Santa Barbara, CA: Roundhouse and Depot

Roundhouse: (Satellite, torn down to make room for the hotel.)

Depot: (Satellite)

Tim Starr posted
As far as I know, the 10-stall roundhouse at Santa Barbara was the only one in the US to mimic a Spanish bull fighting arena. After the original brick roundhouse was heavily damaged by an earthquake in 1925, the city asked Southern Pacific to rebuild it with a little more curb appeal. By the time this picture was taken in 1969, it was being used as a lumber warehouse, then torn down in 1982 by actor Fess Parker to build a hotel. Photo by Charles Lange.

Brian Aunger: I hung some temporary lights in that building the summer before it was torn down. The structure had some massive 12” x 12” posts and beams.

The background on the unique architecture is that just prior to that 1925 earth quake that leavened many framed structures in Santa Barbara Pearl Buck, the well known author and Santa Barbara resident lead a multi year effort to preserve the Spanish pueblo architectural history and feel of the town that was being rapidly replaced with wooden framed buildings and red brick rather than the traditional white washed adobe.

Her efforts culminated in a City ordinance that required new buildings to be built in a style that reflected the red tiled roofed buildings that were being replaced. The earthquake leveled a significant part of downtown and was the beginning of the dominant style that persists today.

Another significant impact the railroad had was that the original engine facility, rail yard, and icing facilities were all built on infilled land that was tidal marshes before the coast route reached Santa Barbara. This cut a significant portion of the previously uninhabited area east of the downtown off from tidal flooding well inland and added to the availability of buildable area of the city although some of that area not ever occupied by the railroad improvements are still at or below sea level but protected by the significant amount of fill that SP brought in.

David Lange: Brian Aunger One correction, it was Pearl Chase who suggested the Spanish architecture.

Jeff Stein commented on Tim's post
Here’s a RPPC (“Real Picture Post Card”) of the SB roundhouse…date unk?

Depot

Street View, Mar 2012

Barak Yaakobovitz, Sep 2021

Amtrak still uses it. Not only is the waiting room preserved, but so is the ticket counter.

Felix Y, Dec 2022

かわかみたいち, Oct 2019

I found the preserved passenger car.

Street View, Mar 2012

This map taught me where to look for the depot as well as the roundhouse.

1952/53 Santa Barbara Quad @ 24,000