Engineer Josiah Meigs planned to petition the local legislature for permission to “establish his system of elevated railway in some of the public streets of Cambridge,” the Cambridge Chronicle reported in November 1881.
Meigs had been working on a steam-powered monorail, whose advantages were “that it does not obstruct the street in the least, taking up no more room than a row of lampposts, and shuts out almost no light from abutters.” A transplant from Tennessee, Meigs spent his life inventing devices and improvements for existing ones, but his passion was his railway. As a young man, Meigs had been an apprentice on the Memphis & Charlestown Railroad when he was involved in an accident that cemented his resolve to design a safer system. Meigs also envisioned a timely and comfortable commute for workers on his trains, with stops close enough together to minimize walking time to stations and trains fast enough to allow workers to commute between Boston and Cambridge with ease.
By early 1882 his idea was gaining considerable interest, and a group of prominent Cambridge citizens extended an invitation for Meigs to present his plan to residents at Lyceum Hall using models he has built – along with the stereopticon, a slide viewer that used two photographs taken at slightly different angles to create the illusion of three dimensions. Meigs’ plan consisted of an elevated train that would run on two rails, one below the wheels and one above. This streamlining of the track system provided greater stability for the train cars and greatly reduced the footprint of the elevated system, allowing far less light to be blocked out than with a traditional double-rail elevated track. Each car had its own braking system and could be uncoupled from the rest of the train with just the flip of a switch to reduce overall impact in the event of a collision. The cars were cylindrical in shape to reduce wind resistance, and lined with fireproof material to increase safety.
After several failed attempts to gain approval from the Massachusetts House and Senate in the early 1880s, Meigs appealed to the public for support; in 1884 his petition with 64,000 signatures was enough to convince the Legislature to grant him a charter to build a section of elevated railway from Boston’s Bowdoin Street to Cambridge. The charter came with conditions, however, including the requirement that Meigs build a test track and raise all of the needed capital before construction could begin. Meigs and his supporters established the Meigs Elevated Railway Construction Co., headquartered at 225 Bridge St., East Cambridge, and began selling stock to fund the enterprise. Meigs began construction of the test track in 1885 on the former site of the Bay State Glass Co., as well as a parcel of land behind the Squire’s pork processing plant, whose owner, John P. Squire, was one of the Meigs company’s largest stockholders.
Meigs’ prospects were looking favorable in 1885 and 1886 as construction continued and inspections by the Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners found the railway to be “as strong and safe as any surface or elevated railroad.” In February 1877, however, the Chronicle reported a “lively blaze in the engine house of the Meigs Elevated Railway Company on Bridge Street … The car and tender were utterly ruined, but the engine escaped irreparable injury. The loss is estimated at between $8,000 and $10,000. The origin of the fire is supposed to have been incendiary.”
Meigs began to rebuild immediately, but was not ultimately able to raise the required capital to turn his vision into reality. In addition to financial troubles and the inability to secure the required legislative permits without full capital, the railroad’s reliance on steam power proved to be its final death-knell. The spread of electricity in many sectors in the 1890s, including railways, made Meigs’ system obsolete, and in 1896 some of the major stockholders of the West End Railroad bought Meigs’ franchise to prevent his trains from running in Boston and Cambridge. The following year, the state Legislature allowed the Manhattan elevated system, which ran trains on an electric double track, to operate in the city, ending for good Meigs’ hopes for an elevated monorail.
Although the Meigs Elevated Railway was not ultimately successful, its development tells an important story of East Cambridge innovation. Just as Andrew Craigie had built a bridge connecting East Cambridge to Boston as a means of transport for goods and workers, Meigs too had envisioned his railway as a connector between the two cities. His continual work to improve the safety, efficiency and comfort of his system, as well as the support he got from many sectors of the East Cambridge community, reflect the neighborhood’s desire to support innovative approaches to transportation as part of its overall commitment to progress.
About History Cambridge
History Cambridge started in 1905 as the Cambridge Historical Society. Today we have a new name and a new mission. We engage with our city to explore how the past influences the present to shape a better future. We recognize that every person in our city knows something about Cambridge’s history, and their knowledge matters. We listen to our community and we live by the ideal that history belongs to everyone. Throughout 2025, we are focusing on the history of East Cambridge. Make history with us at historycambridge.org.
History Cambridge is a nonprofit organization. Our activities rely on your financial support. If you value articles like this one, give today.
Beth Folsom is programs manager for History Cambridge.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.