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Our 50th Anniversary Year

by Michael R. Prescott, 50th Anniversary Committee Chairman
(Originally published in Rollsign, November/December 2009 Issue)
 

When ten young men banded together in 1959 to save a piece of Boston's history—a streetcar on the verge of being scrapped—they had no idea that fifty years later, their actions would be celebrated by a nonprofit organization of over 900 members. On June 6, 2009, five of the "founding members" of the Boston Street Railway Association joined 150 guests for a memorable and exciting fiftieth anniversary meeting at the Grand Lodge of Masons in downtown Boston. It was an evening of history, a reunion of old friends, and a celebration of continued success.

Likewise, the entire year featured numerous events commemorating the BSRA's fiftieth year of incorporation. In January, the stage was set with a special 50th Anniversary Logo, along with the release of a letter-sized 2009 Meeting Calendar, featuring the very streetcar around which the Association was formed—Type 5 No. 5706. The calendar was also a nod to a series of popular calendars, illustrated by Stan Genthner, that the BSRA produced for a number of years.

In conjunction with the Anniversary, the Association's website, which had been greatly expanded a few years earlier, received a complete "make over." In addition to a new design celebrating the famed "traction orange" paint scheme of our streetcar, Type Five No. 5706, new features like a 5706 Restoration Gallery, a video channel on YouTube, and a Facebook group made their debut. The website also played a key role in our 50th Anniversary celebrations, allowing us to quickly communicate special events and information to members. These changes improved online interaction with present and prospective BSRA members and customers, and have set the stage for even more online improvements and interaction in the coming years.

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