Overview
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Explore the hidden underground world of Boston's forgotten 1898 streetcar tunnels in this 20-minute historical documentary. Discover how America's first subway system began as a solution to 19th-century traffic gridlock and evolved into an extensive network of underground corridors, platforms, and portals beneath the city. Learn about Boston's transformation from a colonial peninsula to a streetcar metropolis, examining key locations like the Pleasant Street Portal and the lost tracks of Scollay Square and Adams Square that once powered one of the largest streetcar systems in the United States. Trace the rise of electrified rail infrastructure and understand how modernization, automobiles, and changing political priorities led to the sealing of entire network sections, leaving behind abandoned chambers and hidden platforms that remain beneath modern streets today. Uncover the fascinating story of these railway ruins and see what remnants of Boston's original streetcar subway system still exist in the present day.
Syllabus
Boston’s Forgotten Streetcar Tunnels | The Secret Subway Beneath the City
Taught by
IT'S HISTORY