The Tehachapi Railroad Depot was a railroad station in Tehachapi, California. The Southern Pacific Railroad built the line through the area in 1876. The depot was built in 1904 after the original station building was destroyed in a fire.[2] the railroad founded the town of Tehachapi and drew the residents of nearby Tehichipa to the new settlement. The depot served a significant section of railroad, as it was located near the Tehachapi Loop and was one of the most active rural stations during World War II. The station later served as a warehouse and a railroad office.[3]
This railroad that crossed the Tehachapi Summit and came through Tehachapi was the second transcontinental railroad. The museum has a collection of old railroad tools and signals, photos and newspaper articles, lanterns, and dining cart china. Much of this came from the family of Bill Stokoe, a retired railroad worker who passed away in 1999.[4]
In 2008, the depot burned down; it was rebuilt in 2009 and now serves as the Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum with historic railroad artifacts.[5]
The original depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 20, 1999. Although the original depot no longer exists, it remains on the National Register.[1]
