Know Those Old Highway Markers? They've Been Repaired And Reset

Not sure if you've ever noticed, but along the Massachusetts roads there a many old stone markers installed by private citizens or governments.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) just completed a project to preserve and stabilize the historic milestone markers along the Old Upper Boston Post Road in the state.

These Colonial-Era artifacts are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and records indicate that the earliest markers were installed in Boston, Brighton and Brookline in 1729. Several markers were installed along the Upper Boston Post Road under the authority of a 1767 Massachusetts Council order.

“We are pleased that this important project to preserve our state’s history has been completed,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver in a statement. “These markers tell an important story of how people traveled centuries ago, of the routes that were valuable for commerce and the kinds of navigational tools our ancestors relied on before automobiles were in anyone’s imagination.”

“MassDOT’s Environmental Services Division is pleased with Daedalus, Inc.’s diligent conservation work to restore the Upper Boston Post Road milestone markers,” said MassDOT’s Historic Resource Specialist Mary Hafferty. “This complex project began in 2011, when Milestone Marker #6 in Brighton was damaged by a truck. Shortly afterwards, MassDOT began to explore the possibility of conserving all the known milestone markers in need of repair along the historic roadway corridor."

In early 2014, MassDOT engaged Daedalus Inc., a sculpture and monuments conservation firm based in Watertown, to survey, clean and repair the historic milestone markers. Of the total 40 markers listed in the National Register in 1971, Daedalus Inc. identified 29 as needing preservation or stabilization work.

The 29 milestone markers preserved as part of this project are located in the following communities: Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Northborough, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Leicester, Spencer, East Brookfield, Brookfield, West Brookfield and Warren.

The project was funded by MassDOT and the total project cost to rehabilitate the 29 markers was $116,600.

Photos via MassDOT