Park Street station (Boston and Maine Railroad) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Park Street
|
|
|---|---|
_station,_April_2017.jpg)
The former Park Street station in April 2017
|
|
| Location | 121 Washington Street, Medford, Massachusetts |
| Line(s) | Medford branch |
| History | |
| Opened | c. 1880s |
| Closed | October 1, 1957 |
|
Park Street Railroad Station
|
|
| Built | 1894 |
| Architect | Clarence B. Cutler |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000280 |
| Added to NRHP | April 21, 1975 |
The Park Street station was once a busy train station in Medford, Massachusetts. It was built a long time ago, in 1894, by a company called the Boston and Maine Railroad. Even though the building was not used after the 1930s, trains kept stopping there until 1957. This special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. It's the only old train station building left in Medford today!
A Look Back: Park Street Station's Story
The train line that went through Medford was built in 1847. It was called the Medford branch. A train stop at Park Street was added later, sometime between 1875 and 1889. The first station was a simple wooden building. It had a pointed roof and was located near Park Street.
In the 1890s, the train company added a second track. This was done to offer more train trips. They wanted to compete with electric streetcars, which were becoming popular. Samuel C. Lawrence, who was a vice president at the train company, became the first mayor of Medford in 1893. He promised to build new train stations, including one at Park Street.
Building the New Station
The new Park Street station was designed by Clarence B. Cutler. It was finished in 1894. This station was much larger and fancier than most stations on a small train line. This was because Mayor Lawrence had a lot of influence. He even had his own gardeners take care of the station's outdoor areas!
The station building is made of red brick. It has a strong granite base and trim. The roof is flat on top and slopes down on all sides. There's also a special covered entrance called a porte-cochère. This allowed people to get out of their carriages or cars without getting wet. The new station was built on the other side of the tracks from the first one. A footbridge was built so people could cross the tracks safely. We're not sure if the old station was torn down or moved and used by the city.
End of Train Service
Even with new stations and many trains, fewer people rode the trains. They started using streetcars and, later, cars instead. Train service stopped for a short time around 1933-1934. The Park Street station building was not used after that, even when trains started running again.
In 1942, the empty building was given to the city. Passenger trains kept stopping at the abandoned Park Street building until October 1, 1957. After that, the train tracks west of Park Street were removed in 1959. The tracks east of Park Street were removed in 1961.
The old station building was recognized as important history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Today, the building is used as a center for adults during the day.
