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Date Range
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March 24, 1845 – August 1, 1846
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Title
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The Introduction of Railroads and the impact on Arlington, Massachusetts
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What occurred
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Railroads were first introduced in Arlington, Massachusetts on March 24, 1845, with the creation of the Lexington and West Cambridge Branch Railroad. (Arlington was originally called West Cambridge until it was changed on April 13, 1867). The railroad was first opened for public travel in August of 1846. With the creation of this railroad, the people of Arlington had transportation to Boston and the other important cities, for the first time. Prior to the building of railroads, the only means of transportation to Boston from suburban towns would have been by stagecoach. The introduction of the railroads allowed for a faster, more efficient, mode of transportation for all people in the Greater Boston area. By this time, numerous other railroads had been built around Boston, and the towns and suburbs surrounding Boston were now interconnected to each other. All the suburban towns around the outskirts of Boston began to have large commuter populations and soon were coined the name "railroad suburbs". (O'Connell, pg 42) The Lexington and West Cambridge Branch Railroad allowed Arlington to become one of the many railroad suburbs in the Boston area. Nowadays, the railroad is no longer in use. However, some of the tracks are still displayed in the same position as they were built in 1845, in the center of town. This railroad will forever be a piece of Arlington's history.
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Location
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478 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA 02474
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Image Citation
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Lexington and West Cambridge Branch Railroad- lexingtonhistory.org
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Student name(s)
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Tim Mazzei
