National City Depot, 900 West Twenty-third Street, National City, San Diego County, CA

Significance: The California Southern Transcontinental Railroad Terminus is the last original transcontinental terminus depot in the United States. It is listed on the local register as a Designated Significant Building. Although the building has been altered, the building's original location and current condition still convey its major significance in railroad history. The depot, built in 1882, in Italianate style of architecture, represented the culmination of over a decade of work to procure a transcontinental railroad link for the San Diego Bay region and the resultant economic "Boom of the Eighties" which heralded the railroad's arrival. Although the life of the California Southern Railroad was a short one, it nevertheless had a major impact both locally and nationally during the years of 1882 through 1891. Not only did the railroad forever alter the course of rail travel in the United States by successfully breaking the Southern Pacific's strangle-hold on intracontinental freight and rail travel, but it also insured the success of the fledgling cities of San Diego and National City.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N587
Survey number: HABS CA-2654
Building/structure dates: 1882 Initial Construction