1910 Tri-state Trolley Map

The Old Colony Street Railway Company (Old Colony St. Ry.) was a horse-drawn and electric streetcar railroad operated on the streets of Boston, Massachusetts and communities south of the city. Founded in 1881 as the Brockton Street Railway Company, via lease and merger it became a primary mass transit provider for southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Its immediate successor was the Bay State Street Railway, and its modern successor is the state-run Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).[1]

Founding

The Old Colony Street Railway Company began operations on July 5, 1881 as the Brockton Street Railway Company (Brockton St. Ry.)[2] The corporate name of the company was changed to Old Colony on February 7, 1901.[3] All of the below listed street railway companies eventually became part of the Bay State Street Railway (Bay State), later absorbed by the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway (Eastern Mass), in 1919. Eastern Mass was acquired by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in 1968.

Mergers and acquisitions

The following companies were purchased and merged with the Brockton Street Railway Company:

  1. Boston, Milton & Brockton Street Railway Company
    Corporate office: Quincy
    began operations on July 11, 1899, sold February 10, 1900 to Brockton St. Ry. and consolidated[4][5]
  2. Brockton, Bridgewater & Taunton Street Railway Company
    Corporate office: Bridgewater
    commenced operations June 14, 1897, sold in February 10, 1900 to Brockton St. Ry. and consolidated[5][6]
  3. Brockton & East Bridgewater Street Railway Company
    Corporate office: Bridgewater
    commenced operations July 3, 1897, sold February 10, 1900 to Brockton St. Ry. and consolidated[5][6]
  4. Brockton & Holbrook Street Railway Company
    Corporate office: Brockton
    commenced operations on September 19, 1892; leased to Brockton St. Ry. Co. on April 1, 1893; purchased by Brockton St. Ry. Co. on September 17, 1894[7][8][9]
  5. Brockton & Stoughton Street Railway Company
    Corporate office: Boston
    Incorporated 1894, sold June 11, 1895 to Brockton St. Ry. Co. prior to starting operations.[9][10]
  6. East Side Street Railway Company
    Corporate office: Brockton
    commenced operations on November 1, 1888; leased to Brockton St. Ry. Co. on October 1, 1892; purchased by Brockton St. Ry. Co. on September 17, 1894[9][11]
  7. Globe Street Railway Company (Globe St. Ry.)
    Corporate office: Fall River
    incorporated April 16, 1880; merged on January 19, 1901 with the Brockton St. Ry.[3][12]
    • Fall River Street Railway Company
      Corporate office: Fall River
      incorporated 1895; begun operations May 28, 1896; sold April 30,1898 to Globe St. Ry. and consolidated[6][9][13]
    • Dighton, Somerset & Swansea Street Railway Company
      Corporate office: Taunton
      incorporated 1895; started operating July 8, 1895; sold and consolidated with Globe St. Ry. April 24, 1900[5][10]
    • Taunton Street Railway Company
      incorporated 1871, sold 1901 to Globe St. Ry.[5]
      • Providence & Taunton Street Railway Company
        incorporated 1898, sold in 1900 to Taunton Street Railway[5]
  8. New Bedford, Middleborough & Brockton Street Railway Company
    sold in 1900 to Brockton St. Ry. and consolidated[5]
  9. Quincy & Boston Street Railway Company
    incorporated 1889, sold in 1900 to Brockton St. Ry. and consolidated[5]
    • Quincy Street Railway
      incorporated 1888, leased 1889 to Quincy & Boston Street Railway, sold 1895 to Quincy & Boston Street Railway
    • Braintree Street Railway
      incorporated 1893, leased 1895 to Quincy & Boston Street Railway, sold 1899 to Quincy & Boston Street Railway
      • Randolph Street Railway
        sold 1897 to Braintree Street Railway.
  10. South Shore & Boston Street Railway Company
    Corporate office: Quincy
    incorporated in 1894 as the Hanover Street Railway Company (headquartered in Rockland); named changed July 15, 1899; sold in November 21, 1900 to Brockton St. Ry. and consolidated[5][3]
    • Braintree & Weymouth Street Railway Company
      incorporated 1891, merged July 15, 1899 with Hanover St. Ry.[5]
    • Bridgewater Whitman & Rockland Street Railway Company
      Incorporated 1897, merged July 15, 1899 with Hanover St. Ry.[5]
    • Hingham Street Railway Company
      incorporated 1895, merged July 15, 1899 with Hanover[5]
      • Hull Street Railway Company
        incorporated 1887, sold 1898 to Hingham Street Railway.
      • Nantasket Electric Street Railway Company
        sold 1898 to Hingham Street Railway.
    • Rockland & Abington Street Railway Company
      incorporated 1892, merged July 15, 1899 with Hanover[5]
  11. Taunton & Brockton Street Railway Company
    Corporate office: Brockton
    incorporated in 1896; sold in February 10, 1900 to Brockton St. Ry. and consolidated[5]
  12. West Roxbury & Roslindale Street Railway Company (WR&R)
    was incorporated in 1896, and merged on December 22, 1900 with Brockton St. Ry.[3]
    • Needham & Boston Street Railway Company
      sold 1900 to WR&R.
    • Norfolk Central Street Railway Company
      Corporate office: Dedham)
      incorporated 1896, sold 1899 to WR&R and consolidated.[4] (Opened Westwood Park)
    • Norfolk Suburban Street Railway Company
      Corporate office: Dedham
      incorporated 1893- sold 1900 to WR&R.
      • Norfolk Street Railway Company
        incorporated 1889, sold 1892 to Norfolk Suburban.
  13. Whitman Street Railway Company
    leased to Brockton St. Ry. Co. on April 1, 1892; purchased by Brockton St. Ry. Co. on September 17, 1894[9]
Hingham Street Railway car, 1898

Additional acquisitions by Old Colony

The Old Colony St. Ry. also later acquired the following street railway companies:

  • Newport & Fall River Street Railway Company
    incorporated 1898, leased 1901 to OC.
  • Taunton & Pawtucket Street Railway Company
    incorporated 1904, sold to OC.
    • Bristol County Street Railway Company
      incorporated 1899, sold 1904 to Taunton & Pawtucket Street Railway.

Purchase and consolidation

The Old Colony St. Ry. was purchased by and consolidated with the Boston and Northern Street Railway on July 1, 1911.[14] The B&N was renamed the Bay State on August 8, 1911,[12] and the Bay State was acquired by Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company on January 15, 1919.[15] . Eastern Mass was purchased by the MBTA in 1968.

Communities served

1908 map

The following cities and towns in Massachusetts and Rhode Island were serviced by the Old Colony:[3]

References

  1. ↑ "A CHRONICLE OF THE BOSTON TRANSIT SYSTEM". GEORGE M. SANBORN, Reference Librarian State Transportation Library via Internet Archive. Archived from the original on 2015-08-18. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1881)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1901)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1899)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1900)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1897)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1892)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1893)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1894)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1895)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1889)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  12. 1 2 "First Annual report of the Public Service Commission, and the forty-fifth Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1914)". Massachusetts Public Service Commission via Internet Archive. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1898)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1911)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. 1870. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Acts and resolves passed by the General Court". Internet Archive. 1663.
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