Alturas, California N-C-O Administrative Offices

"Built in the Mission Revival style by the N-C-O in 1917-18 at a cost of approximately $40,000 was this impressive structure, which housed the administrative office of the (Nevada-California-Oregon) railroad.  The ground floor contained the offices of the company manager, superintendent, stenographer, and train dispatcher as well as a men's locker room, lavatory, and records storage room.  The second floor had rooms for the engineer, attorney, cashier, three auditors, a women's restroom, storage space, and an overnight guest room on the southeast corner complete with private bath.

"Following the SP takeover (of N-C-O) in 1929, the building was vacant for a number of years.  During World War II, the former office building served as a U.S. Navy Air Corps flight training school and billet.  From the end of the war until 1959, the rooms were rented out for office space.  Beginning that year, the building was obtained by the BPOE fraternal organization (the Elks) and later by the soil conservation district.  On September 6, 1974, this unique structure was entered in the National Register of Historic Places."

Bowden, Jack and Dill, Tom.  The Modoc: Southern Pacific's Backdoor to Oregon. Page 226. Hamilton, Montana: Oso Publishing Co., 2002.

Photo # alturasNCOdepot1

Note the bells in the tower... when the building was erected they chose to save money by having all but one of them made from wood!

Photo # alturasNCOdepot2

Alturas, California N-C-O Depot

"The passenger depot at Alturas has a rather interesting history.  It was constructed of native stone and originally stood at the point where Highway 299 now crosses the Lakeview line in east Alturas.  When the local citizens complained that it was too far from town, the N-C-O had it moved to its present location.  Before disassembling the building, company workers carefully numbered each stone and noted how it fit into the building.  All the stones were then moved to the new location and put back together exactly the same as they had been in the former location.  The building is currently the property of the Alturas Garden Club and is used as a meeting hall."

Bowden, Jack and Dill, Tom.  The Modoc: Southern Pacific's Backdoor to Oregon. Page 22. Hamilton, Montana: Oso Publishing Co., 2002.

Photo # ncoalturas

Lakeview, Oregon N-C-O Depot

Surrounded by a tall wooden fence, the Lakeview depot is now a private residence.

Photo # ncolakeview