National Register #96000109
Sebastopol Depot of the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway
261 South Main Street
Sebastopol
Built 1917

The Sebastopol Depot, designed by Brainerd Jones, is a cross between Mission Revival and Bungalow-Craftsman architectural styles.

The Sebastopol Depot is a rare reminder of the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway (P&SR), the only electric interurban rail line to operate in Sonoma County. Interurban rail lines began in the late 1890s, following the development of steam railroads and electric streetcars, to provide transportation for suburban and rural populations.

Interurban railroads enjoyed rapid growth and prosperity from 1900 through World War I. After World War I, a slow decline began. By the middle of the 1930s, the interurban had disappeared almost entirely, eclipsed by the automobile.

Source: NRHP nomination.

Pacific Fruit Express was founded in 1906 as a joint venture between the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads. It began operation with a fleet of 6,600 refrigerator cars built by the American Car and Foundry Company.

When we photographed the building, it housed the West County Museum. Sections of the old right of way have been converted to trails for hiking and cycling.