This old train depot, located in Live Oak, California, was built around 1876 by California & Oregon Railroad Incorporated, as part of their original rail line from Marysville, California to Portland, Oregon. The railroad became the catalist for growth in the Live Oak area, with wheat farms sprouting up to take advantage of the ability to use the railroad to transport their crops. While never a large city, the major growth and construction of the commercial buildings in Live Oak occurred in those early railroad years, 1870-1900.
It was during this period that this depot and a railroad warehouse were constructed, on a single large trapezoid-shaped parcel of land owned by the railroad (then the Southern Pacific) in the eastern part of the commercial district in Live Oak. The parcel of land was described as three blocks long, extending north and south from Pennington Road to Elm Street, with the railroad warehouse on the north, and the depot on the south, with a connecting row of palms along Broadway Avenue.
It is interesting to note that the depot has been moved twice since it was originally built, but during all moves, it has remained within this plot of land. The Nomination form indicates "Around the 1900, the depot was moved was moved about 150 feet south on the parcel of land owned by the railroad."
The old depot, and like so many of the historic structures of Live Oak, fell into disuse, disrepair, and over the years they became eyesores and attracted graffiti and vandals. In 1995, the city of Live Oak approved an ordinance to improve the old commercial downtown area, but lacked funding. In 1996, Union Pacific Railroad purchased land along the tracks in Live Oak, including the 1,256-square foot depot building, but the structure remained vacant and deteriorating.
Just a few years later, on January 23, 1998, old commercial district was listed in the National Registry of Historic Places and the photos of the old depot that are attached to the official nomination form show the building in very severe decay. (Follow this link, and click on "nomination form" on the lower right: landmarkhunter.com/194569-live-oak-historic-commercial-district/
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This online newsblog from March 2003 that documents the efforts to restore the depot, with local citizens offering labor and materials to attempt to save the depot; (see the link here: www.railfan.net/lislists/rshsdepot-digest/200303/msg00032.html
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The city of Live Oak continued its slow struggle to restore the old commercial district, and in December 2009, a letter was sent to Milford Wayne Donaldson, State Historic Preservation Officer asking for permission to relocate the old depot by 40 to 50 feet, moving it off the Union Pacific property and onto land owned by the city. (a copy of this letter and photos of the depot in remarkably poor condition can be found attached to the bottom of the Historic Nomination Form, use the link above). Permission was granted, and by June 2010 the depot had been successfully moved a second time, restored, and the project architect was requesting input from Railroad experts for the best color scheme to use for the upcoming painting project. (this link is to the blog regarding paint colors: discussion.cprr.net/2010/06/live-oak-cprr-depot.html
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The old depot is currently used as a restaurant.