Kingsburg Depot

Depot volunteers completed restoration of the double-sided passenger benches with final detail painting, Art Deco striping, and SP emblems. Volunteers involved in the project were Steven Britton, Larry Esau, Dennis Hammerstrom, Mel Manley, John Matic, and Brandon Palsgaard. These benches are a great place to watch trains passing by. Double-sided benches were a typical feature of train stations for more than a century. In the days before air conditioning, outdoor seating was c...ooler for passengers on hot summer days than sitting inside. An SP Common Standard #18 Style Depot, the Kingsburg Depot is unique in that the patio waiting area was added in 1922 along with larger waiting rooms and restrooms. That upgrade was brought on by a fire that damaged the Depot. As the History Snapshot below says, the railroad’s planned project to move the building a short distance away from Draper Street for more train clearance and to add interior space had been simmering for quite some time before the work took place. See more

Just a reminder the 2021 Kingsburg Car Show is coming up quickly on Saturday April 17th, and there will be a special activity sponsored by Friends of the Historic Kingsburg Depot. In conjunction with the Car Show, Friends is sponsoring the Branch 8 Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association display of antique operating tractors, engines... and other equipment. This display will occupy California Street between the Depot and the Draper Street car show venue. See more

The Kingsburg Chamber of Commerce announced the 2021 Kingsburg Car Show will take place on Saturday April 17th. Friends of the Historic Kingsburg Depot in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and the Branch 8 Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association... will sponsor a display of antique operating tractors, engines and other equipment in the parking lot outside the Depot during the Show. This display has proved to be a popular addition to the Car Show in recent years and adds a historic dimension to the day’s events. It brings out lovingly maintained tractors, engines and equipment that are rarely seen operating in this modern age. The sights and sounds of this antique equipment in operation is always a treat. See more

Passenger waiting area benches project completed today with SP logo, detail painting and Art Deco raised striping - this completes an 8 month project that restores the historic context of the Depot patio waiting area - volunteers Steven Britton (L) and Dennis Hammerstrom (R) pictured, other volunteers working on this project: Larry Esau, Mel Manley, John Matic, and Brandon Palsgaard

Thanks to all Friends of the Depot for donations received during the pandemic shutdown. The Depot site, archives and artifacts are being well-cared for during the shutdown and are ready for public tours and events as soon as the State and County rules allow re-opening.

The Depot office is open 9am-Noon on Wednesdays. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing. Due the current Purple Tier of State COVID restrictions, no indoor tours or events are currently scheduled.

New train watching spot at the Depot - after a 52-year absence the passenger waiting benches have returned

Volunteers continue to work on maintenance and artifact restoration projects during the pandemic shutdown. Masks, social distancing, limited crew size and other practices are being observed to keep volunteers healthy. There have been no infections... among volunteers to date. A large project of several month’s duration is now approaching completion: restoration and re-installation of double-sided passenger waiting benches at the Depot patio. These benches along with re-installation of the train arrivaldeparture board and the restored ceramic drinking fountain will restore the historic context of the patio passenger waiting area. These benches are also a great place to watch trains passing by. Double-sided benches like these were a typical feature of passenger waiting areas in train stations for more than a century. Outdoor seating areas like the Depot Patio were cooler on hot summer days than sitting inside. This style of bench disappeared from the Kingsburg Depot in the 1960’s, but have now returned after more than a 50-year absence. Double-sided benches were too large to be repurposed for home or business use, so the majority were quickly disposed of and destroyed when general train passenger service ended by 1970. Only a relative few of these antiques were preserved in AMTRAK stations and museums. After a 5-year search Depot volunteers found enough parts to assemble these benches and begin returning the patio waiting area to its historic configuration. See more

HISTORY SNAPSHOT by member Mike Dunn THE SWEDE FROM TEXAS Although not Alabama or Mississippi, Texas was still considered the Deep South and until the Civil Rights movement, its citizenry found oppressive Jim Crow laws to be right and just. In all, Texas passed 27 Jim Crow laws including segregated schools, hospitals, public conveyances and facilities such as restrooms, restaurants and drinking fountains. State law even required train depots to be configured with separate w...Continue reading

2021 ANNUAL MEETING The 2021 Annual Meeting took place Monday January 11th. The meeting was limited to board members only and social distancing practices were observed. Nominations were closed and three nominees were elected to fill three seats by a unanimous declaration of election. Your 2021 directors are Vice-President Steven Britton, Director Jan Chalepah, President Larry Esau, Chief Financial Officer Nancy Katz, Secretary John Matic,... Director Brandon Palsgaard, and Director Barbara Winslow. The Board thanks Mike Dunn for his service as a Director 2018-2020, and welcomes new Director Brandon Palsgaard. See more

Membership renewal invoices were sent the first week of January. Thanks for renewing your membership for 2021. Thanks also to those who included a donation with your membership renewal. If you did not receive a renewal invoice, please contact President Larry Esau at 559-341-1978 or [email protected] and he will make sure you get one.

HISTORY SNAPSHOT TWO WOMEN INJURED! from the Kingsburg Recorder, April 5th 1905 (Even though the Railroad was absolutely essential to life in Kingsburg in early days, living with the day-to-day operation of trains presented occasional problems Ed.) Mrs. M.N. Heerman and Miss Mable Morine were thrown from their rig last Friday morning about 9... 0’clock because their horse shied at a train which stood on the crossing near the depot. A freight train took the side track to let a passenger train pass, and the crew cut the train so that one of the cars stood more than half way across the crossing. The horse became frightened and making a sudden sharp turn, threw the rig over and spilled the ladies out. Fortunately, the sudden turning of the rig engaged the horse in such a way that it could not do any kicking or running, being tightly bound by the harness, and soon plenty of willing hands were there to help the ladies. Mrs. Heerman got her left middle finger caught between the tire of the wheel and rub iron in falling out, and the wheel making a turn cut the end of the finger very nearly off. Dr. Curle was at hand and gave the finger prompt attention. Miss Morine escaped with but a slight shaking up. The buggy was a complete wreck. The fact that the horse shyed at the train on the crossing and caused the ladies to be injured will likely result in a suit against the railroad company for damages. It is about time that railroad men were made to pay some attention to the rights of the people. See more

The newly restored Baggage Wagon has taken its place near the outdoor passenger waiting area and Flagpole. The new addition has had many positive comments from the community and visitors. Loaded with boxes, trunks and suitcases, it makes it look like a train will be stopping for passengers at the Depot any time now. The last passenger train that picked up a passenger in... Kingsburg stopped here in 1968. Thanks to Dennis Hammerstrom who spent much of his summer restoring the Baggage Wagon. See more

2021 ANNUAL MEETING JANUARY 11 The 2021 Annual Meeting will take place in the Depot Freight House at 5:30pm on Monday January 11th. Nominations to fill three 2-year director terms were opened at the November meeting and will close at the Annual Meeting. Social distancing will be observed. Your 2020 directors are Steven Britton, Jan Chalepah, Mike Dunn, Larry Esau, Nancy Katz, John Matic, and Barbara Winslow. They... have worked hard this year to carry out the educational mission of Friends of the Depot during very trying times. Please thank them when you see them. Thanks also for your membership and continuing donations in support of the Depot. Please encourage your friends and family to become members. It’s been a difficult year for educational foundations. Membership dues literally save the day during times like this as they cover fees, supplies and insurance to keep the Depot site and our educational programs active and prepared for visitors. The Depot will reopen to visitors when our liability insurance company permits it. Our historic reenactors have missed the excited voices of students the past few months, but our volunteers have stayed busy, completing much of the safety fence project and decorating the Depot for the holidays. See more

Also known as "Little Sweden", Kingsburg California is unlike any other city in California. From it's Dala Horses to it's architecture to it's food, the Swedish... influence is everywhere in town and it transports you to what feels like a whole other world in California's central valley. Only 8 minutes away from our last stop in Traver, Kingsburg is the 2nd stop of our Heart of California trip and when you're there you completely forget you're surrounded by farms and even that you're still in California. https://youtu.be/SzWZ1J0_XFs

The Baggage Wagon that was restored by member Dennis Hammerstrom was installed at the north end of the Depot today by members (L-R) Brandon Palsgaard, Steven Britton, and Dennis Hammerstrom.

CALENDAR Wednesdays The Depot office is open 9am until Noon every Wednesday. Social distancing is practiced in the office. Until further notice no tours or events are scheduled due to COVID restrictions and requirements of the Depot’s liability insurance policy. When Phase 4 restrictions are lifted the Depot will reopen for tours and other events.

HISTORY SNAPSHOT - THE VALLEY ROUTE TO LOS ANGELES (from the S.P. Bulletin) In December 1869 the Central Pacific launched the construction of a line down the San Joaquin Valley. By 1872 the railhead had reached Goshen. Subsequently, construction of the section from Goshen south to Los Angeles was turned over to the Southern Pacific which had been acquired by the Central Pacific in 1870.... By 1875 the Southern Pacific was surmounting the Tehachapi Mountains in a line that zig-zagged back and forth up the slopes, running through 17 tunnels to the summit, which was reached by the middle of 1876. Concurrently in March 1875, 330 tunnel diggers also started the attack on the last barrier to Los Angeles, the boring of the 6,975-foot-long San Fernando Tunnel, the longest tunnel west of the Appalachians. The force was soon increased to 1,500, including 1,000 Chinese. The work force faced an enormously difficult task. The soft soil of the mountain was saturated with water, and a blue gray ooze sucked at the shovels. Constant dripping from the ceiling and sides of the tunnel rendered the atmosphere extremely damp and disagreeable. Within the bowels of the earth hundreds of feet below the surface, stifling heat and dampness made it almost impossible to work. Workers stripped to the waist, perspiration pouring from every pore. The air was so foul that candles burnt but dimly. Laborers passed out with monotonous regularity; cave-ins and accidents took a fearful toll. But the men kept on working. By July 1876 the tunnel had become a reality and on September 5, 1876, Los Angeles was connected to San Francisco by rail, giving a tremendous boost to the development of the San Joaquin Valley and the Los Angeles area. -----------------------------------------------------------------------