Carlton Red Electric Station - Carlton, Oregon
N 45° 17.672 W 123° 10.613
10T E 486130 N 5015685
The Carlton Station is in excellent condition and has a new lease on life as an attractive retail wine establishment.
Waymark Code: WM5V6Z
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 02/14/2009
Published By:
PFF
Views: 9
The history of the town of Carlton (
visit link) is based on the railroad: In 1872 a railroad was built from Portland to St Joe, but the train did not stop between the two stations. There was nothing but farm land where Carlton is now. Some of the farmers talked it over and as a result Mr. Wilson Carl went to Portland and talked to the Railroad Company officials to see if they would make a stop closer to them so they would not have to take their produce so far to the railroad. As a result first a flag stop was tried then a regular stop was made at what is now Carlton. The story is that the railroad employees when they talked of this unnamed stop started calling it Carl's town, which was soon shortened to Carlton. The City was incorporated in 1899.
The Carlton Depot is very similar to the McMinnville Depot, still in use today, and the Forest Grove Depot, which has drastically changed and is no longer in service. All three of these depots served the Southern Pacific’s interurban service, the Red Electrics. An interesting review of the Red Electric interurban system is located here - (
visit link)
Today the station serves as a wine tasting room as evidenced by this narrative - (
visit link) and here is an excerpt from that document: If you’re looking for a relaxed afternoon of strolling, sipping and shopping, downtown Carlton is the destination. Built in the late 1800s, the adorable railroad village has experienced a revival as a stop for wine aficionados. There are three tasting rooms on Main Street including the Depot, run by one of winemaker Ken Wright’s labels, Tyrus Evan (better known is his eponymous Ken Wright Cellars). Located in Carlton’s old train depot, it features vintage western décor, and offers for sale books and high-end gourmet picnic items in addition to wine. Pick up some Soprasatta and cheese for lunch, or snuggle up on the overstuffed chairs and play checkers. Another favorite is the generically named The Tasting Room across the street from The Depot. It’s the outlet for Jay McDonald’s EIEIO & Company (clever, eh?), a winery producing only Pinot Noir.