SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD DEPOT, WHITTIER
Description:
The Whittier Southern Pacific Railroad Depot is a one and two-story wood frame “combination depot” constructed in 1892. It originally included on the ground floor a passenger waiting area, ticket booth, restrooms, railroad office, and large freight room; the second floor housed the station agent and his family. In 1894 the freight room was lengthened. The depot served as a train depot until the early 1970s. In 2002 the city moved the depot to its current location and rehabilitated the building pursuant to the Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines and Standards for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. The Whittier depot was listed in the National Register on May 22, 1978, but upon its relocation 1990 was automatically removed from listing. The building is being re-nominated to the National Register at the local level under Criterion A in the area transportation and under Criterion C in the area of architecture. The building was important in the area’s transportation history for its association with the citrus freight industry. Citrus was the community’s main economic base and chief employer and the railroad was the means of getting citrus to markets. The freight room was expanded in 1894 to provide fruit packing space for the Whittier Fruit Exchange. The depot is also significant as a good representative example of Southern Pacific’s standard No. 18 two-story combination depot with second story living quarters. Southern Pacific built 60 No. 18 depots in California during the 1880s and 1890s. The property meets Criteria Consideration B: Moved Properties because the depot was moved to prevent demolition. It is relocated to a compatible site and used in a compatible manner.
Registration Date: 3/29/2005
Location:
City: Whittier
County: Los Angeles
Directions:
7333 Greenleaf Ave.
Back Return to Listed Resources Listing
The Whittier Southern Pacific Railroad Depot is a one and two-story wood frame “combination depot” constructed in 1892. It originally included on the ground floor a passenger waiting area, ticket booth, restrooms, railroad office, and large freight room; the second floor housed the station agent and his family. In 1894 the freight room was lengthened. The depot served as a train depot until the early 1970s. In 2002 the city moved the depot to its current location and rehabilitated the building pursuant to the Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines and Standards for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. The Whittier depot was listed in the National Register on May 22, 1978, but upon its relocation 1990 was automatically removed from listing. The building is being re-nominated to the National Register at the local level under Criterion A in the area transportation and under Criterion C in the area of architecture. The building was important in the area’s transportation history for its association with the citrus freight industry. Citrus was the community’s main economic base and chief employer and the railroad was the means of getting citrus to markets. The freight room was expanded in 1894 to provide fruit packing space for the Whittier Fruit Exchange. The depot is also significant as a good representative example of Southern Pacific’s standard No. 18 two-story combination depot with second story living quarters. Southern Pacific built 60 No. 18 depots in California during the 1880s and 1890s. The property meets Criteria Consideration B: Moved Properties because the depot was moved to prevent demolition. It is relocated to a compatible site and used in a compatible manner.
Registration Date: 3/29/2005
Location:
City: Whittier
County: Los Angeles
Directions:
7333 Greenleaf Ave.
Back Return to Listed Resources Listing