Nostalgia & History > Ocean Shore R.R. at El Granada--Then & Now

The Ocean Shore Railroad and its developers had big plans for El Granada, 26 miles south of San Francisco, when the line arrived in 1908. There were plans for a Coney Island style amusement park as well as an extensive residential developement on the east side of the tracks. Like a lot of proposals from that era the big plans never came to reality.

In a photo taken circa 1910 from the Hart Corbett collection a northbound OSRR train pauses at the El Granada depot(commonly referred to in timetables as North Granada) en route to the City.

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The relative isolation of the San Mateo County coast(even with the arrival of paved highways 1 and 92) and a variety of political and environmental factors have kept El Granada and adjoining towns remarkably rural and free of major develpement. Little evidence of the railroad remains in El Granada save the most obvious: the North Granada depot. Its been altered by additions but its historical core remains obvious as seen in this current view. The onetime garden-like parcel of land south of the depot is now just a weedy patch crisscrossed by a couple of trails.

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Its appearance has been heavily impacted by additions to both the west and east sides but the proprietors of the Moon Bay and very much aware of, and proud of, the buildings' heritage.

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It's amazing. I've driven past that building and didn't know its history. Thanks to Shed47 for posting such interesting photos and stories.

I had lunch there a few years ago just so we could see inside the place. Don't remember much, but I don't think I liked the restaurant very much. Funny to see that the concrete curbs are gone now. Doesn't look like the small trees that were planted lasted very long (unless they lived out their full life already).

shed47 Wrote:
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> In a photo taken circa 1910 from the Hart Corbett
> collection a northbound OSRR train pauses at the
> El Granada depot(commonly referred to in
> timetables as North Granada) en route to the City.

Congratulations, shed47, on an almost perfect match to the 1910 photographers position. What is interesting to note is the original concrete curb has been replaced with a low quality asphalt substitute!

Africansteam

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In 1977-1980 I lived in an ocean view apartment about 1/4 mile away. At the time the old depot was an Italian restaurant. The old Ocean Shore HMB depot and the Arleta Park depots in HMB are still there as well. - Tony J.

A good starting point for railroad archaeologists seeking out lost/forgotten/obscure railroad structures is the Railroad Station Historical Society's online database:
http://www.rrshs.org/Struct.index/strucindex.htm

Photo below shows a current view of the OSRR Arleta Park depot, still in its original location on Half Moon Bay's south side. Its now a private residence.

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