Amtrak Station / Southern Pacific Depot (Chico, California)

 Amtrak, NRHP - National Register of Historic Places, train station, Stick-Eastlake (architecture)

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Amtrak operates the Chico Amtrak station at Fifth and Orange Streets for the Coast Starlight service. There are connections to Amtrak California Motor Coach connections to/from the San Joaquins.

The S.P. Depot was built in 1892 for the Southern Pacific Railroad. Its erection was the culmination of a nearly 15-year battle by the community to win replacement of the cramped and shabby depot which was originally provided on the same site in 1870 by the California & Oregon Railroad upon the inauguration of rail service to Chico.

Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy all made official campaign stops at which large, enthusiastic crowds greeted their rhetoric. During the Eisenhower campaign, vice-presidential nominee Richard Nixon left the train in Chico to make the historic phone call to General Eisenhower seeking to be kept on the Republican ticket despite damaging allegations about his connections to wealthy supporters. The "Checkers" speech evolved from Eisenhower f s response to this phone call.

Since 1983, the place of the depot in Shico has revived in concert with the provision of Amtrak passenger service. Rehabilitation of the depot's south end provided secure, comfortable waiting space.

National Register of Historic Places # 87000001

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coast_Starlight
www.amtrakcalifornia.com/rail/go/amtrak/stations/a_e/ch...
www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=am2Station&pagen...
www.trainweb.org/usarail/chico.htm
www.railpassengerusa.com/powerpoint/Coast%20Starlight/S...