Kelso Depot Oasis
Photo 12 of 12
Kelso Depot opened in 1924 when the Los Angeles and Salt Lake RR (now Union Pacific) was constructing a line to connect Salt Lake to Los Angeles through the Mojave Desert. Following a boom during WWII and the closure of Vulcan Mine, Union Pacific stopped using the depot in 1964.
Although it was still used as a restaurant and boarding center for the next 20 years, UP announced plans to demolish the the Spanish Mission Revival style depot when it was completely abandoned in 1985. However, a fund was established to save the building, and with the support of the National Park Service, renovation began in 2002. The building reopened to the public in October 2005 and currently serves as a visitor center for Mojave National Preserve.
- Dec 2009
- Taken with a Nikon D60