This article originally appeared in the “Goleta Depot Dispatch,” Volume 9, Number 2, September 1989. It has been transcribed and preserved here to share the exciting discovery of a significant piece of Goleta Depot’s history.
Until recently, none of the artifacts and furnishings that decorated Goleta Depot’s freight office were original to the building. All that changed with the donation of a cubby-hole-filled wooden box, thanks to the generosity of one of the Museum’s dedicated members.
The wooden box, found in a local antique shop, was purchased and presented to the Museum by Robert Burtness. Subsequent research revealed that this box was not just any artifact; it was the original ticket box from the Goleta Depot, dating back to 1910 or earlier.
Further analysis of the freight office wall led to the discovery of the box’s historic location next to the ticket window, where the relic now hangs once again. This remarkable find marked the first time an original artifact from Goleta Depot’s freight office was returned to its rightful place within the museum.
The other items used to refurbish the freight office, while historically appropriate, had come either from other depots or were obtained from other sources. The addition of the original ticket box significantly enhances the authenticity and historical value of the freight office exhibit.
The return of the original ticket box to Goleta Depot is a testament to the museum’s ongoing efforts to preserve and honor the history of the depot and the community it served. This artifact not only adds to the historical richness of the freight office but also serves as a tangible link to the depot’s past.
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