Woodland station

Woodland station

Company type	Light rail station
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	1886
Defunct	1958
Fate	Converted to light rail station
Successor	Woodland light rail station (opened 1959)
Headquarters	Newton, Massachusetts , United States
Area served	Newton Lower Falls and Auburndale, Massachusetts
Products	Light rail transit services

Woodland station is a light rail stop situated on the MBTA Green Line D branch. It lies adjacent to Washington Street (MA-16) between the villages of Newton Lower Falls and Auburndale in Newton, Massachusetts, United States. This station provides access to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital and operates as a park and ride facility serving commuters traveling via nearby Route 128.

Initially opened in 1886 by the Boston and Albany Railroad, Woodland station ceased operations in 1958 to allow conversion to light rail. It reopened in 1959 with a new station located slightly east of the original site. In 2006, the station underwent reconstruction to improve accessibility, incorporating a parking garage linked to a neighboring transit-oriented development.

Commuter station

The Boston and Worcester Railroad launched a branch line from Brookline Junction to Brookline on April 10, 1848. This branch was extended by the Charles River Branch Railroad to Newton Upper Falls in November 1852 and further to Needham by June 1853. The Boston and Albany Railroad regained control of the line in 1883, adding double tracks and extending service to connect with the B&A main line at Riverside. The "Newton Circuit" service via the Highland branch commenced on May 16, 1886.

In October 1884, the B&A commissioned architect H.H. Richardson to design stations at three new stops: Boylston Street, Beacon Street, and Washington Street (later known as Woodland). These stations were constructed in predominantly undeveloped areas of Newton with the goal of attracting residents who would utilize rail services. Although Richardson’s health was declining and he passed away before construction started, his firm successors, Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, likely completed most of the designs. Constructed by Norcross Brothers between June and September 1886, these stations exhibit substantial stonework characteristic of the Richardsonian Romanesque style, featuring distinctive rooflines and porches oriented toward the tracks.

Conversion to streetcar service

In June 1957, the Massachusetts Legislature authorized the M.T.A. to acquire the branch from the financially troubled New York Central Railroad for conversion into a streetcar line. Service on the line ended on May 31, 1958. The route was swiftly adapted for trolley operations, with simple platforms and modest shelters installed at each stop. The new Woodland station was constructed slightly eastward of its predecessor, which was encircled by a golf course and lacked sufficient parking space. Unlike most other stations, the original building was preserved rather than demolished; it remains on the grounds of Woodland Golf Club where it serves as storage space. Trolley service resumed on July 4, 1959. In August 1964, the M.T.A. merged into what became the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).

Woodland is among only four surviving Richardson-designed B&A stations—and uniquely so on his Newton Circuit—to remain beyond the 1960s. It was incorporated into the Newton Railroad Stations Historic District in 1976 but has deteriorated since then.

By October 1997, Woodland was identified as a candidate location for a parking garage intended to replace its existing surface lot with approximately 450 spaces. Following delays, the MBTA finalized a ground lease with a private developer in 2004. This partnership enabled construction of a 548-space parking structure, accessible platforms, and an access road in return for development rights to build rental apartments as part of a transit-oriented project on the former surface lot. The upgraded platforms and garage became operational in March 2006; construction of Arborpoint at Woodland Station began in April 2006 and opened by October 2007.

External links

• MBTA – Woodland Station
• Google Maps Street View of the Station