Santa Fe Depot Project Receives Governor’s Historic Preservation Award for 2006

The City of Fresno Public Works Department received notification that the recently renovated Santa Fe Depot has been selected to receive the Governor’s Historic Preservation Award for 2006.

The State Office of Historic Preservation presents these awards to recognize local grass roots efforts for historic preservation. This years’ award marks the 20th Anniversary of the Governor’s Historic Preservation Award program. The official announcement was made on October 27th in Sacramento at the State Historic Resources Commission meeting. The official awards ceremony took place in mid-November at the Stanford Mansion in Sacramento.

On February 12, 2005 the Santa Fe Depot was officially dedicated and the Depot returned to service as a passenger train station. Congressman Jim Costa and Assemblyman Juan Arambula were Masters of Ceremony which included presentations by local historian Cathy Rehart and Fresno’s Mayor Alan Autry. Many in attendance marveled at the level of detail of the restoration and reminisced back when the Depot was the travel hub of the San Joaquin Valley.

The restoration project returned the Depot to its original appearance, just as it was when first opened in 1899. It is one of a few mission style buildings - with arches and tiled roofs - constructed prior to 1900 still in existence today. The Santa Fe Depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The project architect, Johnson Architecture, ensured that many of the architectural details in the project were returned to original condition and submitted the Governor’s Historic Preservation Award application on behalf of the City of Fresno.