Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

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The MBTA is the state agency responsible for the public transportation system in the Boston metropolitan area.

From the description of Glass plate collection on the MBTA, 1896-1940 (inclusive). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 234360181

The Boston Elevated Railway Company was established in 1894 and replaced successively by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) in 1947 and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in 1964.

From the description of Board of Trustees/Directors agendas, 1952-1970. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78112168

From the description of Board of Trustees/Directors meeting notes and directives to the general manager, 1961-1971. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78847769

From the description of Advisory board files, 1953-1971 (bulk 1965-1969). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 80620491

From the description of Annual report files, 1960-1972. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81273601

From the description of Special commission files, 1967-1971. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122505973

From the description of Treasurer's statements, 1967-1971. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 84080381

From the description of General manager's subject files, 1914-1975 (bulk 1960-1972). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 180702029

From the description of Board of Directors minutes, 1964-1972. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 80362462

From the description of Staff meeting minutes, 1965-1972 (bulk 1965-1969). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122372751

From the description of Newsletter--Commuter, 1965-1972. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122521240

St 1894, c 548, as amended by St 1897, c 500, incorporated the Boston Elevated Railway Company, to construct or lease and operate public transportation on street and elevated railway lines in Boston and adjoining communities, including in subways constructed in conjunction with the Boston Transit Commission. Sp St 1918, c 159 provided for public operation of the company through a gubernatorially appointed board of trustees.

St 1929, c 383 designated the company's scope of operations as a Metropolitan Transit District, Boston and thirteen surrounding municipalities, governed by trustees and a Metropolitan Transit Council. The district was administered by a Metropolitan Transit Dept., absorbing powers of the Boston Transit Dept. it acquired when the Boston Transit Commission was abolished by Sp St 1918, c 185.

St 1931, c 333 provided for public operation of the company until 1959, but St 1947, c 544 replaced the company and its trustees with and reconstituted the Metropolitan Transit District communities (although district trustees continued) as the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), a body politic and corporate and a political subdivision of the Commonwealth, also governed by a board of five gubernatorially appointed public trustees (reduced to three per St 1953, c 197). Per St 1949, c 572 the authority absorbed remaining powers of the Boston Transit Dept., which was abolished. St 1952, c 404 provided for an advisory board to the authority (see also St 1953, c 197, s 5)

St 1964, c 563 replaced the authority with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), governed by a board of five gubernatorially appointed directors (see also St 1973, c 1140; per St 1980, c 581 increased to six with the secretary of transportation and construction as seventh director and chair) and an advisory board (see also St 1980, c 581, s 4), representing each of the fourteen district municipalities and an additional sixty-four (sixty-five since 1967; cf. St 1966, c 463; St 1967, c 87)

MTA/MBTA services have enlarged to include buses (from 1922), trackless trolley (from 1936), and commuter railway (from 1964--by operating agreement with Amtrak). MBTA functions are currently described in MGLA c 161A.

NAME AUTHORITY NOTE. Series relating to the agencies described above can be found by searching the following access points for the time period stated: 1894-1947--Boston Elevated Railway Company; 1947-1964--Metropolitan Transit Authority (Boston, Mass.); 1964-present--Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

From the description of Agency history record. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145430008

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Freeman, Earleen, 1945-. Papers, 1977-1991 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Agency history record. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Works. Highway planning reports, 1948-1972. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Kirby, Edward. [Papers], 1960-2004. State Library of Massachusetts
referencedIn Montgomery, Laura L. Vanishing Boston: An exhibit documenting urban change, loss, and past, 1983. University of Massachusetts at Boston, Healey Library
referencedIn Harvard University. News Office. Photographs: portrait and subject files, ca. 1975-ca. 1989 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Newsletter--Commuter, 1965-1972. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Board of Trustees/Directors agendas, 1952-1970. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Special commission files, 1967-1971. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Annual report files, 1960-1972. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn University of Chicago. Library. Special Collections Research Center. Scrapbook of clippings on the Boston subway : manuscript, 1895-1899. University of Chicago Library
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Board of Directors minutes, 1964-1972. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Penn Central Transportation Company. Passenger Operations Dept. Penn Central Transportation Company Passenger Operations Dept. Records, 1968-1977 Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Gerst, Angela. [Newton transportation brochures and papers / compiled by the staff of the Newton Free Library]. Minuteman Library Network
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Glass plate collection on the MBTA, 1896-1940 (inclusive). Harvard University Art Museum
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Treasurer's statements, 1967-1971. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Massachusetts. Executive Office for Administration and Finance. Commissioner's administration subject files, 1956-1980 (bulk 1963-1965). Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Penn Central Transportation Company. Office of the Trustees. Records, 1967-1975. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Board of Trustees/Directors meeting notes and directives to the general manager, 1961-1971. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Joseph R. Snopek Railroad Collection, undated, 1902-1999 Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Center.
referencedIn Tucker, John F. (John Foster), 1950-2008, collector. John F. Tucker transit history collection, 1895-2002 (bulk, 1920-1990). Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Scrapbook of Clippings on the Boston Subway, 1895-1899 Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library,
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. General manager's subject files, 1914-1975 (bulk 1960-1972). Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Project files, 1960-1972. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Harvard University. News Office. Photographs: portrait and subject files, ca. 1975-ca. 1989 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Francis D. Donovan Papers., undated, 1829-1997. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Center.
referencedIn Harrison, Marc, 1936-1998. Papers, 1928-1996. Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Massachusetts. Executive Office of Transportation and Construction. MBTA construction project files, 1983-[ongoing]. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Massachusetts Consumers' Council. Administrative files, 1968-1981. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Staff meeting minutes, 1965-1972 (bulk 1965-1969). Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Advisory board files, 1953-1971 (bulk 1965-1969). Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
Place Name Admin Code Country
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area
Massachusetts
Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area
Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area
Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area
Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area
Massachusetts--Boston
Boston (Mass.)
Massachusetts
Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area
Massachusetts--Cambridge
Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area
Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area
Massachusetts
Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area
Cambridge (Mass.)
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area
Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area
Massachusetts
Subject
Bonds
Buildings
Civil defense
Local transit
Local transit
Local transit
Local transit
Public works
Railroads
Street railroads
Subways
Occupation
Activity
Administering public transit
Counseling
Financing public transit
Investigating public transit finance
Managing public transit
Publicizing public transit

Corporate Body

Active 1952

Active 1970

Information

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