Located at 805 S. Santa Fe in El Paso, this handsome but largely unadorned Pueblo/Mission eclectic mix was erected in 1942 by the El Paso & Santa Fe Railroad, to replace their original wooden 1881 terminal. The old building was becoming too small for the Santa Fe's increased business along the line, so the new building was commissioned.
The architect for the $125,000 structure in unnamed, although the many Railroad companies usually retained in-house architects in their building departments that would frequently design these structures anonymously. The style of the building, described in period newspapers as "Along the Southwestern Architectural Lines", was suggested by the local Women's Department of the Chamber of Commerce, led by Mrs. K.D. Lynch. The rounded corners and stuccoed walls are Pueblo, with the front of the building adorned with a simple Mission parapet.
The structure was built with concrete and steel, and designed to be fireproof. As with any Freight Depot, it is a very long (217 feet to be exact) narrow structure. The lack of arches and the entryway & corner blocks on the front of the building are very reminiscent of the work of the El Paso architectural firm of Gibson & Robertson, however by 1942 this duo was looooong gone.
The building was completed and dedicated on March 20, 1942, with great fanfare. A 3:00pm dedication ceremony included El Paso Mayor J.E. Anderson, along with many local celebs and a herd of Santa Fe Railroad executives from all over the country. The ceremony was carried live by KROD Radio and KTSM TV. One enchanting feature of the ceremony was that they were able to include a scant few people that had been employed by the Railroad when their original 1881 Depot was erected.
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Text and research provided by Mark Stone to Sketchclub.net, citing period newspapers accessed at newspapers.com
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| Google Earth Street View accessed March 2021 |
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| Google Earth Street View accessed March 2021 |
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| Google Earth Street View accessed March 2021 |
