Santa Fe Passenger Depot
Also known as: Kansas City,Mexico and Orient RR Depot
Why it's listed
Built in 1909-10 at 700 S. Chadbourne in San Angelo, this two-story red brick depot served the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railroad at a cost of $65,000 and also housed the railroad's district offices. Its design shows Prairie School influence, with a bell-hipped tile roof, deep overhangs, street-side dormers, and a one-story canopy on square posts sheltering passengers and baggage on three sides. A projecting tower with a pyramidal roof held the dispatcher. The ground floor had separate White and Negro waiting rooms, a ticket office, baggage area, smoking room, and ladies parlor, with offices upstairs. Original doors and 12/2 windows remain, and cast stone trim accents the brick. The Orient line, promoted by Arthur Stilwell, aimed to link Kansas to Mexico's Pacific Coast and beyond. It struggled financially but carried petroleum during the 1920s oil boom and helped establish San Angelo as a regional trade center. Few Orient structures survive in Texas. The Santa Fe Railroad bought the line in 1928.
Significance in brief: The depot is described as one of the most architecturally and historically significant structures in San Angelo. It was built by the Orient Railway, the town's second rail connection, planned by promoter Arthur Stilwell. The line carried petroleum during the 1920s oil boom and helped make San Angelo a retail and wholesale center, and very few Orient Line structures survive in Texas.
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 88002561, listed November 27, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 700 S. Chadbourne, San Angelo |
|---|---|
| County | Tom Green County |
| Listed | November 27, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002561 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Prairie School influence |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is listed as fair; the site is original. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.45395, -100.43505 (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 88002561.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001356
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.