Galllivan Boulevard was named for James A. Gallivan.
The Southern Artery in Dorchester and Mattapan was created in the late 1920s by improving Morton Street from Blue Hill Avenue to Codman Street and improving Codman Street from there eastward. At Adams Corner, Marsh Street used to angle off toward the southeast, so a new road was created to extend the Southern Artery to Neponset.
No. 21943 Detail from 1918 atlas showing the roads from Adams Corner toward Neponset
No. 11944 Detail from 1933 atlas showing the new Southern Artery from Adams Corner to Neponset
The following is from The Boston Globe, February 15, 1929
Personalities were indulged in, one man’s patriotism was questioned, and even the Mayflower was brought into the hearing that the Street Commissioners held at City Hall this forenoon on the petition of Eugene T. Kinnally to name permanently the stretch of roadway along what was formerly called Morton and Codman Sts, in Dorchester, and now temporarily called the Southern Artery, the Gallivan Boulevard, in memory of the late Congressman James A. Gallivan
In the late 1920s photographs were taken to document site conditions in preparation for the Southern Artery project. The project included the construction of Gallivan Boulevard from Neponset to Morton Street plus improvements along Morton Street as far as Blue Hill Avenue. The photographs shown here are from the collection at the Dorchester Historical Society. Historic New England also owns otyher portions of this series of photographs.
No. 15226 Souther Artery at station 0+00 shooting ahead along Morton Street, 2917. This photo looks easterly along Morton Street between Blue Hill Avenue and Leslie Street.No. 15227 Souther Artery at station 2+00 shooting ahead along Morton St toward station 4+00, 1927. This photo looks easterly along Morton Street between Blue Hill Avenue and Leslie Street.No. 15228 Southern Artery at station 2_00 shooting back along Morton Street toward station 0+00, 1927. This photo looks west along Morton Street with the police station on the right at 872 Morton Street and Roger Wolcott School in the distance (now the location of a drugstore).No. 15229 Southern Artery at station 2+0 shooting back to station 0+0 at Plice Box, at corner of Morton Street and drive into Plice station, Nov. 23, 1926. Police Station was at 872 Morton Street.No. 15230 Southern Artery at station 6+00 shooting ahead along Morton Street toward station 6+68, 1927. This photo looks east from the intersection of Selden, Corbet and Morton Streets.No. 15231 Southern Artery at station 6+00 shooting back along Morton St toward station 2+00, 1927. This photo looks west along Morton Street from the intersection of Morton and Corbet Streets. The brick building in the distance is the former Roger Wolcott School.No. 15232 Southern Artery at station 8+0- shooting at a 24-inch oak on lot corner of Morton and Corbet, 1926.No. 15233 Southern Artery at station 10+0 corner Morton St and Fuller, 1927. Showing 974 Morton StreetNo. 15235 Southern Artery at station 10+0 base line shooting ahead toward sta. 12+0 along Morton St, Nov. 23, 1926. This photo looks east from the intersection of Selden, Corbet and Morton Streets.No. 15236 Southern Artery at station 10+0 shooting at Parcel no 1 at 972 Morton Street, 1926.No. 15237 Southern Artery at station 10+0 shooting back along Morton St toward station 8+0, 1927. This photo looks along Morton Street westward to the intersection of Morton and Selden and Corbet Streets.No. 15234 Southern Artery at station 10+0 shooting ahead along Morton St toward station 12+0, 1927. This photo shows the view along Morton Street looking east up the rise approaching the intersection of Gallivan Boulevard and Morton Street.No. 15238 Southern Artery at station 12+0 shooting ahead along Morton St toward station 13+0, 1927. This photo shows the view along Morton Street looking east up the rise approaching the intersection of Gallivan Boulevard and Morton Street.No. 15239 Southern Artery at station 12+0 shooting back along Morton Street toward station 8+0, 1927. This photo looks along Morton Street westward to the intersection of Morton and Selden and Corbet Streets.No. 15240 Southern Artery at station 12+0 shooting back along Morton toward station 10+0, 1926. This photo looks along Morton Street westward to the intersection of Morton and Selden and Corbet Streets.No. 15241 Southern Artery at station 14 shooting at parcel 11-B at 977 Morton St, 1927.No. 15242 Southern Artery at station 14+0 shooting back along Morton St toward station 11, 1927. This photo looks along Morton Street westward to the intersection of Morton and Selden and Corbet Streets.No. 15243 Southern Artery at station 14+0 shooting back along Morton St toward station 13+0, 1926. This photo looks along Morton Street westward to the intersection of Morton and Selden and Corbet Streets.No. 15244 Southern Artery at station 14+0 shooting back along Morton St toward station 13, 1927. This photo is taken from approximately where Gallivan Boulevard joins Morton Street.No. 15245 Souther Artery at station 15+0 offset 40 feet shooting ahead toward station 18+00, 1927. This photo looks eastward showing Morton Street with Marsh Street (now Gallivan Bouevard) coming in from the left.No. 15246 Southern Artery at station 15+0 shooting ahead toward station 18+0, 1927. This photo looks eastward along Morton Street with Marsh Street (now Gallivan Boulevard) coming in the from the left.No. 15247 Southern Artery at station 17 shooting ahead to station 19, 1927. This photo shows Morton Street where Gallivan Boulevard joins Morton.No. 15248 Southern Artery at station 17 shooting at center of island Morton and Codman, 1927. This photo shows the intersection of Codman Street (now Gallivan Boulevard) and Morton Street.No. 15249 Southern Artery at station 18+50 shooting back toward station 15+0, 1927. This photo shows the end of Codman Street (now Gallivan Boulevard), where it joins Morton Street.No. 15250 Southern Artery at station 18+90 shooting toward station 20+0 around back of island, 1927. For this photo the photographer was standing on Morton Street, looking across the point of land between Morton Street and Codman Street (Gallivan Boulevard). There is now a fire station at this location.No. 15251 Southern Artery at station 21+50 shooting back along Codman Street toward station 20+0, 1927. This photo shows the end of Codman Street (now Gallivan Boulevard) where it joins Morton Street.No. 15252 Southern Artery at station 84+-0 at Adams Street, 1927. This photo seems to show the intersection of what is now Gallvian Boulevard and Granville Street near Adams Corner.No. 16303 Southern Artery at 10 foot offset from station 8440. Adams Corner, Nov. 5, 1927. This photo is a 10 foot offset from the photo below. We can see the building where Gerard’s news shop and restaurant operated for many years. To the left of Ashmont Motor Co., there is a battery service store, a hardward store, a lunch shop, and bowling.No. 16304 Southern Artery at station 8440. Adams Corner, Nov. 5, 1927.No. 15253 Southern Artery at station 90+0 shooting ahead at station 92+0, 1926. This photo may be of Marsh Street looking west, with the S. S. Pierce House in the distance on the left.No. 15254 Southern Artery at station 121, 1927. This photo looks eastward along Marsh Street (now Gallivan Boulevard) toward the fire station in Port Norfolk and the Unitarian Church that stood at the corner of Walnut and Oakman Streets.
