Burlingame Railroad Station
Why it's listed
Burlingame Railroad Station is a compact Mission Revival depot at Burlingame Avenue and California Drive, opened on 10 October 1894. Members of the Burlingame Country Club, the first country club on the West Coast, arranged with the Southern Pacific Railroad to design and build a worthier station than the small flag-stop shelter then in use. George H. Howard, Jr. and J. B. Mathison are credited as designers, drawing on A. Page Brown's California building at the 1893 Chicago exposition. The building has a tile roof made partly of salvaged mission tiles, round arches, wide arcades, a scalloped gable, a square central tower and chimneys that became a feature of the style. Inside, the waiting room has exposed beams. It was built with balloon framing and pebble stucco imitating adobe. The nomination presents it as an early and especially satisfying example of Mission Revival architecture, though it was vacant and neglected when nominated.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the station is one of the most satisfying examples of Mission Revival style and one of the first permanent buildings to use it. It combines the style's typical elements in a simple, well-proportioned design. State reviewers also noted its local significance for commerce and industry.
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 78000769, listed April 19, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Burlingame Ave. and California Dr., Burlingame |
|---|---|
| County | San Mateo County |
| Listed | April 19, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000769 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | George H. Howard, Jr. and J. B. Mathison |
| Architectural style | Mission Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | At the time of nomination the building was vacant, uncared for and in need of repairs; it is also California Landmark No. 846. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 37.58008, -122.34501 (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 78000769.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4999169
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.