Kelso Depot, Restaurant and Employees Hotel (Boundary Increase)
No coordinates published for this listing.
Why it's listed
Kelso Depot is a two-story Mission Revival railroad building in the Mojave Desert, completed in 1923-1924 for the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, later part of the Union Pacific system. It combined a station, lunchroom and employees' hotel, with stucco walls, a clay tile roof, a one-story arcade and espadaña parapets. A coal and supply shed and a designed landscape of palms, brick walkways and roads make up the rest of the historic district. The depot supported helper locomotives that pushed trains over Cima Hill and provided services for crews during World War II and the Korean Conflict. Kelso was effectively a company town in a remote area, and the depot sometimes served as a community center. Passenger service and the station agency ended in 1964, though the lunchroom stayed open until 1985. The property was recognized as a rare surviving Mission Revival railroad hotel and restaurant in California, with a landscape that retains its original design intent.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion A because the depot's lodging, food and bathing facilities supported helper locomotive operations over Cima Hill and wartime rail traffic, and because Kelso functioned as a railroad company town. Under Criterion C, it is a rare surviving Mission Revival railroad hotel and restaurant, with a designed landscape that still reflects the original Union Pacific intent.
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). NRHP reference 100003401, listed January 31, 2019. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Kelso-Cima Rd., Kelso |
|---|---|
| County | San Bernardino County |
| Listed | January 31, 2019 |
| Reference number | 100003401 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1923-1964 |
| Architect / builder | Office of the Chief Engineer, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals: California Mission Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Transportation, Engineering, Industry, Education |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant/not in use; the lunchroom operated until 1985 and the station agency and passenger service ended in 1964. |
| Acreage | 7 |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 100003401.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives)
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.