Watts Station
Also known as: Wilmington Watts Freight Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1904, this wood-frame railroad building at 1686 East 103rd Street in Watts, Los Angeles, served as both a freight depot and a passenger waiting room. Its original design included Doric columns, a wrought iron ticket window, a broad portico and an open arcade on the north side for ticket windows. The roof has Victorian-style lines with handcrafted rafters and eaves. The station was the model for depots at La Habra, Glendora and Covina. It was the first building of importance on Main Street, now 103rd Street, and the community of Watts developed around it as land was subdivided into small lots for working families. The station remained a community focal point until interurban rail service ended in 1961. Later it was converted to commercial use, with removable interior partitions added and the arcade enclosed. Its exterior is deteriorating, though the structure is sound. A redevelopment plan proposed keeping it in place beside a park linking it to the Simon Rodia Towers.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the station as a symbol of Los Angeles' decentralized pattern of growth and an important aspect of the city's social history. It was the first building of importance on Main Street (now 103rd Street) in the new community of Watts, which grew up around a railroad station rather than through long-range planning. It also served as a model for stations at La Habra, Glendora and Covina.
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 74000523, listed March 15, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1686 E. 103rd St., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | March 15, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000523 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 20th Century (constructed 1904) |
| Architectural style | Wood frame station with Victorian-style roofing, reminiscent of Greene and Greene work in the Pasadena area |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Transportation, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted to commercial use; exterior deteriorating and in need of repair, but basic structure sound. Form lists condition as fair and the property as occupied. |
| Acreage | 3.3 |
| Coordinates | 33.94305, -118.24314 (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 74000523.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2552770
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.