50 Stunning Vintage Color Photos of Massachusetts Weddings in the Late 1950s

Discovered by Shane Egan, these vintage color photos offer a beautiful and nostalgic glimpse into weddings in Massachusetts in 1959. Captured in vivid early color film, the images showcase elegant brides in classic gowns, grooms in sharp suits, and joyful guests celebrating in churches, backyards, and modest reception halls across the state.

Reflecting the optimistic postwar era, these weddings embodied mid-century American style: from full skirts and veiled headpieces to simple floral arrangements and heartfelt family moments. This collection beautifully preserves the fashion, traditions, and romantic atmosphere of a bygone time in New England.

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40 Amazing Photos Capture Boston Streets in the Winter of 1960

American photographer Nick DeWolf took these amazing photos which offers a nostalgic journey back to the winter of 1960, capturing the grit and grandeur of Boston’s streets under a heavy blanket of snow.

From the elegant, slush-covered brownstones of the Back Bay to the bustling, frost-nipped corners of Downtown Crossing, these images preserve a frozen moment in New England history. You’ll see vintage sedans navigating icy thoroughfares, residents bundled in classic mid-century wool coats, and the quiet, ethereal beauty of the Public Garden in white.

Whether it’s the glow of streetlights reflecting off frozen puddles or the towering snowbanks lining the curbs, these photographs serve as a poignant time capsule of a city defined by its resilience and timeless winter charm.

Anderson Street, Beacon Hill, Boston, 1960

Acorn Street, Beacon Hill, Boston, 1960

Alley, Beacon Hill, Boston, 1960

Beacon Street, Beacon Hill, Boston, 1960

Beacon Street, Beacon Hill, Boston, 1960

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Rare Historic Photos of the Dudley Elevated Railway in the Early 1900s

The Dudley Elevated Railway was an important part of Boston’s early rapid transit system and one of the earliest elevated railways in the United States. It opened in 1901 as part of the Washington Street Elevated, a branch of what became the Orange Line.

The line was operated by the Boston Elevated Railway, which later became part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). It ran through Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood and connected Dudley Station—now known as Nubian Station—with downtown Boston and other areas.

The elevated railway was built to reduce street-level congestion and offered fast, grade-separated service through densely populated parts of the city. Dudley Station itself was a major transit hub and featured an architecturally distinctive elevated structure.

The elevated line remained in operation for much of the 20th century, but it was eventually closed in 1987 when the Orange Line was rerouted along the Southwest Corridor. The elevated tracks were dismantled, but Dudley Station continued to serve as a major bus terminal and was renamed Nubian Station in 2020.

These vintage photos from City of Boston Archives show what the Dudley Elevated Railway looked like from the early 1900s.

Dudley Street Terminal, Boston, April 8, 1900

Dudley Street Station, surface tracks, east side, Boston, April 12, 1901

Switch Tower junction, Washington Street and Dudley Street, Boston, April 12, 1901

Looking south from Dudley Street switch tower, Boston, April 26, 1901

Looking northerly on Washington Street from Dudley Street switch tower, Boston, April 26, 1901

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Amazing Lantern Slides of the Boston Trade School for Girls, circa 1914

The Boston Trade School For Girls, established as a private school in 1904 and later becoming a Boston Public School in 1909, aimed to train young girls for careers in the custom sewing industry. It was located at 616-620 Massachusetts Avenue.

These amazing lantern slides from City of Boston Archives were used in a presentation by students of the Trade School for Girls around 1914.

Junior Dressmaking class, Trade School for Girls, Boston, circa 1914

Junior Dressmaking class, Trade School for Girls, Boston, circa 1914

Showing how the little folks were fitted and dressed by junior dressmakers, Trade School for Girls, Boston, circa 1914

A fitting on a velvet dress, Trade School for Girls, Boston, circa 1914

Working at the form, Trade School for Girls, Boston, circa 1914

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Wonderful Photos That Show the Interior of a Taunton, Massachusetts House in 1952

The house is at 52 Church Green, Taunton, Massachusetts. It was built in 1923 by Richard E. Warner. After he died in 1931, ownership passed to his son Joseph E. Warner, Attorney General of Massachusetts. Richard’s second wife, Annie E. Crane Warner, who he married in 1921, continued to live in the house until Joe’s death in 1958.

Take a look at these wonderful photos from John Crane to see the interior of this house in 1952.

52 Church Green, Taunton, Massachusetts, 1952

Dining room fireplace, 52 Church Green, Taunton, Massachusetts, 1952

Dining room, 52 Church Green, Taunton, Massachusetts, 1952

Front Hall, 52 Church Green, Taunton, Massachusetts, 1952

Joe Warners library, 52 Church Green, Taunton, Massachusetts, 1952

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45 Fascinating Photos Capture Street Scenes of Boston in the 1890s

In the 1890s, Boston was a bustling, rapidly changing city. The streets were crowded with horse-drawn streetcars and carriages, though electric trolleys were becoming more common. Immigrant workers, especially from Ireland, Italy, and Eastern Europe, filled neighborhoods like the North End, where busy markets and street vendors added to the vibrancy. Factory workers moved between narrow, crowded tenements and industrial areas, while the city’s elite traveled in carriages through more affluent neighborhoods.

Public spaces like Boston Common offered a break from the busy streets, while the waterfront and shipping docks remained vital hubs of activity. The mix of old-world charm and new industrialization defined the city’s dynamic street life during this period. These fascinating photos from City of Boston Archives captured street scenes of Boston in the 1890s.

Boston City street cars, Tremont St., Boston, circa 1890

Boston City street cars, Washington Street looking north from Summer Street, Boston, circa 1890

Roxbury High School, Warren Street, Boston, 1892

Boston and Maine Station, Haymarket Square, Boston, circa 1894

22-28 Tremont Row, Boston, 1895

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Amazing Photos of the Atlantic Avenue Elevated During Construction

The Atlantic Avenue Elevated was a rapid transit line in Boston that operated from 1901 to 1938. It was part of the city’s early efforts to establish an elevated train system to address growing transportation needs. The line primarily ran along Atlantic Avenue, providing a crucial link between the North End and the South Station area.

The elevated line featured steel structures and allowed for faster travel through the city, alleviating street-level congestion. However, by the late 1930s, it became less popular as more people turned to buses and automobiles. The line was eventually dismantled, with portions of its route replaced by bus services and the development of the subway system.

Today, remnants of the Atlantic Avenue Elevated’s history can be seen in Boston’s urban landscape, but it is largely remembered as part of the city’s transit evolution. These amazing photos from City of Boston Archives that documented the construction of Atlantic Avenue Elevated.

East side of Commercial Street looking south from opposite Richmond Street, November 7, 1899

Harrison Avenue looking north from Way Street, June 22, 1899

Looking northerly on Atlantic Avenue from number 426, September 19, 1899

Looking south along east side of Commercial Street opposite Union Wharf, November 9, 1899

Looking southerly from roof of building number 426 Atlantic Avenue, September 19, 1899

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35 Candid Photographs Capture Cambridge Street Styles From the Early 1970s

Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston, and the most populous city in the county, the fourth-largest in Massachusetts behind Boston, Worcester, and Springfield, and ninth-most populous in New England. The city was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England, which was an important center of the Puritan theology that was embraced by the town’s founders.

Harvard University, an Ivy League university founded in Cambridge in 1636, is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Lesley University, and Hult International Business School also are based in Cambridge. Radcliffe College, a women’s liberal arts college, was based in Cambridge from its 1879 founding until its assimilation into Harvard in 1999.

Kendall Square, near MIT in the eastern part of Cambridge, has been called “the most innovative square mile on the planet” due to the high concentration of startup companies that have emerged there since 2010. These candid photos were taken by Nick DeWolf that show Cambridge street portraits in 1972 and 1973.

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East Boston, Boston in the 1970s Through Michael Philip Manheim’s Lens

For the Documerica Project (1971-1977), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hired freelance photographers to capture images relating to environmental problems, EPA activities, and everyday life in the 1970s.

Michael Philip Manheim was one of nearly one hundred photographers hired for Documerica. His assignment was to document the noise pollution crises in the East Boston neighborhood around Neptune Road.

Manheim captured powerful images of the deteriorating community, illustrating its uncomfortable proximity to one of the nation’s busiest airports and the plight of residents living under the landing path of jets on the approach to Logan’s busy runways.

Building under construction, off Neptune Road, East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, May 1973

A jet flies over Neptune Road, East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, May 1973

A side of the MBTA (Metropolitan Boston Transit Authority) pedestrian bridge that links the split segments of Neptune Road, East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, May 1973

Airplane coming in for a landing over Neptune Road homes, near Logan Airport, East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, May 1973

Children play ball in front of their homes on Neptune Road. Logan Airport is at the end of the street, East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, May 1973

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30 Fascinating Black and White Photos Capture Street Scenes of Boston in the Late 1970s

In the late 1970s, Boston was a city in transition. The economy was shifting from manufacturing to services, with growth in finance, education, healthcare, and technology. Urban renewal projects changed the skyline but sparked controversies over gentrification and displacement. The busing crisis, aimed at desegregating public schools, led to widespread protests and violence, deeply affecting the social climate.

Politically, Mayor Kevin White led modernization efforts but faced criticism for handling urban issues. The cultural scene was vibrant, with a strong music, arts, and sports presence, while neighborhoods retained distinct ethnic identities. Challenges included crime, economic disparities, and the lingering effects of urban decay.

These fascinating black and white photos were taken by Meredith Jacobson Marciano that show street scenes of Boston in the late 1970s.

Boston street vendor, Massachusetts, 1975

Boston. Buzzcocks Financial Zone, Massachusetts, July 1979

Boston. church garden near Arlington T stop, Massachusetts, July 1978

Boston. Dead Boys, Financial Zone, Massachusetts, July 1979

Boston. Dover station, Massachusetts, circa late 1970s

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