I'm always amazed by the process of moving an entire
building to a new site. That act seems
even more amazing when the building is not a wood frame home but a large stone
building.
In 1909-10, a new railroad depot of cast stone (concrete
blocks shaped to look like stone) was constructed along the Southern Pacific
tracks at Ninth Street and Washington Avenue in Corvallis. The old wood-framed
depot (now Depot Suites) was moved to Seventh Street to serve as a freight
depot.
 |
| The move to the new location at Sixth Street and Monroe Avenue took three weeks. |
In June of 1917, the Southern Pacific Railroad extended its
interurban electric rail line to Corvallis.
Powered by overhead electric lines, the red cars carried passengers
north to Portland four times per day. To accommodate passengers on this line,
the stone depot was moved. The building
was raised off its foundation then pulled by a team of mules.
 |
| The Corvallis train depot in its new location circa 1920. |
The Southern Pacific discontinued the “Red Electric” service
in 1929 and all passenger service to Corvallis in 1933. In 1956, the city of Corvallis purchased the
building for use by the police department.
The building deteriorated and was scheduled to be demolished but it was
sold and moved to yet another location in May 1982. This move involved tight maneuvering through
downtown Corvallis, watched by many.
 |
| Moving Southern Pacific Train Depot in Corvallis Photo by Joe Malango |
But this time it took only one day to relocate the building
to 603 N. Second Street (between Taylor and Polk). From 1963 through 2008, it housed the
Michael's Landing restaurant.
By
Martha Fraundorf, Volunteer for Benton County Historical Society, Philomath,
Oregon
More like 1983 was when Michaels landing opened.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather, Richard Hamell Pence, was born Thanksgiving Day 1898 in the Corvallis Southern Pacific Depot where his father Arthur Sherman Pence, and mother Nellie Applegate Pence, lived in the upstairs rooms. Arthur was station agent at Drain when they married in 1894, they lived at Corvallis by the time of Richard's birth (as documented by Dr. Pernot of Corvallis), and moved to Riddle a year later. Arthur also served as agent at McMinnville. Several years back I stayed in the then "newly restored" Corvallis Depot Suites, which had not been the Southern Pacific Depot; I had hoped to find the location of the 1898 SP depot, but was not successful. Locals told me it was long gone. Corvallis is a lovely city and you are lucky to have these preserved spaces and stories!
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