Building the Mass Pike

Images of America: Massachusetts

by Yanni K. Tsipis

By 1950, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its capital city had fallen on hard times. With the region's railroads in decline and the roads in appalling disrepair, the difficulty of moving people and goods around the state and into its largest port was taking a heavy toll on the economy. The solution came in 1952 from one man and the road he devoted the last decade of his life to building. The man was William Callahan, and the road was the Massachusetts Turnpike. Building the Mass Pike tells the story of the road's planning, construction, and impact on the communities through which it passed. The book includes previously unpublished images from the Turnpike Authority archives and provides a vivid document of the largest public works project in the state's history and the firestorm of controversy that surrounded it. Written by an engineer-historian, Building the Mass Pike will appeal not only to those fascinated by the history of the Commonwealth and its capital but also to those with an interest in construction, urban history, and the politics of old Boston.

128 pages, Paperback

First published February 18, 2002

Reviews

[Nick Vantangoli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Far too much emphasis on the far eastern sections of the pike. One or two pages on the western sections. Oozes with eastern mass snobbery that exists from many on the writing side of things. This road traverses much of the Commonwealth and Tsipis could have done SOOOOO much better.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way more fascinating than you would ever believe. William Callahan was Boston's answer to Robert Moses, using Moses as his inspiration as he built the Mass Pike, which would drive people from their homes, split neighborhoods, and create easy access for travelers throughout Massachusetts.

Also the pictures are fun if you know the areas. Having spent more of my life than I'd like to consider driving on the Pike, I recognized almost everything.

Also lots of focus on that weird Star Market hovering over the Pike.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having grown up in Metrowest Boston, I traveled on the Pike a lot. Lots of interesting pictures of construction of the highway and what places looked like back in the day.

[Nichole Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Photo choices were phenomenal, but I wish there was more information and less pictures, in a way.