Dover station (MBTA)
| Company type | Rapid transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
Dover station was an elevated rapid transit stop positioned above Washington Street at the intersection with Dover Street (currently East Berkeley Street) in Boston's South End neighborhood. It operated on the MBTA's Orange Line Washington Street Elevated from 1901 until its closure in 1987.
In 2002, the East Berkeley Street station was established at the same location as a street-level bus stop on the MBTA Silver Line’s Washington Street branch. This stop is served by Silver Line routes SL4 and SL5, along with multiple local MBTA bus lines. Consistent with all Silver Line stations, East Berkeley Street offers full accessibility.
History
The Washington Street Elevated, which included Dover station, commenced service as part of the Main Line Elevated on June 10, 1901. Initially, it featured a compact center island platform crafted in the Beaux Arts architectural style by Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow Jr.; this platform was soon extended to support four-car trains. In 1912, Dover underwent reconstruction to replace the original platform with two side platforms capable of handling eight-car trains, adopting a more functional design. This new configuration opened on December 9 following a period during which a temporary wooden station served passengers.
On December 5, 1960, the Metropolitan Transit Authority implemented skip-stop service during morning peak hours, which involved bypassing Dover and three additional stations to accelerate travel times. However, this practice was discontinued in September 1961 to minimize waiting periods at outdoor stations that were skipped.
The Washington Street Elevated was rebranded as the Orange Line in 1965. Dover station ceased operations on April 30, 1987, coinciding with the Orange Line’s rerouting through the Southwest Corridor. Silver Line service started on July 20, 2002, replacing the former route 49 bus service; it was further expanded when the SL4 route was introduced on October 15, 2009.
External links
- MBTA: Washington St @ E Berkeley St northbound and southbound