Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway Depot
Also known as: Depot Restaurant
Why it's listed
Built in 1928, this railway depot on Avenue G just south of downtown Lubbock served the Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway, a Burlington System line that reached Lubbock as the end of a 204-mile branch network. Architect Wyatt C. Hedrick of Fort Worth gave it a Spanish Renaissance Revival design, with a limestone base, light tan brick walls, a red clay barrel tile roof, carved stone entrances and Mission-style parapets. The look echoed the buildings of Texas Technological College and reflected the civic pride of a city that grew 408 percent in the 1920s. The railroad called it the most beautiful on the line. It handled passengers and freight until the company abandoned it in 1953, after which it became a warehouse and salvage yard. A 1973-1976 remodeling and later additions converted it to a restaurant while preserving much of its exterior and interior detail.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the depot is significant for its role in Lubbock's transportation history as the terminus of a late 1920s Burlington System railroad expansion into the South Plains. It is also significant as a Spanish Renaissance Revival design by Wyatt C. Hedrick that echoed the style of the Texas Technological College campus. It is described as the largest and most elaborate depot on the new line.
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 90001120, listed July 26, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1801 Ave. G, Lubbock |
|---|---|
| County | Lubbock County |
| Listed | July 26, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001120 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1928-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Wyatt C. Hedrick, Architect |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival (described in the text as Spanish Renaissance Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated in 1973-1976 and later expanded; now in use as a restaurant (The Depot Restaurant) after the railway abandoned it in 1953 and it served as a warehouse and salvage yard. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.57867, -101.84277 (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.
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 90001120.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000843
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.