1884 San Francisco & Northern Pacific Railroad Depot
In 1869, the San Francisco & North Pacific Railroad was founded by Peter Donahue, a San Francisco industrialist. The southern terminus, Donahue's Landing, was near Lakeville on Petaluma Creek in Sonoma County.
In 1884, Donahue extended the railroad and provided ferry service by moving the southern terminus of the line to Point Tiburon. Thus Tiburon, a California railroad town, was created on the Mexican land grant held by Hilarita Reed Lyford.
In 1907, the Donahue line merged with five northcoast railroads to become the Northwestern Pacific Railroad, a subsidiary of Southern Pacific Company. The 400 miles of track through the Redwood Empire connected Eureka and San Francisco via Tiburon.
In 1967, the last freight barge arrived from The City and the last train of freight cars left the Tiburon yard. Thereafter, the railroad bed along Richardson Bay was con- verted to a multi-use pathway.
By 1996, the 42-acre railroad yard from Racoon Strait to Mar West Road became the site of condominium housing, businesses and the town center. The waterfront of docks and piers became a shoreline park with only a portion of the passenger and freight depot preserved as a landmark and railroad-ferry museum.
TOWN OF TIBURON HISTORIC SITE No.001
San Francisco & North Pacific Railroad Depot has
this page online
Erected 1996 by Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society, Wells Fargo Bank.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Northwestern Pacific Railroad series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1869.
Location. 37° 52.353′ N, 122° 27.136′ W. Marker is in Tiburon, California, in Marin County. Marker is on Paradise Drive, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1920 Paradise Drive, Belvedere Tiburon CA 94920, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. NWP Gallows Frame Wheels (here, next to this marker); Tiburon Railroad & Ferry Depot Museum (here, next to this marker); Northwestern Pacific Railroad (a few steps from this marker); Tiburon Was a Railroad Town (approx. 0.2 miles away); Northwestern Pacific (approx. 0.2 miles away); Dr. Lyford's Stone Tower (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Tiburon Peninsula (approx. 0.2 miles away); Samuel Blake Chapman (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tiburon.
More about this marker. The marker is located on the west side of the Tiburon Railroad & Ferry Depot
Credits. This page was last revised on February 4, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 4, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 273 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 4, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
