point reyes station was once a bustling railroad town. the train, run by the north pacific coast railroad, stopped here for the first time in late 1875 on its way from sausalito to tomales. it likely didn't have to blow its whistle or wait for very long, because there was nothing here but a cow pasture. however, mary burdell owned this particular cow pasture, and soon her husband, dr. galen burdell, built a hotel and saloon near the small railroad depot. within a decade, the dentist had created a town around the busy station, including a blacksmith shop, a livery stable, and a school. the first general store opened in 1883; a second one opened in 1898. the railroad built an engine house at the north end of town, and craftsman-style cottages for the railroad workers were built nearby. the railroad shipped farm products south to San Francisco and brought supplies north to the farmers and ranchers, and it also transported vacationers typically bound for inverness. students from point reyes station rode the train to and from tomales high school each day,
the railroad era in point reyes station lasted less than 60 years. trucks carrying goods on newly paved highways soon provided strong competition for the railroad, and once the great depression arrived, the trains could no longer survive. the last train between point reyes station and tomales ran on march 30, 1930, and less than three years later, on january 31, 1933, the last train ran between point reyes station and manor (fairfax). the railroad tracks and the trains are long gone, but the railroad's existence is still evident in point reyes station today.
many of the structures from the railroad era still stand. at the north end of town, the old train depot was moved and is now the post office. the engine house, the burnt-red building a block from the gas station, is used as a community hall these days. the old creamery building now houses the town's newspaper, radio station and library. the hay barn is now called the tomales bay foods building, where you can find the cowgirl creamery and other shops. next door is the old livery stable.
the area that currently occupies the center block of town, between mesa road and main street (A street), was a railroad switching yard a century ago. along main street, the emporium building (1898) still stands, where one can now visit the bovine bakery, a saddle shop, gallery and bookstore. another reminder of the railroad era is the raised sidewalk, which allowed easier movement of goods from the boxcars to the emporium doors via raised planks over the often-muddy street.
the grandi building, built in 1915, once housed a grand hotel with an upstairs ballroom and a general store. the now boarded-over arcade in front was originally designed to keep disembarking passengers dry during wet weather. the grandi has sat vacant for over two decades, and has barely escaped demolition on a few occasions (the locals keep hoping someone will buy it and renovate the landmark).
across a dirt parking lot from the grandi building is the cheda building, the rambling white building at the south entrance to town. you might notice that the northwest side of the cheda building is curved. back in the railroad era, there was a railroad spur that wound around the building to a loading dock out back. the surf shop and jeweler now open onto the curve.
the cache is hidden outside the cheda building, close to the intersection of the former railroad line and the highway that essentially replaced it. the cache log is hidden out of sight, in a small heart-shaped box.
sometimes you just have to leave your heart at the station. enjoy your visit.