Boston (Mass.). Transit Department
Historical note
A commission to promote rapid transit for the City of Boston and its suburbs was created by Chapter 365 of the Acts of 1891. The expenses of the Commission were paid one-half by the Commonwealth and one-half by the City of Boston. The Commission made a report to the Legislature, April 5, 1892, and a supplementary and final report May 16, 1892. Based on the findings of the Rapid Transit Commission, the Massachusetts Legislature authorized the creation of the Boston Transit Commission in July of 1894. The Commission had charge of the construction of the Tremont street subway, the Charlestown Bridge, the tunnel to East Boston, the Washington street tunnel, the tunnel under Beacon Hill from the new Cambridge Bridge to the Park street station of the Tremont street subway, the East Boston Tunnel Extension, Boylston street subway, and the Dorchester tunnel for train service. The official existence of the Boston Transit Commission terminated on July 1, 1918.
Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:
Public Works Department photograph collection
Photographs collected by the Public Works Department showing Transit construction and street scenes.
Sumner Tunnel lantern slides
These lantern slides were found in garage at a house in West Roxbury that was formerly owned by Albert L. O'Banion. O'Banion was a consulting engineer on the East Boston Traffic Tunnel project (now known as the Sumner Tunnel) and he would later become the Superintendent of the Fire Alarm Division of the Boston Fire Department.
Transit Department records
The Transit Department collection consists of records created by the Rapid Transit Commission, Boston Transit Commission and the Boston Transit Department. The collection dates from 1891-1949 and includes minutes, journals, photographs, publications and annual reports.
- City of Boston Archives
- 201 Rivermoor Street
- West Roxbury, MA 02132
- archives@boston.gov
- (617) 635-1195
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