Redlands Trolley Barn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Redlands Central Railway Company Car Barn
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 746 E. Citrus Ave., Redlands, California |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built by | Taylor Bros. Brick Co. |
| Architect | Fisher, John H. |
| Architectural style | Mission Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 90002119 |
| Added to NRHP | January 3, 1991 |
The Redlands Central Railway Company car barn is a special old building in Redlands, California. It's called a "car barn" because it used to be a garage for electric trains, also known as streetcars or trolleys! This building is super important because it's the only one left from the famous Pacific Electric Railway system. It's also one of just two trolley barns still standing in all of Southern California.
Contents
A Home for Trolleys
Early Days: Redlands Central Railway
The Redlands Central Railway Company was started in 1907. Two brothers, Henry and John H. Fisher, built this car barn in the same year. It was used to store and fix their electric streetcars. These streetcars ran on a line along Citrus and Brookside Avenues in Redlands.
Joining Bigger Railway Systems
In 1908, the Redlands Central Railway joined with another company. It became part of the San Bernardino Valley Traction Company (SBVT). The car barn then became a second storage spot for the larger railway system.
A few years later, in 1911, the SBVT merged into the Pacific Electric Railway. This was a huge electric streetcar network that covered much of Southern California. For the next 20 years, the car barn was used on and off by Pacific Electric. Most of their Redlands streetcars used a bigger barn.
When the Barn Closed
By 1926, the Redlands car barn was officially no longer needed for streetcars. The streetcar line it served was changed to use buses instead. This meant the old electric cars didn't need a home there anymore.
Saving a Piece of History
After it stopped being a car barn, Pacific Electric and other owners rented the building out to different businesses. In 1987, the city of Redlands bought the barn. They wanted to save it from being torn down.
Even though the city couldn't afford to fix it up right away, they protected it. On January 3, 1991, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical sites in the United States.
In 1994, the city sold the barn. Today, it is an automobile repair shop. The shop bought the building in 1999 and continues to use this historic structure.
