The speedway itself was constructed in 1899 along the
Charles River. It began around Market and Arsenal Street and extended all the way to the
Harvard Stadium. It was designed by
a firm co-founded by
Frederick Law Olmsted. One of the functions of the speedway was to move the racing of horses and other pleasurable activities off of Brighton Road (now
Commonwealth Avenue) west of
Kenmore Square and Beacon Street in
Brookline. As traffic on the roads increased, it became necessary to build the speedway. Only the superintendent's building (
Charles River Reservation (Speedway)-Upper Basin Headquarters) is left. It was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. The building itself was even listed on the National Register of Historic Places featured properties and districts list on July 30, 2010. Additionally, it was listed on July 19 of that year. At some point, and by 1941, the building itself was turned into a police substation for the
Boston Police Department. In 2021, the site was redeveloped as an upscale marketplace and community gathering spot, including a
microbrewery. ==References==