Elephant Packing House
Why it's listed
Built in 1924 by the Union Pacific Railroad beside the tracks in Fullerton, this Mission Revival packing house handled the valencia oranges that helped build the city. The single-story stucco building measures 165 by 70 feet with a full basement. Its most distinctive feature is a sawtooth roof with skylights running nearly the length of the structure. Red tile trim, pilasters, curved parapets over the entrance and original wood and metal packing doors remain. It was first leased to the Elephant Orchards of Redlands, and from 1932 it packed fruit under the Old Mission brand for C. C. Chapman, known as the Father of the Valencia Orange Industry. The rows of packing houses that once lined Fullerton's railroad tracks are nearly gone, and this is the only Mission Revival example left. Later uses included lawn furniture distribution, paint storage, furniture manufacturing and aircraft parts shipping. It was designated a local landmark in 1982.
Significance in brief: It is one of the last surviving citrus packing houses in Fullerton and the only one in Mission Revival style. It is also the only remaining building directly tied to C. C. Chapman, called the "Father of the Valencia Orange Industry," whose Old Mission brand fruit was packed there from 1932.
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 83001214, listed September 21, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 201 W. Truslow Ave., Fullerton |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | September 21, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001214 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date: built 1924) |
| Architect / builder | Built by the Union Pacific Railroad; architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Mission Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied by a business that ships aircraft parts; the exterior is to be retained in its present state and the building is described as relatively unaltered. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 33.86746, -117.92657 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 83001214.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5359346
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.