National Register of Historic Places

Southern Pacific Depot

San Carlos, San Mateo County, California
Listed
September 19, 1984
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
84001191

About this property

San Carlos station is a Caltrain commuter rail station in San Carlos, California. The 1888-built station building, no longer used for railroad purposes, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Richardsonian Romanesque style station building was constructed of Almaden sandstone. The modern elevated station, opened in 1997, has two side platforms serving the two tracks of the Peninsula Subdivision. The station building was originally built by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1888, and strongly resembles the Kenwood station, which the Southern Pacific opened the same year in Sonoma County. For its early history, the Depot was the only public building in San Carlos and functioned as the town's first community church, library, and post office. The structure was retired from railroad use in 1967, but Del Monte and Peninsula Commute trains continued to stop at the platforms. The building was subsequently occupied by the San Carlos Chamber of Commerce and a real estate company. It was vacant when it was acquired by the California Department of Transportation. A restaurant opened in the depot in 1984. The Depot Cafe, which was decorated with photographs of historic trains, closed in February 2018, leaving the building vacant. The depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 1984, as Southern Pacific Depot. The San Carlos Lions Club donated a historical marker to mark its centennial in 1988. Media related to San Carlos station at Wikimedia Commons

Location

559 El Camino Real
San Carlos, San Mateo County, California
37.50738, -122.25999

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Nearby Historic Sites

Brittan, Nathanial, Party House
Industrial
0.8 mi
Ralston, William C., House
Industrial
1.6 mi
Redwood City Woman’s Club
Industrial
1.8 mi
Sequoia Union High School
Civil War
2.1 mi
Lathrop House
Industrial
2.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Southern Pacific Depot listed on the National Register?

Southern Pacific Depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 19, 1984.

What type of historic resource is Southern Pacific Depot?

Southern Pacific Depot is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Southern Pacific Depot?

The period of significance for Southern Pacific Depot is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Southern Pacific Depot?

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