The Blue Line section of the station was built along with the rest of the East Boston Tunnel in the first years of the 20th century and opened on December 30, 1904, serving streetcars running from downtown to East Boston.
An unusual aspect of State Street station is the entrance built directly into one of Boston's best-known historic sites, the Old Massachusetts State House.
The East Boston Tunnel station was originally known as Devonshire after the street which the Old State House is located on.
The station is the only remaining station on the tunnel opened in 1904.

The East Boston Tunnel was originally planned to be operated with high-floor metro rolling stock and connected to the then-planned Cambridge Elevated line.
When that plan was dropped in 1903 due to a disagreement between the BTC and the BERy, the stations were built with low platforms.
Large bi-loading streetcars (with high floors but capable of loading from low platforms), which incorporated many attributes from metro cars used on the Main Line El, began use in 1905.
However, neither these nor the large center-entrance cars introduced in 1917 (which were designed for multiple unit operation) could fully handle the crowds.

In 1921, the Boston Transit Department (BTD) - the successor to the BTC - began work at Maverick Square to convert the East Boston Tunnel to high-floor metro trains.
The next year, the BTD board approved the construction of high-level platforms at Atlantic Avenue, Devonshire, Scollay Under, and Bowdoin.
Construction of concrete high-level platforms 40 inches (1.0 m) above the rails at Devonshire began in December 1923 or January 1924.
A section of low-level platform was left to serve streetcars during construction.
The station was also extended by 30 feet (9.1 m) to accommodate the new trains, with work completed on March 1, 1924.
Over the weekend of April 18–21, 1924, the East Boston Tunnel was converted to high-floor metro stock.
Temporary wooden platform sections were put in place to allow service to begin on April 21, with the permanent concrete sections completed by July 12.
The edges of the original low platforms can still be seen under the high platforms.

On March 31, 1937, the BERy opened an entrance from the Exchange Building lobby to the eastbound platform.
The entrance was closed around 1981 as the building was modified for construction of Exchange Place.
The Blue Line section of the station was built along with the rest of the East Boston Tunnel in the first years of the 20th century and opened on December 30, 1904, serving streetcars running from downtown to East Boston. An unusual aspect of State Street station is the entrance built directly into one of Boston's best-known historic sites, the Old Massachusetts State House. The East Boston Tunnel station was originally known as Devonshire after the street which the Old State House is located on. The station is the only remaining station on the tunnel opened in 1904.
The East Boston Tunnel was originally planned to be operated with high-floor metro rolling stock and connected to the then-planned Cambridge Elevated line. When that plan was dropped in 1903 due to a disagreement between the BTC and the BERy, the stations were built with low platforms. Large bi-loading streetcars (with high floors but capable of loading from low platforms), which incorporated many attributes from metro cars used on the Main Line El, began use in 1905. However, neither these nor the large center-entrance cars introduced in 1917 (which were designed for multiple unit operation) could fully handle the crowds. 
In 1921, the Boston Transit Department (BTD) - the successor to the BTC - began work at Maverick Square to convert the East Boston Tunnel to high-floor metro trains. The next year, the BTD board approved the construction of high-level platforms at Atlantic Avenue, Devonshire, Scollay Under, and Bowdoin. Construction of concrete high-level platforms 40 inches (1.0 m) above the rails at Devonshire began in December 1923 or January 1924. A section of low-level platform was left to serve streetcars during construction. The station was also extended by 30 feet (9.1 m) to accommodate the new trains, with work completed on March 1, 1924. Over the weekend of April 18–21, 1924, the East Boston Tunnel was converted to high-floor metro stock. Temporary wooden platform sections were put in place to allow service to begin on April 21, with the permanent concrete sections completed by July 12. The edges of the original low platforms can still be seen under the high platforms.
On March 31, 1937, the BERy opened an entrance from the Exchange Building lobby to the eastbound platform. The entrance was closed around 1981 as the building was modified for construction of Exchange Place.
State station