Dedham station
Former train station in Dedham, Massachusetts, US
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dedham station (formerly Dedham Center) was a train station located in central Dedham, Massachusetts, at the terminus of the Dedham Branch.
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West Roxbury Branch
Norfolk County Railroad
Dedham Branch (Midland Railroad)
Dedham | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Dedham station pictured on an early 20th century postcard | |||||||||||||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Providence Highway Dedham, Massachusetts | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 42°14′53.6″N 71°10′12.47″W | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad later Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Lines | Dedham Branch West Roxbury Branch Norfolk County Railroad Dedham Branch (Midland Railroad) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | February 5, 1835[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Closed | April 21, 1967[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Previous names | Dedham Center | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Former services | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
