Kelso Depot (Kelso)

USA / Nevada / Sandy Valley / Kelso
 train station, historic landmark, visitors centre
The town of Kelso quickly grew after the Union Pacific Railroad realized more than just a simple small-framed building was needed to provide water for the steam locomotives. A full station was needed that would allow crews to be changed and provide extra engines so that the trains could make it up the steep Cima grade. The steam locomotives took on water before starting the grueling climb from Kelso to the top of Cima Summit, an elevation gain of 2,000 feet in just 18 miles.

The Union Pacific Railroad built Kelso Depot in 1924. The elegant, two-story building had two small rooms upstairs and a central bath for railroad employees, a telegraph office and a waiting room for passengers.

In the 1970's, the Depot again became a gathering place. Groups like the Audubon Society, the California Native Plant Society and the Sierra Club often took trips to Kelso. The reliable water that had been drawing a card for the railroad now drew outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors enjoyed relaxing by the tracks as trains chugged their way past. Some came just to watch the many birds drawn by the water.

Subsidizing Kelso Depot was not economical for the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1985 the depot was closed and plans made to demolish it. Local citizens, managers of East Mojave National Scenic Area, as well as Congressman Jerry Lewis, spoke out strongly against moving the structure, much less tearing it down.

In June of 1985, Congressman Lewis articulated what Kelso Depot had become when he wrote to Union Pacific's Chair of the Board, "This history of our country, and its western expansion, is linked with the history of your railroad... I am sure you share my belief that the beauty of that area is enhanced and enriched by such historical edifices and sites as the Kelso train depot."

In 1992 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) purchased the depot and an adjacent lot for one dollar. With support from local citizens, the BLM was able to start the structure's stabilization by adding Plexiglas coverings over windows and removing hazardous asbestos from the structure's interior. With the 1994 passage of the California Desert Protection Act, the responsibility of continuing to save this structure was passed to the National Park Service.

The depot is now (as of 2005) functioning as the main visitor center for the Mojave National Preserve.
www.nps.gov/moja
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Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelso_Depot,_Restaurant_and_Employees_Hotel
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   35°0'43"N   115°39'11"W

Comments

  • We were real close to losing this desert treasure. Huell Howser featured Kelso Depot on his "California's Gold" show, and one of the individuals he interviewed said the depot was literally saved at the last second as a bulldozer was on site getting ready to tear the place down. Since then, it has been beautifully restored and is worth the visit.
  • Second the motion to visit. There are many artifacts preserved inside the depot, and there are plans to restore the "beanery" to an operational restaurant with a limited menu available. Upstairs, one room has been set up as a bedroom for a railroad employee, right down to the UP logo on the blanket. There is a gift shop onsite with many railroad books and DVDs for sale.
  • Just finished watching the Huell Howser piece this evening (4-1-12). I believe it dates back to the 90s. Thank goodness that these gems are being preserved and/or restored. And thank goodness we have people like Howser to remind us of their existence.
  • Is unfortunate the National Park Service believes humans and all traces of their history should be cleaned from the earth. Following is a link to another desert treasure the NPS "cleaned up" http://deserttripper.99k.org/mpbpostscript.html
This article was last modified 7 years ago