Construction on State Street:
Making room for easy travel throughout history

This parcel from 177 to 235 State Street is particularly interesting to look at when thinking of the design and construction of the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway that cuts directly through Boston’s financial district. In the 1950’s the majority of this parcel was knocked down and construction began for the expressway. The section of the building from 197 State Street to 235 State Street was knocked down, and the rest of the parcel still remains to this day in the Northern Financial District. Pictured here is the section of the expressway titled “Skyway” which cuts from North Street to State Street. The article states, “As you drive Northward you notice the off ramps. The first begins nearly above State Street and comes to grade at Clinton Street.” The article continues by explaining how once the job is completed there will be a major rotary movement of traffic from North Street into Blackstone Street.” In order for the completion of this project to have happened they unfortunately needed to knock down the majority of this parcel. Although tragic for the history of this parcel, it created an opening for a major Boston highway to cut through the city and create easy access for all travelers to enter the Financial District.