Downtown Woodland, CA - Northern Electric

The Woodland Depot in Two Centuries

Probably in the 1920s, looking southwest Photo by W.C. Whittaker, Collection of Garth G. Groff See Groff's Excellent Sacramento Northern Website	It's now 2002, and the building houses offices and Dodie's Collectibles shop Harry Marnell photo


Niles motor 101, a fixture in Woodland for years, pulls thru the arcade and into the yard behind the station. *Collection of Garth G. Groff*	Same scene, seen in the 21st century. The building owner has done a masterful job of preserving the station's form. Harry Marnell photo, March 2002

After preparing the above section of the page, I was able to locate the owner of the building, Tom Stallard of Woodland, and obtain some interesting additional information.

It seems that after passenger service ceased in 1940, freight trains continued to use the yard behind the depot, going through the station for access. The enclosed, red-tiled arcade, where the tracks went through, was torn down in the 1940s. Greyhound used a portion of the building in the 1940s and 50s, and Railway Express Agency also continued operating there until 1960.

When Stallard acquired the building about 1980 it was in very bad shape, having been seriously damaged in two fires as well as by occasional vandalism. Attending a public utilities exhibit in Sacramento, Stallard learned to his amazement that the station's original plans were available in the California State Archives. So he proceeded to complete the demolition of the building, and set out to rebuld it as a commerial structure on the same spot. A groundbreaking celebration was held on June 15, 1986.

So today's structure is a complete recreation of the uniquely beautiful original Woodland Depot.

July 4, 1912 Invitation	June 15, 1986 Invitation

Both items Courtesy of Tom Stallard



Car #129 leaves the Woodland Depot bound for Sacramento and Chico. Sign on wall to its left says "Wells Fargo & Co. Express"	Even the stylized Sacramento Northern logo above the entrance archway was included in the station's reconstruction