User:Noah Chandler Shelton/Lebanon Southern Pacific Railroad Depot

The Lebanon Southern Pacific Railroad Depot is a decommissioned freight and passenger train station located at 735 Third Street, Lebanon, Oregon. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. The building was built in 1908 using Southern Pacific's popular pattern book style configuration. And unlike all other similar pattern book depots constructed by the Southern Pacific line in Linn County during these years, the depot at Lebanon has never moved from its original location.

History
The construction of a railroad into eastern Linn county came when the owner of the Oregon and California Railroad, Henry Villand, sought to expand his rail network into Lebanon to stall the actions of his competitor, the Oregonian narrow gauge company, from expanding its operations into his southern transportation market. On February 28th, 1880, work began on the construction of a rail line linking freight and passenger travel from Albany to Lebanon. The route traced a path in a southern direction for approximately 1.2 miles using existing track from the Oregon and California main line, and then made its way for another 11.5 miles in a straight, southeasterly direction, towards Lebanon. The route was finished on October 1st, 1880, and it operated continuously until it was purchased by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company in 1890.

During the first decade of the 20th century, the city of Lebanon petitioned the Southern Pacific to build a new depot in the area to accommodate the region's increasing agricultural and timber output. In 1908, the company responded with the construction of the current station at 735 Third Street. The new building also began servicing passenger trains from the Oregon Electric Railway in 1932. Traffic at the depot rose steadily in the decades prior to the Second World War, but declined in the years after due to the widespread proliferation of automobiles and new transportation networks like the Interstate Highway System. As a result, passenger travel was suspended in the mid-1950s. The depot was then decommissioned permanently in 1985 with the decline of the region's timber industry, and the line was subsequently leased to the Burlington Northern Railroad.

The Southern Pacific Depot was purchased by the city of Lebanon in 1996, and was added to the National Register for Historic Places in 1997.

Layout and Configuration
The configuration of the depot was designed to accommodate both freight and passenger travel. This multi-use function is visible throughout the structure's design; and is best exemplified by the presence of a large partitioning wall dividing north from south. In its northern section, numerous accommodations are present such as a small passenger waiting room and a ticket and telegram office. And on the partition's southern side, a large room is present for baggage and receiving. The eastern side of this room is also equipped with a large freight door and ramp to streamline the movement of rail cargo to street vehicles.