Kelso Depot, Restaurant and Employees Hotel (Boundary Increase II)
Also known as: Kelso Depot; Kelso Station; Kelso Historic District
No coordinates published for this listing.
Why it's listed
Kelso Depot is a two-story Mission Revival railroad station, restaurant and employees hotel in the Mojave Desert community of Kelso, now within Mojave National Preserve. Plans were issued in 1923 by the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad's chief engineer's office. The stucco building has a tile roof, a buttressed arcade and espadaña parapets. The historic district also includes a coal and supply shed and a designed landscape of palms, brick walkways and roads. Kelso was effectively a company town, and the depot supplied lodging, meals and services for crews, including the helper locomotives that pushed trains over Cima Hill. It supported wartime movements in World War II and ore shipments during the Korean Conflict. Passenger service and the station agency ended in 1964, and the lunchroom closed in 1985. It is regarded as a rare surviving Mission Revival railroad hotel in California, with its landscape still reflecting the original design.
Significance in brief: The depot is argued to be significant under Criterion A for providing lodging, food and services that let the Union Pacific run helper locomotives over Cima Hill, and for its role in World War II and Korean War traffic. Under Criterion C it is a rare surviving Mission Revival railroad hotel and restaurant, and the only California depot whose landscape keeps the original Union Pacific design 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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 100011934, listed June 17, 2025. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Kelbaker Rd., jct. of Kelbaker and Cima Rds. at Union Pacific Railroad crossing, Kelso |
|---|---|
| County | San Bernardino County |
| Listed | June 17, 2025 |
| Reference number | 100011934 |
| 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 depot closed in 1964 and the lunchroom operated until 1985. |
| Acreage | 13 |
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 100011934.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.