Transportation and Mobility- Railroad Infrastructure
Transportation and Mobility- Railroad Infrastructure
A key component in reconstructing the story of 1-35 Albany St. is its proximity and access to a variety of railway infrastructure and rail lines including the Boston and Albany R.R., the Boston Elevated Railway, the Old Colony Railroad terminal, the New Haven Railroad and, by the end of the 19th century, the new South Station, whose rail lines intersect with the Boston & Albany R.R. lines.
The Boston & Albany R.R with the new South Station connecting to the Boston & Albany rail lines
Source: Bromley, Atlas of the city of Boston : city proper, 1888.
Boston & Albany R.R.
The Boston & Albany R.R. was a freight and passenger railroad that connected Boston to New York and the South as well as Albany and the West. During this time period, it was one of the most important railroads in Boston, as it transported a large number of passengers, and was the main line of the transportation of freight in Boston, transporting more merchandise than any other railroad. The parcel on Albany St. is located next to the main Boston & Albany Railroad terminal. The close proximity and easy access to the railroad is an important component in reconstructing the history of this parcel, as it was made up of a large number of commercial businesses. Therefore, the railroad would have provided the opportunity for the efficient transportation and exchange of goods. It also would have provided people the opportunity for transportation and mobility, not only connecting people on this parcel to the rest of Boston and surrounding cities, but also allowing building owners to live further outside the gritty, industrial district and commute via the train.
The large building that spans the entire block between Albany St. and Lincoln St. has had a variety of different functions with respect to the Boston & Albany R.R. By looking at the maps of this parcel between 1874 and 1938, the brick structure originally functioned as the main passenger station, as labelled on the 1874 map and was divided longitudinally between the inward and outward-bound trains. However, by 1882, the station had converted into the Boston & Albany R.R Freight House No. 1. According to the maps between 1883 and 1895, the freight depot was owned by two Express Companies: The American Express Company and the Adams Express Company, which corresponds to images found of the building with the label "American Express Co. Freight Depot," before it was reconstructed as the Albany Building in 1899. The block between Albany St. and Lincoln St. was preserved during the construction of the Central Artery, however the original railroad depot was replaced in 1899 by the Albany Building (current address: 179 Lincoln St.). Originally built as a shoe manufacturing building, the 6 storey Albany Building was designed by Peabody and Stearns, and includes Beaux-Arts details such as swags, cartouches and a detailed cornice, offering a strong contrast to the site's previous industrial character.
More Images of the Boston & Albany R.R.
Before alterations caused by the new South Station
Station from Tower 1, 1998
West End of House 4, 1998
North Side of House 5 from West, 1998
Tower from House 5, 1998
Boston Elevated Railway- Beach St.
Another example of railroad infrastructure connected to Albany St. is the Atlantic Avenue Elevated Railway, which was part of the Main Line of the Boston Elevated Railway, referred to as “the El.” It follows Atlantic Ave., intersecting with South Station and extends across Beach St. Despite not turning onto Albany St. the elevated structure has an impactful presence on the landscape, as it creates a noisy environment that prevents daylight from reaching the street level. It also acts as a visual manifestation of the growth of industrialization and transportation in Boston at the end of the 19th c. The railroad caused this site to become less desirable as a residential area, resulting in low-cost housing and a high volume of laborer and immigrant residents.
Bibliography
Bromley George Washington, Atlas of the city of Boston : city proper. Philadelphia: G.W Bromley & Co., 1895. Boston Public Library via Atlascope
Harrison, C. S. P.H. Dudley's Condensed Diagrams of the Inspection of the B. & A.R.R. 1897. New York, 1898.
Hopkins, Griffith Morgan, Atlas of the county of Suffolk, Massachusetts : vol. 1st including Boston proper : from actual surveys and official records. Philadelphia:
G.M Hopkins & Co., 1874. Boston Public Library via Atlascope
Sanborn, Daniel Alfred, Insurance maps of Boston volume one. New York: Sanborn Map & Publishing Co., 1882. Boston Public Library via Atlascope.
Stanwood, Edward. Boston Illustrated. James R. Osgood & Co., 1878
“The Leather District.” SAH ARCHIPEDIA, November 5, 2019.