Former Train Station in CA had been Moved and Converted into a Restaurant
Fullerton Union Pacific Depot, Fullerton California
The Fullerton Union Pacific Depot played a major role in the development of the City of Fullerton.
The last of the three railroads to be built through the community, its completion made Fullerton the regional rail center of northern Orange County. In addition to being typical of the Union Pacific Depots from the early 1920s, the structure is one of the few remaining important examples of the Mission Revival Style in the area. Spared from demolition by its inclusion in the Fullerton Transportation Center, the building was moved to its new site near the Santa Fe and Pacific Electric Depots. Through these preservation efforts, the Fullerton Union Pacific Depot will remain a highly visible and identifiable artifact from an important era in the history of Fullerton.
In the mid-1890's the Santa Fe Railroad sent George Fullerton to Southern California to purchase land for a new rail line between Los Angeles and San Diego. Two important factors influenced the route he chose for the proposed railroad. First was his concern about flooding in some of the low-lying areas of Orange County. Second, was the sales effort of the Amerige Brothers, developers of the township of "La Habra" as Fullerton was then known, to bring his railroad through their community. In 1887, a wood frame Santa Fe Depot was completed which established Fullerton as the Rail Center for Orange County's growing livestock industry.
With the advent of modern irrigation techniques, more and more land was being converted to growing citrus crops. This meant more people were needed to work the groves. By the late teens and early 1920's, Fullerton was experiencing its first major population boom. In 1918, the Pacific Electric Railroad built its Mission Revival Depot in Fullerton, further establishing its importance as a regional rail center.
Attracted to North Orange County by this tremendous growth in population and agriculture, the Union Pacific Railroad's first attempts to build a railroad from Los Angeles to Salt Lake failed primarily because of resistance from the Santa Fe. After World War I, the power and influence of the Santa Fe was greatly diminished and the Union Pacific eventually won out. In 1923 the Union Pacific built its Mission Revival Depot. Not to be outdone, the Santa Fe demolished its old frame structure in 1930 and built the Spanish Colonial Depot.
All three railroads sustained the depression and played major roles in two later "boom" periods. In the late 1930s oil was discovered in the area resulting in a rush of population and services. Then, after World War II, and because of Fullerton prominence in Southern California several major industries established huge plants there. This triggered the greatest population boom in Fullerton's history and helped to establish its current broad economic base. All three depots remained active until the late 60's. In 1975, the Union Pacific finally closed down its depot planning to demolish the structure to add more tracks.
Recognizing the need to preserve the depots and rejuvenate a decayed area of its downtown, the City of Fullerton established the Fullerton Transportation Center. This involves the recycling of all three depots into a multi-mode transportation complex including related services.
As a result of a national competition, a developer was selected to convert the Union Pacific Depot into a major restaurant. The structure has been successfully moved to its new location without damage just north of the Santa Fe Railroad tracks adjacent to Harbor Blvd. In this way the Union Pacific Depot helps define the west boundary of the Transportation Center while maintaining its own integrity without competing with the other two depots. The overall result is a coherent visual identity with the past and the preservation of an important part of Fullertons heritage for future generations to come.
The depot is one of the finest examples of its type and period in the state. The Mission Revival railroad station was an important element of the promotional imagery of California during the first several decades of the 20th Century. Of the few such buildings that remain in California today, the Fullerton Depot remains among the very best examples. In addition, it is one of only five significant Mission Revival structures in the community. The other notable examples are the Half House, Hetebrink House, Masonic Temple, and Christian Science Church.
Building Description
The Fullerton Union Pacific Railroad Depot is a free-standing, one-story, wood-frame structure built in 1923. It is an excellent example of the Mission Revival Style, typical of Union Pacific Depots from this era. The contract between the two slightly offset 100' x 30' rectangular segments clearly defines the separation of passenger and freight functions. It has been moved approximately 200 yards from its original site; although it still maintains a relationship to the railroad tracks, it has been turned 90 on its new site. It was renovated for restaurant use.
By far the more decorative, the passenger section has a mission tile gable roof with Mission Style parapeted gable ends. An eight-sided tile-roofed drum is centered in this segment topped by a cupola. A transverse gable roof intersects the drum and is terminated at the main entry by an unusual stepped parapet.
A four-bay arched arcade with a mission tile shed roof occurs on both sides of the main entry and returns along the end elevation. The unusual stepped parapet at the main entry is a distinct deviation from the typical Union Pacific Depot design.
The Freight House is a much simpler design with a flat-pitched tar and gravel gable roof supported by exposed wood trusses. It is screened from view by a parapet with a sloping tile roof along all three elevations. An exterior 44" high wood plank loading platform skirted both longitudinal faces of this section, matching the height of the interior raised wood floor; the platform was removed during the relocation of the depot.
Predominant materials include white stucco, wood sash double hung windows, raised panel wood doors, and a hand-hewn plank ceiling at the arcade.
Three openings at the far end of the freight house have been filled in, enclosing the original covered platform area. The building is currently unoccupied, deteriorating from termite and dry rot damage, and is covered with graffiti.
On July 21st, 1980, this structure was cut in half and moved approximately 200 yards to its new home in Fullerton Transportation Plaza. As a result of a City-sponsored nationwide competition, a private developer purchased the Depot and converted it into a major restaurant.
The original site was approximately 200 yards to the southwest. The building had an east-west orientation parallel to the railroad tracks with the main entrance arch facing the north, or track side. An attempt was made to maintain some relationship with the railroad tracks at the new site, although the building was turned 90 degrees and is now perpendicular, rather than parallel, to the tracks. The former Truslow Avenue elevation now faces Harbor Boulevard as it emerges from an underpass. The trackside elevation now faces the parking lot for the proposed transportation center.
