| Style | MBTA |
|---|---|
| Address | Providence Highway |
| Borough | Dedham, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates | 42°14′53.6″N 71°10′12.47″W |
| Line | Dedham Branch West Roxbury Branch Norfolk County Railroad Dedham Branch (Midland Railroad) |
| Opened | February 5, 1835[1] |
| Closed | April 21, 1967[2] |
| Former | Dedham Center |
| Owned | New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad later Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority |
| Other services header | Former services |
Dedham station (formerly Dedham Center) was a train station located in central Dedham, Massachusetts, at the terminus of the Dedham Branch.
History
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]
The building was abandoned by 1941, though a smaller station was built directly behind it.[7][a] 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
Notes
References
- ^ 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.
- ^
- ^ Clarke 1903, p. 17.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Dedham". The Boston Globe. July 14, 1882. p. 2. – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Clarke 1903, p. 18.
- ^ "Jim Parr brings WWII Dedham to life at Kights' 125th Annual Communion Breakfast". The Dedham Times. Vol. 33, no. 15. April 11, 2025. p. 25.
Works cited
- Clarke, Wm. Horatio (1903). Mid-Century Memories of Dedham. Dedham Historical Society