Part 7/14:
In 1848, Boston completed its first ambitious underground project: the Waterworks system. It channeled water from nearby lakes through underground aqueducts and tunnels, demonstrating the city’s capacity for large-scale subterranean engineering. This success paved the way for the eventual development of urban transit tunnels.
By the late 19th century, Boston’s rapid expansion outstripped its surface transportation network. Surface rail lines became congested and inefficient, prompting the city to innovate once again. Beginning in the 1850s, horse-drawn streetcars began to replace wagons, followed by electric streetcars in the late 1880s and 1890s, which offered faster, more reliable service capable of climbing hills and extending routes.