Corvallis Red Electric Station - Corvallis, Oregon
N 44° 34.111 W 123° 15.426
10T E 479585 N 4935052
Originally constructed by the Southern Pacific as a modern replacement, this station has been moved twice. The first move was made in order to serve the new Southern Pacific Red Electrics.
Waymark Code: WM3FZ4
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 03/31/2008
Views: 87
Transcribed from the menu of the restaurant that now occupies the station and on their web site at (
visit link)
The original train depot now housing Michael's Landing Restaurant was built in Corvallis in 1909 on the corner of 9th and Washington. In order to better serve the commercial needs of Corvallis and the Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University), the building was relocated in 1917 to 6th and Monroe by a team of mules, a move which took three weeks to accomplish. The train station served the Southern Pacific Railway Company for 29 years and was also the headquarters for the Corvallis Police until 1979, when the building was slated for demolition. Fortunately a group of concerned citizens acted to save the historic building from destruction. On May 16th, 1982, the building was again moved through the streets of Corvallis as thousands proudly watched. During the departure and arrival of soldiers for both World Wars, the Corvallis Depot was the scene of many emotional separations and joyful reunions. Today, as Michael's Landing, the depot is once again a special meeting place for friends and loved ones.
From various sources:
The Station building was constructed in 1909 at 9th and Washington to replace the original station building at the same location, which was constructed in 1887 by the Willamette Valley and Coast Railroad. The 1887 station building (known as the Corvallis Depot; see (
visit link) was relocated about 2 blocks east, prior to the construction of the 1907 building, where it resides today. Both buildings served steam-hauled passenger train traffic.
In 1917, the subject Station was moved to 6th and Monroe to serve the new electric interurban service instituted by the SP to counter the competition from the other interurban railway in town, the Oregon Electric. The Railway Express Agency Office was also moved to this location, where it remains today. Electric train service to Corvallis ended in 1929, and was replaced by steam-hauled service, which itself was discontinued in 1931, and self-propelled railway passenger cars called 'gas-electrics', also known as 'doodle bugs', were utilized. This passenger service was discontinued in 1933, and that's the way it's been in Corvallis, train-wise, ever since.
In 1956 the Station building was sold to the City of Corvallis and became the headquarters of the Corvallis Police Department. The REA building became an office of the City Engineer. In 1979 the Station was vacated by the Police Department and in 1982 it was moved to its present location along the Willamette River. The University of Oregon's Digital Collection has a photo history for the 1982 move. (
visit link)
Thanks to Corvallis Depot Suites for their help in compiling this information.