South Shore Railroad Stations 1849 to 1940 Part 1

Let’s take a ride along the rails of the South Shore Railroad.

The railroad, from Boston to Cohasset, arrived in  1849. It then took over 20 years later to reach Marshfield and South Duxbury in 1871 .

The Governor Bradford, a wood-fired steam engine, was the first Locomotive to travel the South Shore Line in 1871.

North Cohasset, Hull St.

Cohasset, Pleasant St. The main station.

This Station burned once and was rebuilt. It was enlarged twice. A portion of the building still remains.

There were 25 miles from this Cohasset station to Plymouth,  and there were 15 stations.. That’s a station every 1.6 miles!

South Cohasset.

 

North Scituate.

A very busy Station serving Minot’s and Scituate’s north beaches.

Egypt.

A small Station between North Scituate and Scituate Harbor.

Scituate Harbor.

Looking south.

South Scituate. Changed to Greenbush, Oct. 1, 1876

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Looking south  from the Stockbridge Rd. Bridge. The Roundhouse to the left

 

The original South Scituate Station

This was a terminus for a short time. It became a large important facility containing;

A Locomotive Garage/ Round House with pits for cleaning and light repairs.
A Coaling Station.
A Sand House.
An Oil House.
An Ash Pit.

The turn table.

A Locomotive on the turntable.

The Greenbush Water Tank with the Machine Shop.

Greenbush looking north.

 

A coal-fired steam engine with passenger cars waiting to board to Boston.

 

East Marshfield     changed to Marshfield Hills Oct. 13 1890.

Littletown. Changed to Sea View, Aug., 20 1873.

Littletown was later changed to SeaView, in 1873. I am guessing the change was due to the confusion of the Littleton Station, 30 miles west of  Boston, and built in 1848. I expect, the small Littletown Station had to give up it’s name under the pressure of the Railroad administrators. So Littletown became Sea View on Aug, 20 1873.

My conseption of the original Littletown RR Station.

 

My painting below is looking north with a locomotive coming in from Greenbush. The Cape Cod house, seen top right, became the Little Green Light Tea Room. The building on the R. was the Littletown /Sea View school. but not the original school built in 1715.  It was later used for religious services and moved to Marshfield Hills.

The Littletown Station looking West.

A carriage taxi waiting for passengers.

This was the Sea View Barge awaiting passengers to Humarock.

the little girl  is Elizabeth Paine Hatch, 1889-1979, m. Ralph Carver Hatch Seaview.

The two story Station was torn down in the mid 40’s. This Cape Cod home was built from the Station lumber in 1947 by Bill Freden.

Centre Marshfield

The Centre Marshfield Station [far right] as viewed from Church St. c. 1910.

Centre Marshfield Station looking North from Ferry St.

 

A short distance south of the Centre Marshfield Station, The Railroad provided a convenience stop at the Marshfield Fair Grounds.  This service began sometime after 1871 until the Railroad service was discontinued in 1938-9.  This stop was made in both directions and provided a time schedule.
Passengers unloaded onto a platform with stairs leading to ground level.
Cattle & Horses loaded off onto a ramp to ground level.
This was a basic loading/unloading station without conveniences, no cover, few seats, a primitive affair.

A likeness to the Passenger,  Cattle  and Horse loading Railroad dock at the Marshfield  Fair Grounds, c. late 1800’s.

An 1879 time schedule.

South Marshfield

This is the original ”Marshfield” sign Compliments of R. Freden.

The Marshfield Station looking South.

The Marshfield Station looking Northwest.

Webster Place. Changed to Green Harbor, Oct., 1, 1876.

The Gov. Bradford Locomotive passing the Duxbury Station in 1871.

 

Duxbury.

South Duxbury.

Island Creek Station, Duxbury.

 

Kingston.

Plymouth.

This map shows the two routes to Plymouth, Left  opened in 1845. The Line on the right opened 1871.

Part 2 will consist of the importance of the Sea View Station, and it’s contribution to the development of the Village of Sea View and the Humarock area.

W. R. Freden. Marshfield/Seaview, 70 years.