The Oregon Electric Station is situated near many famous Eugene landmarks. It's the major building in Eugene's "Depot Area" cluster, which includes Depot Park, the old Southern Pacific Depot and Depot Fountain. It is also close to the historic Shelton-McMurphey house, Skinner Butte, and Eugene's impressive 1939 W.P.A. built main Post Office building. Two of the city's other nationally acclaimed buildings, the Palace (later the Griggs and the Lane) Hotel and the Smeed Hotel, are within walking distance

The Oregon Electric Station was designed to serve the Great Northern and Northern Pacific Willamette Valley electric train system. The first electric train arrived in Eugene on October 15, 1912, to a crowd of 25,000 and headlines in the local paper declaring this "the greatest day in the history of Eugene." The Oregon Electric line was here to stay, but it was another nine months before the depot building contract was signed and 19 more before the first ticket was sold from the finished structure!

Actual construction began August 14, 1912 with the excavation of the site, brickwork started August 31 and ended the 18th of September. The roof was erected by November 1st, with the next week spent electrically pumping over 20 inches of the Willamette Valley's famous rainfall from the basement!

Plasterwork was done by December, the marble terrazzo floor by January, carpentry by February and concrete walks by June. This 19-month saga prompted some cynics to suggest that the Oregon Electric Station, not the Oregon and Southeastern Railway Co. deserved the nickname "Old Slow and Easy!"

 

continue >

< back