Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, Whittier
Encyclopedia
Southern Pacific Railroad Depot in Whittier, California
is a train depot built in 1892 that is being preserved by the City of Whittier to house a railroad museum and community center. The depot is a rectangular two-story, wood frame building. The station agent lived in the second floor apartment.
In the 1890s the growth of Whittier caused the Southern Pacific Railroad
to build a branch line from its main line in Santa Fe Springs, California
. The depot was originally built at 11825 Bailey Street. The branch served local citrus packing houses and a gas works. In the early 1900s, the Pacific Electric Railway
built a branch line that paralleled the Southern Pacific track.
With the arrival of the automobile, passenger traffic on the Pacific Electric decreased, and in 1938 the Pacific Electric ceased service to Whittier. The Southern Pacific then abandoned its tracks and took over the Pacific Electric tracks and extended them to the station. The Southern Pacific continued providing freight train service to Whittier until 1967. From 1967 until the mid-1980s, the Southern Pacific Depot was occupied by various industrial tenants.
On July 1, 1978 the depot was first listed in the National Register of Historic Places
. In the mid-1980s, plans began to develop for the restoration and preservation of the depot. The City took possession of the depot and after several years of neglect, the City received a $1.2 million grant to restore and reuse the depot. The depot was ultimately moved to 7333 Greenleaf Ave., near the Uptown Business District. Because of the move, the depot wes removed from the National Register on October 1, 2004. The depot was subsequently relisted at its present location on March 29, 2005.
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
is a train depot built in 1892 that is being preserved by the City of Whittier to house a railroad museum and community center. The depot is a rectangular two-story, wood frame building. The station agent lived in the second floor apartment.
In the 1890s the growth of Whittier caused the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
to build a branch line from its main line in Santa Fe Springs, California
Santa Fe Springs, California
Santa Fe Springs is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. The population was 16,223 at the 2010 census, down from 17,438 at the 2000 census....
. The depot was originally built at 11825 Bailey Street. The branch served local citrus packing houses and a gas works. In the early 1900s, the Pacific Electric Railway
Pacific Electric Railway
The Pacific Electric Railway , also known as the Red Car system, was a mass transit system in Southern California using streetcars, light rail, and buses...
built a branch line that paralleled the Southern Pacific track.
With the arrival of the automobile, passenger traffic on the Pacific Electric decreased, and in 1938 the Pacific Electric ceased service to Whittier. The Southern Pacific then abandoned its tracks and took over the Pacific Electric tracks and extended them to the station. The Southern Pacific continued providing freight train service to Whittier until 1967. From 1967 until the mid-1980s, the Southern Pacific Depot was occupied by various industrial tenants.
On July 1, 1978 the depot was first listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. In the mid-1980s, plans began to develop for the restoration and preservation of the depot. The City took possession of the depot and after several years of neglect, the City received a $1.2 million grant to restore and reuse the depot. The depot was ultimately moved to 7333 Greenleaf Ave., near the Uptown Business District. Because of the move, the depot wes removed from the National Register on October 1, 2004. The depot was subsequently relisted at its present location on March 29, 2005.