Virtual Walking Tour of the Historic Goleta Depot

Welcome to the Virtual Walking Tour of the Historic Goleta Depot

Explore the rich history of the Goleta Depot through our virtual walking tour. This interactive experience allows you to journey through the depot’s key points of interest from the comfort of your home. Each stop on the tour offers a glimpse into the depot’s past, highlighting its significance in the development of the Goleta Valley and its preservation as part of the South Coast Railroad Museum.

Below, you’ll find a detailed map of the depot, along with descriptions of the numbered points of interest that tell the story of this historic landmark.

1.

The building had to be cut in two before it could be moved to its new home. We’ve saved part of the cut for museum visitors to see.


2.

The original depot restrooms measured only about 3 by 5 feet. They are no longer in service.


3.

Large carts loaded with freight or baggage could pass through these wide doors. Goleta Depot has five of these special entryways, plus a sixth inside the Baggage Room. The biggest is nine feet wide.


4.

The Freight Office was the center of action at Goleta Depot. Communications, record-keeping, ticket sales, and express business were all done here.


5.

The Waiting Room was the place to buy a ticket or wait for a train. The ticket window (shown at right) is located inside the Waiting Room, connecting with the Freight Office. (4)


6.

The agent had a good view of rail activity from this projecting bay – an architectural feature that could be found on train depots around the world.


7.

If the station agent were unavailable, train conductors could leave their delivery waybills in this box.


8.

When raised, the train order boards told train crews that they needed to stop at Goleta Depot.


9.

The original loading dock (see dotted line on the plan above) was much larger than the reconstructed version that you see today.


10.

The station signboards proudly announced to crews and passengers that their train was at a place called “Goleta.”

Upcoming Events