Original 1835 Boston & Providence Route

I know the Providence terminus was at Fox Point, and that it crossed the Seekonk River at India Point and went up to what later became East Junction (in 1847). I say the current line south of East Jct, and what Google Maps calls Waterfront Drive down to 195, follow the 1835 route. Someone else says all new in '47. I can't find any references about this area between 1832 and '85. Forget about the changes made when the P&W and PW&B came in, as well as the tunnel and newer bridge. Who is right? If I am, what can I use as a neutral reference we can find online? If he's right, why change the route and where can I read about the change?

I can't help you on that end of their route but I would suggest looking up U.S. Topological Maps for the area at various years to find what you seek.

3rdrail wrote:I can't help you on that end of their route but I would suggest looking up U.S. Topological Maps for the area at various years to find what you seek.

Thanks for the tip, but I can't find any topos from that period. I did find a survey from 1828 that showed a route along Dochester Bay, and another along today's VFW Pkwy, then through Walpole and Wrentham.

If you're willing to expand your search to printed sources, get in touch with the New Haven RR Historical & Technical Association (NHRHTA). Over the years their Bulletin has run detailed histories of just about every inch of the railroad. I specifically recall an article about the B&P rerouting through Pawtucket that was published back in the 1980s, but my way-back copies of that publication are packed away and not easily accessible.

You might check out Karr's Rail Lines of Southern New England, which has a brief outline commencing with the charter in 1831.

PBM

No specific confirmation, but I can't find anything that indicates that the 1835 line was moved south of East Junction after being built. Ward Maps has a lot of scanned maps online, but unfortunately none older than 1870 for Providence.

Karr is pretty thorough, he's on the the 3d edition and hasn't mentioned an abandonment. I figure anyone who lists a half mile spur for Harvard's coal bin (1st ed.) isn't going to miss a larger change. I didn't contact the NHRRHTA because I don't like sending emails out of the blue. I'm confident that the line is the same, or at least on the same ROW from East Jct down to the P&W switch.

The location of the original Boston & Providence route south of East Junction was not changed --- anyone who says it was changed may be thinking of the cut-off from East Junction to Boston Switch used to reach the Union Station in Providence or the Providence & Worcester route from Valley Falls to the Wilkesbarre Pier. Also, the original terminal was at India Point -- track to Fox Point came later although some people today call the area of the original station the Fox Point area. For more info go to:

http://sites.google.com/site/rhodeislandrailroads" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://sites.google.com/site/rrstationsofprovidence" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://sites.google.com/site/pawtucketcentralfalls" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Ed Ozog