Southern Pacific Railroad Depot
Also known as: Site No. 139
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Why it's listed
Built about 1910 by the Southern Pacific Railroad, this one-story brick depot at 500 W. Main Street served Nacogdoches as its passenger station. It has load-bearing brick walls, a broad hip roof covered in red tile, extended eaves, corbeled chimneys and an eight-sided tower on the west elevation facing the tracks. These features suggest the Spanish Colonial Revival style and set it apart from the dense downtown buildings nearby. The depot replaced a modest frame station dating from the railroad's arrival in 1883, and it was once part of a complex with a freight depot, express office, grocery and coal warehouse. Passenger service ended in 1954, after which the building became offices. It remains largely unaltered. It was listed for its connection to the city's railroad-era growth and for its distinctive architecture, which is described as the only building of its kind in Nacogdoches and increasingly rare among depots.
Significance in brief: The depot is a tangible link to the railroad era that shaped Nacogdoches' development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is also a unique, little-altered local example of Spanish Colonial Revival-influenced depot architecture with notable detailing and craftsmanship.
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 92000013, listed February 14, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 500 W. Main St., Nacogdoches |
|---|---|
| County | Nacogdoches County |
| Listed | February 14, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000013 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1910 - 1940 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Passenger service ended in 1954 and the building was converted to offices; the form describes it as in good or fair condition and virtually unaltered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.60516, -94.65918 (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 92000013.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001096
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.