 A Void in Boston's Rich Museum Culture
The City of Boston, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for that matter, are known for their rich history. From the colonial days to the Revolutionary War to Presidents to modern political icons, Massachusetts has been home to many historical events and people. These things are showcased in some of the best and most famous museums and halls in the country, from the Museum of Fine Arts to Symphony Hall. But one thing which Boston lacks is a transportation museum. It is the home of the nation's oldest subway system and, therefore, deserves a museum fitting of that title. New York City has a successful transit museum, and Boston deserves one as well. In lieu of converting an abandoned piece of transit property into a physical museum, we have undertaken a more feasible yet powerful task of creating a virtual museum and transit library, in which people from around the city and around the world can learn about Boston's rich transportation history, without leaving their home.
From Development to the Screen
In 2006, Mike began intense work on cataloging his collection of Boston transportation documents and memorabilia, and this in turn inspired him to put his ideas on the screen. He began developing TransitHistory in the Summer of 2006, and launched a preliminary version in the Fall. Over the next several months, he worked behind the scenes in developing ideas for the site, launching The Forums @ TH and the CharlieBlog. In 2007, he reorganized his priorities, and set in motion a major overhaul for the site. He soon joined forces with the popular MBTA Forum, making it the new official forum for TransitHistory. This resulted in the addition of Charleston Sarjeant, founder of the MBTA Forum, and Corey Connors-Reynolds, Executive Moderator, jumping on board as directors of TransitHistory. Soon after, the very first eMuseum exhibit - The LRV - was launched to positive feedback.
The Grand Vision
Over the next year, and beyond, we hope to add many new and exciting features to the site. The Boston Transit eMuseum is about to expand; we've launched an unprecidented online transit talk radio show, The TransitFan, and are creating MANY new and "top secret" expansions of the site and the TH brand that will carry us through 2008 and beyond. Ultimately, we hope to launch TransitHistory as a national source for public transit information, featuring sub-sites for cities that also offer such rich transportation history as Boston. Thanks for visiting, and stick around - there's much more to come here at TransitHistory!Sincerely,
...and THE Forums Moderators:
Dani B., Jack Tat, J. Sabourin, and Robert Paniagua
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