Pacific Electric Railway Company Substation No. 8
Also known as: Altadena Substation
Why it's listed
Built in 1906 at Altadena Junction, this brick substation on North Lake Avenue supplied electric power for Pacific Electric Railway operations in Altadena, including the Mt. Lowe Railway. The rectangular building measures about 30 by 50 feet and has buttressed walls, a pedimented end gable supported by brick corbelling, arched door openings and a wooden tower that once held cooling apparatus for motor-generator sets. The Mt. Lowe line, begun by Professor Thaddeus Lowe in 1893 and taken over by Henry Huntington's company in 1902, drew large numbers of tourists. The substation kept supplying local street railways until 1941, after the Mt. Lowe line closed in 1936. Its machinery was then removed, and the building became offices in the mid-1940s, gaining display windows, a marquee and an exterior stairway. Supporters cited it as the last structure linked to the Mt. Lowe Railway and a surviving example of early industrial architecture in the Los Angeles area.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the last structure directly tied to the Mt. Lowe Railway System, once a major California tourist attraction, and one of the last surviving Pacific Electric powerhouses. It also claims architectural value as an example of early 20th century industrial design, with double-thick walls, buttresses and a pedimented gable on brick corbelling. The form admits the street facade was altered but says overall integrity remains and the original facade can be restored.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 77000295, listed November 9, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2245 N. Lake Ave., Altadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | November 9, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000295 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906-1941 |
| Architect / builder | Pacific Electric Railway Construction Department |
| Architectural style | Early 20th century industrial design with simple classical detailing |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted to shops and offices in the mid-1940s after electric trolley service ended in 1941; at the time of nomination it was in use as a professional photography studio. Condition rated fair and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 34.18418, -118.13186 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 77000295.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7122438
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.