in a hundred years.
I feel like Ted cheated. LOL
I attended a presentation on the history of development in Newton that Alice Ingerson have a couple of months ago, and naturally much of it focused on public transit. Newton’s villages owe their existence to the railroads and trolleys of the 19th and early 20th century. There used to be a rail car line called “The Circuit” which ran on what are now MBTA trolley and commuter rail lines and ran through Riverside Station. One of the fascinating things about Newtonville, for instance, is that it has always been divided by the railroad, which used to be 4 tracks wide, and then the railway and the MassPike. Same with Newton Corner, West Newton and Auburndale, although West Newton was already a village even before the railroad came through. Each of these villages grew around the railroad stations.
@Ted. At least two of the villages (Upper Falls and Lower Falls) owe their existence to waterfalls on the Charles River that provided hydropower to small mills and factories. Slater’s Mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and the City of Lowell in this state often compete for the title “Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution”, but there were small wood and agricultural based industries in Upper Falls decades before either industry came to either Lowell or Pawtucket.
Exactly 200 years ago, the British Navy was blockading Boston Harbor as the War of 1812 was winding down. Large Conestoga Type Wagons were employed to haul goods around Boston to avoid the blockade and they often exited onto what is now Route 9 to water their horses on the Charles at or near Hemlock Gorge.