Dedham station

Dedham station (formerly Dedham Center) was a train station located in central Dedham, Massachusetts, at the terminus of the Dedham Branch.

Dedham
Dedham station pictured on an early 20th century postcard
General information
LocationProvidence Highway
Dedham, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°14′53.6″N 71°10′12.47″W
Owned byNew York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad later Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Line(s)Dedham Branch
West Roxbury Branch
Norfolk County Railroad
Dedham Branch (Midland Railroad)
History
OpenedFebruary 5, 1835[1]
ClosedApril 21, 1967[2]
Previous namesDedham Center
Former services
Preceding station MBTA Following station
Terminus Dedham Branch Stone Haven
toward South Station
Preceding station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station
Terminus Dedham Branch Stone Haven
toward Readville

History
1885 sketches of the then-new station

The original Dedham station stood near the intersection of Eastern Avenue and High Streets.[3] It opened in February 1835 with the rest of the Dedham Branch. The depot bell was mounted on a tall post at the northeast corner on a projecting gooseneck arm.[3] It was rung 10 minutes before a train was to leave, then again five minutes before, and for a final time at the train's departure.[3] It burned down in 1849, leaving only the walls standing, and it was patched up with boards for temporary use until a new station could be constructed to the south.[3]

A new stone station was built in 1881–1882.[4] It opened in August 1882.[5] The station had a long colonnade of arches facing Eastern Avenue and a bell tower. A red covered bridge would rumble as trains would pass through it.[6]

After April 1966, Dedham station, along with the rest of the Dedham Branch, was part of the MBTA Commuter Rail system; however, it closed just under a year later, putting an end to 132 years of uninterrupted train service to Dedham Square.

See also

References
  1. Humphrey, Thomas J. & Clark, Norton D. (1985). Boston's Commuter Rail: The First 150 Years. Boston Street Railway Association. pp. 9, 15, 29–38, 43–46. ISBN 9780685412947.
  2. Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association.
  3. Clarke 1903, p. 17.
  4. Report of the Board of Directors of the Boston and Providence Railroad Corporation for the Year Ending September 30, 1881. Boston and Providence Railroad. 1881. p. 8.
  5. "Dedham". The Boston Globe. July 14, 1882. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Clarke 1903, p. 18.

Works cited
  • Clarke, Wm. Horatio (1903). Mid-Century Memories of Dedham. Dedham Historical Society.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

Media related to Dedham station at Wikimedia Commons

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