1897 Hanford Station

Yesterday I visited the 1897 Hanford Station along the BNSF Rails on 7th Street in downtown Hanford.

Hanford Station is one of the three remaining stations built by San Francisco and San Joaquin Railroad. Hanford Station was constructed a year prior to the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad opening between Fresno and Bakersfield. Unlike Conejo and the other rail sidings I've mentioned in previous blogs Hanford was already an established town by the time the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad tracks were built. Hanford had already been present since 1877 when it was founded as a rail siding town of the Southern Pacific Railroad which still bisects downtown between 7th and 6th streets today. Hanford Station would switch hands to the ATSF which later would become the BNSF as it is known today. Hanford Station underwent restoration in 1991 and apparently had an open waiting room prior to the remodel. Hanford Station currently has Amtrak passenger service and apparently had close to 200,000 riders last year.

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