Needham split off from Dedham to form an independent town in 1711. Boston began filling in the tidal flats of the Charles River in 1857 using gravel from Needham which was transported via railways, forming what would become the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. The town’s population exploded during the 1930s, nearly doubling in size. Today, Needham has a large commuter population due to its robust transportation connections to Boston. The MBTA commuter rail has three stops in Needham connecting to Boston via South Station. The town also has access to two major highways: the I-90 and Route 128 (concurrent with I-95).