Museum of the San Ramon Valley

 museum, NRHP - National Register of Historic Places

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(925) 837-3750
www.museumsrv.org/

The Museum of the San Ramon Valley was founded in 1985. The Museum is housed in the restored 1891 Southern Pacific Depot in Danville on Railroad Avenue at Prospect. Docents are on duty when the museum is open. School and other tours can be scheduled ahead by calling (925) 837-3750.

Historical Information:

The Southern Pacific Railroad line from Avon to San Ramon, California was completed in May, 1891. The first passengers were carried on June 7, 1891. The line had been constructed with the time and financial support of local farmers and land owners in an effort to bring freight and passenger service to central Contra Costa County. In Danville Southern Pacific purchased 8.65 acres of farm land from John Hartz for use as the train station. Coming of the train was the first step towards suburbanization of the area since daily commutes to the cities of Oakland and San Francisco were now available.

The fifty year period of 1891 to 1939 is the most historically significant because (a) it was the era when the principal freight service from the depot was that of shipping farm products from the valley and (b) for most of this period passenger service was provided from the Danville depot. It was during this period that the depot served its dual role of offering both freight and passenger service. With the exception of moving military personnel and materials during World War II and a few excursion trips in the late 1940's, passenger service ended in 1931. Freight service continued through the Danville depot until the building's retirement from service by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1951, then directly to individual company sites along the line until September 1978, at which time the Interstate Commerce
Commission granted Southern Pacific permission to abandon the line between Concord and Dublin. Beginning in 1951 the depot building was used for the operation of a Feed and Garden Supply store by Joseph Ramos, Sr. and his son. Joseph Ramos, Jr. In 1957 they purchased the building and leased the underlying land from the railroad company. This business continued in the depot until Nov. 4, 1987, ending with the death of Joseph Ramos, Jr.

The building is now occupied by the Museum of the San Ramon Valley. The structure is owed by the Town of Danville.

National Register of Historic Places #94000860

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