Original depot, brought from Peters, California in 1871 was placed several feet south and east of present location. It was destroyed by fire. The new depot was built on its current site, adjacent to F Street between railroad tracks and East Railroad Avenue (now Sierra Avenue) in 1897.

The community of Oakdale was surveyed and laid out as a grid of streets centered on the first railroad depot. By 1904, Oakdale had become a point of convergence for five railroads.

Dedicated as a point of historical interest by Oakdale Parlor No. 125
Native Daughters of the Golden West on the their 90th anniversary
April 17, 1901 - May 6, 1991

The Southern Pacific Railroad had standard designs for buildings. The Oakdale Depot is Common Standard #23 which was also used for depots in the California towns of Caliente, Centerville, Felton, Fernbridge, Loomis, Oakdale, Rutherford, Shingle Springs, Tehachapi, Vina. (Source: Southern Pacific Surviving Common Standard Depots)

The building is now the home of the Oakdale Cowboy Museum.

According to the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce, the Oakdale Rodeo was the first outdoor rodeo in the Western United States, and since 1954, has been held, rain or shine. Oakdale earned the title "Cowboy Capital of the World" because of the number of successful Professional Rodeo Association cowboys who lived here.