grant-street_0004 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Town Property Address LEXINGTON 4 GRANT STREET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING 220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD 603 BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Although Lexington had electricity in 1893, it was not until 1914 that this station began supplying the power. The Edison Illuminating Company provided the following description of their new building for the Lexington Minute-man of November 1, 1913: This new station is located at 401 Massachusetts avenue, corner of Grant street,with the entrance on Grant street. It is what is called Station No. 34 by the Boston Edison Company. The building is about 67 '/2 feet front by 111 '/2 feet deep and sets 40 feet or more back from Massachusetts avenue. Special care has been taken by the company to preserve the large trees on the street front,and the intervening grounds between the street and the building will be made attractive by expert landscape gardeners. The basement walls are of concrete,above which is brick,with steel frames,concrete floors, and roof,with metal sash and trimmings throughout. It is fire-proof of the very highest class of construction. The general contractors of this building are Messrs. Whidden&Company of Boston. A small temporary station used during the work on the new station will disappear as soon as the larger station is entirely available. From this station the company will serve its customers throughout Lexington, and connecting into the station will be trunk lines leading to the Waltham and Woburn stations,which will make for increased efficiency and continuity of service. The apparatus,although of high capacity and efficiency, will be practically noiseless in operation. There is of course no smoke or dust or dirt in connection with the operation of such a station,which is only used for transforming high tension current down to commercial pressure. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Kelley,Beverley Allison. Lexington: A Century of Photographs. Lexington: Lexington Historical Society, 1980, p. 117. Lexington Minute-man,Nov. 1, 1913. Supplement prepared by: Lisa Mausolf March 2009