Western Railroad Corporation (Massachusetts)

Product Details

Beautifully engraved antique stock certificate from the Western Railroad Corporation dating back to the 1840's. This document is signed by the company President and Treasurer, was printed by Dickinson & Co. and measures approximately 7 3/4" (w) by 5" (h).

This certificate's vignette features the Agriculture and Plenty allegories above and below the Massachusetts State Seal.

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Historical Context

The Western Railroad Corporation was chartered on February 15, 1833 and incorporated March 15, 1833 to connect the Boston & Worcester Railroad to the Hudson and Berkshire Railroad at the New York state line.

Construction began in 1837, and the Eastern Division to the Connecticut River in Springfield opened on October 1, 1839. The summit of Charlton Hill drainage divide between the Atlantic coast and the Connecticut River is a rock cut 57 mi west of Boston. The Western Division, through the Berkshire Hills, opened in sections from both ends from the state line to Pittsfield on May 4, 1841, West Springfield to Chester on May 24, 1841, Springfield to West Springfield (across the Connecticut River) on July 4, 1841, Pittsfield to "Summit" on August 9, 1841, and Chester to Summit on September 13, 1841. The summit through the Berkshires is known as Washington Hill. Eastbound trains climbed 6 miles of 1.4% grade while westbound trains climbed 10 miles of slightly steeper grade to reach the 4 miles of fairly level track across the drainage divide between the Connecticut and Hudson Rivers. On October 4, 1841 the first train ran along the full route.

Two mergers, on September 4, 1867 and December 28, 1870 brought the Western Railroad Corporation, the Boston and Worcester Railroad, the Castleton and West Stockbridge Railroad and the Hudson and Boston Railroad together into one company, known as the Boston and Albany Railroad.