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Boston built the first subway in North America. Trolley car grid-lock
and street congestion on main thoroughfares motivated the Massachusetts Legislature to authorize the construction of the subway. It opened on September 1st, 1897. The original "Green Line" went underground at
the Public Garden and returned to the surface near North Station. Park
Street Station was the terminus for many southern trolley lines, and
Adams Square Station (now demolished) was the terminus for northern
trolley lines. The "cut and cover" method of
construction was used, with a deep trench dug or "cut" on Tremont Street,
and a steel structure built around it and then filled in or "covered up." The Budapest Subway, and the later Paris Metro, were
visited by the Boston subway designers. This view above is of Boylston
Street Station looking South.
Entrance to Park Street Station
A view looking north on Tremont Street. Boston Common is on the left, with Park Street Church in the center.
One of the few areas of the downtown that has not changed very much in 100 years.
Scollay Square Station (now demolished)
A view of the original entrance to Scollay Square
Station. Note the splendid clock tower. This building was torn
down in the 1920's or 1930's and replaced with an entrance of only granite
walls. Scollay Square, originally a center of commerce, became a
burlesque area and was torn down in the early 1960's to build Government
Center. When constructed, Center Plaza physically eliminated both Scollay Square
and Adams Square (Tremont Street to Faneuil Hall).
Adams Square Station (now demolished)
A view of Adams
Square and the beautiful entrance to the subway. This view is looking
north up old Washington Street. The entire area was demolished in the
1960s and replaced by Boston City Hall and Government Center Plaza. The statue of Samuel Adams
that stood where the subway entrance is, now stands at Faneuil Hall opposite
city hall. Behind the tower at 28 State Street today, near the Old
State House, is approximately where this view was taken (City Hall is there
now).
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