Folsom reopens rebuilt historic train depot

The Historic Folsom Train Depot is open after restoration, the city announced last week. The historic building on Wool Street in Old Folsom has been restored and re-imagined as a multi-functional space, staff said. The revitalized Freight Room now serves as office space for the Folsom Historic District Association, a meeting room and the Peter T. Lewis Green Room, a professional grade backstage space for performers at the Zittel Family Amphitheater next door. Folsom Historic District Association board member Jerry Bernau led the project, generously donating time and expertise to the renovation. The project was made possible through cash, materials and in-kind donations from local organizations, private donors and volunteers. Officials estimated in 2023 the cost to renovate the building would be more than $800,000, according to Telegraph reports. Originally part of the Sacramento Valley Railroad – the first railroad in California and west of the Mississippi River – the depot remains a symbol of Folsom's rich transportation history. The station site was established as the eastern terminal of the Sacramento Valley Railroad, according to Wikipedia. The rail yard and initial station layout were engineered by Theodore Judah. Service began in 1856 as the first passenger railroad in the state. After a series of acquisitions and mergers, the facility came under the ownership of Southern Pacific Railroad. The railroad constructed a new depot by 1906. The depot was wired for electricity in 1909 and in 1916 the second story was added. Fire damage in 1924 and 1930 was repaired with minor alterations. The property, minus the turntable stands, was donated to the city of Folsom in 1970. In 1972, Ashland Station of the Sacramento, Placer and Nevada Railroad was moved to the site. The depot and freight yard were listed as a California Historic Landmark in 1956. The station building, turntable and tracks were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.