Colfax Passenger Depot
Also known as: Southern Pacific Railroad Colfax Passenger Depot
Why it's listed
Southern Pacific Railroad built this one-story wooden depot in Colfax in 1905, replacing an earlier Central Pacific depot from 1865 that burned that September. The building follows the railroad's Colonnade style, with Colonial Revival and Craftsman elements. A roofed arcade of twelve cast iron columns runs along the track side, and a rounded bay window lets staff see approaching trains. Inside, the original layout held a baggage room, telegraph room, waiting room and ticket office. Southern Pacific built 25 depots of this type, and 14 survive. Similar depots in Lodi and Woodland have been altered or moved, which leaves Colfax as the only example in Placer County. The depot served as the town's transportation center from 1905 to 1945, and regular passenger service continued until 1971. Amtrak returned to Colfax in 1976. The exterior is largely original apart from some replaced doors and a partly infilled baggage door, and the interior alterations are considered reversible.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues local significance under Criterion C as the only example of Southern Pacific's Colonnade-style depot in Placer County. Southern Pacific built 25 such depots and 14 still stand. The depot also served as Colfax's main transportation center from 1905 to 1945 and retains its location, setting, materials and workmanship.
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 98001605, listed January 15, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main St. and Railroad Ave., Colfax |
|---|---|
| County | Placer County |
| Listed | January 15, 1999 |
| Reference number | 98001605 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1905 - 1945 |
| Architect / builder | Southern Pacific Railroad Company |
| Architectural style | 20th Century Revival/Colonial Revival, with Craftsman elements (Southern Pacific Colonnade style) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed function is vacant/work in progress; the depot is being remodeled, and passengers use a small covered waiting facility next to it. |
| Acreage | 1.6 |
| Coordinates | 39.09929, -120.95321 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 98001605.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5144737
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.