Building history:
The Pacific Electric Depot provides an architectural transition from one age to another. While the basic style belongs to the first two decades of the twentieth century, the reduction of the Mission Revival style to the barest essentials hints at the functionalism of the 1920s. The decorative brackets supporting the protective overhangs and the parapet feature are the only true stylistic elements in this building’s design. The Pacific Electric Railway came to Fullerton as an extension of the line from La Habra at a cost of $425,000; construction of the Depot was started soon afterward in late 1917, and finished in 1918, at a cost of $10,000. The building was designed by Pacific Electric in-house engineers and constructed by the King Company of Los Angeles. Although passenger traffic was never lucrative, the large citrus industry provided significant freight revenue. Passenger service was discontinued in 1938, while freight traffic continued into the late 1940s. In 1936, the Depot began a new life as a Pacific Greyhound Bus Depot, which lasted until 1976. The rehabilitation and reuse of this property became a key component in the planning for the Fullerton Transportation Center. In 1978, the building was acquired by Fullerton Redevelopment Agency and was fully rehabilitated for use as a restaurant in 1981. The building has been a privately-operated eating establishment ever since. It is true to its original design, with even the wood trusses in the interior still exposed and unaltered.
