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1977
|
Goleta
Valley Historical Society announces it will be unable to continue
with plans to save Goleta Depot, the community's most visible
landmark.
|
| |
Vandals
and looters attack the abandoned building during the late
1970s.
|
|
1979
|
Goleta
Beautiful initiates its own depot preservation effort.
|
|
1980
|
Goleta
Beautiful creates Goleta Depot Committee. Core five members
are Gary Coombs (chairman), George Adams, Eugene Allen, Raymond
Baird, and Phyllis Olsen.
|
|
1981
|
Land-ownership
suit by Kellogg heirs against Southern Pacific railroad is
settled. Depot building is offered to Goleta Beautiful.
|
|
|
"Friends
of Goleta Depot" established (May) amidst lengthy fund-raising
campaign. "Depot Dispatch" newsletter issue #1 published
(June 5).
|
|
|
Building
relocated to Lake Los Carneros County Park in dramatic day-night
move (Nov. 18-19).
(click here for route map & more) |
|
1982
|
Fund-raising
continues. Institute for American Research sponsors first
spring fundraiser, the "Asphalt Regatta" (April
24)
|
|
|
Building
is revitalized and reborn during year-long reconstruction
and restoration.
|
|
|
Goleta
Depot is dedicated as Santa Barbara County Landmark No. 22
in formal re-opening ceremony (Oct. 10).
|
|
|
Chamber
of Commerce, Audubon Society, Institute for American Research
become paying tenants. Waiting Room and Freight Office are
first museum areas.
|
|
1983
|
Depot
and County lease are transferred to Institute for American
Research (March).
|
|
|
Native
Sons of Golden West designate building a landmark (Nov. 19).
|
|
|
First
"Depot Day" celebrated (Oct. 9).
|
|
1984
|
Goleta
Depot's waybill box recovered from Goleta Lemon Assn.
|
|
1985
|
Work
on model-railroad exhibit commences with grant support from
Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation.
|
|
|
Standard-gauge
mainline and house-track are laid in front of depot (Last-spike
ceremony held Oct. 6.).
|
|
|
Plans
for permanent 7.5-inch gauge miniature railroad around grounds
grow out of popularity of rides on temporary track during
third Depot Day (Oct. 20).
|
|
1986
|
Museum
acquires S.P. bay-window caboose No. 4023.
|
|
1987
|
Staff
leads first elementary-school class fieldtrip via Amtrak (April
23) to San Luis Obispo.
|
|
|
Museum's
one-third-mile miniature railroad is completed to celebrate
Santa Barbara Rail Centennial.
|
|
1988
|
Museum
plays key role in inauguration of Amtrak's San Diegan train
service to Santa Barbara (June 26).
|
|
|
Museum
receives first of many General Operating Support Grants from
the Institute of Museum Services.
|
|
1989
|
Volunteers
build handcar for rides at museum.
|
|
|
Museum
acquires original Goleta Depot ticket box for Freight Office
display.
|
|
|
Earl
and Rose Ann Hill establish Children's Program Fund.
|
|
|
Museum
initiates annual participation in Summer Reading program of
Santa Barbara Public Libraries.
|
|
1990
|
Theater
opens (Jan.; later named "Gandy Dancer Theater").
|
|
|
Museum
honored at White House awards ceremony (May 18).
|
|
|
Shed
for handcar and miniature-train storage is completed.
|
|
1991
|
New
name, "South Coast Railroad Museum at Goleta Depot"
adopted (April 11).
|
|
|
First
annual holiday-season "Toy Trains and Teddy Bears"
exhibit is assembled.
|
|
1992
|
Weekday
miniature-train rides initiated (March).
|
|
|
Depot
exterior repainted with over $20,000 in grant funds from Santa
Barbara Foundation and County of Santa Barbara.
|
|
1993
|
First
"Easter Bunny Express" event held (April 10).
|
| |
First
"Holiday Train" event (Nov.-Dec.). Renamed "Candy
Cane Train" in 1994.
|
| |
Miniature
railroad is named "Goleta Short Line" (Dec. 15).
|
|
1994
|
Santa
Barbara Bank & Trust underwrites inaugural "Free
Rides for Moms" event (May 7) .
|
| |
Planning
commences for interpretive program aboard Amtrak's Coast Starlight.
|
| |
600
feet of track added to Goleta Short Line.
|
|
1995
|
Goleta
National Bank sponsors first "Free Rides for Dads"
(June 18) .
|
|
1996
|
Goleta
Depot is featured in "Great American Railroad Stations"
book by Janet Greenstein Potter.
|
|
|
Accessibility
study of museum programs and facilities is funded by Alice
Tweed Tuohy Foundation.
|
|
1997
|
House
track extended by 22 feet to allow repositioning of caboose.
|
|
|
Spring
fundraiser becomes "Great Goleta Rail Race" (May
17).
|
|
1998
|
Grounds
ravaged, several trees lost in El Nino storms.
|
|
|
Coast
Starlight Interpretive Program begins (May).
|
|
|
Major
improvements to museum grounds completed with grants from
Santa Barbara Foundation, Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, Alice
Tweed Tuohy Foundation and La Vista Foundation.
|
|
|
Museum
participates in Goleta Amtrak Station opening (Sept. 19).
|
|
1999
|
Inaugural
"March Madness" means free miniature-train rides
throughout the month.
|
|
2001
|
Museum
celebrates Goleta Depot's 100th Anniversary.
|
|
2002
|
Goleta
Depot is placed on the National Register of Historic Places
(Jan. 18).
|
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