Southern Pacific Depot Looking East

This view of the Southern Pacific Depot was taken circa 1910 and shows one of the large planters that were once placed around the depot grounds. They along with the fountain, rose garden and other plantings were part of depot beautification effort which was popular in the early 20th century. Before auto travel become popular the local railroad station was the first place a traveler would see when they arrived in a town, hence the effort to make it as much of a showplace as possible.

Southern Pacific Depot

Here a large crowd gathers for a now unknown event at the Southern Pacific Train Depot. It was most likely to great some visiting dignitary. The fountain mentioned in last Wednesday's post can be seen in front of the depot on the right. The Shelton-McMurphy House can be seen on the Butte with one of the many warehouse that used to line the tracks, between it and the depot.

Electric Streetcar 1910

Portland, Eugene and Eastern streetcar for the Fairmount Street run, parked at the beginning of the line near the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot on the north end of Willamette Street. This is just prior to the construction of the Oregon Electric Station on the N.E. corner of this intersection. Two crew members pose in foreground. The tower of Shelton-McMurphey residence on a now forested Skinners Butte can be seen in background. The small cast concrete building on the right still stands, though enlarged with a second floor and rear extension it now houses the Jackalope Lounge after being a Chinese Restaurant for many years.