Water Street Railroad Crossing - Skidmore Academy Historic District - Ashland, OR - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

Located at the junction of Water St. and Van Ness Ave. is this concrete railroad tunnel (underpass) with a date of '1907' etched into the south side. This tunnel/underpass is listed as a contributing structure in the Ashland Skidmore Academy Historical District. The tunnel has held up well in over 100 years of use.

The Ashland Cultural Resource Inventory Survey Form says the following regarding this contributing structure:

The concrete railroad bridge over Water Street was poured in early September 1907. It probably replaced an older wooden structure as part of the improvements made along the line by Southern Pacific Company during the first decade of the 20th Century.

The railroad tracks reached Ashland in 1884 and the rails were joined there in December 1887. The railroads arrival was an important socio-economic occurrence in Southern Oregon, the region and the nation. The local economy was boosted as the circle of tracks around the country was completed. Intense growth began in Ashland as people moved to the area and built store, schools, hotels and homes in anticipation of travel and business.

This bridge is one of two examples of its type in the Railroad Addition.

Name of Historic District (as listed on the NRHP): Skidmore Academy Historic District Link to nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com page with the Historic District: [Web Link] Address: Water Street (Van Ness Avenue is cross street) How did you determine the building to be a contributing structure?: Narrative found on the internet (Link provided below) Optional link to narrative or database: [Web Link] NRHP Historic District Waymark (Optional): Not listed

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