Tehichipa, California

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Tehichipa is a former settlement in Kern County, California. [1] It was located on the railroad near Oak Creek Pass and Old Town. [1]

Tehichipa, originally known as Williamsburg, was founded in 1869 by James Williams; while Williams originally named the town for himself, its name was changed to Tehichipa by 1872. The town was a shipping center for Owens Valley gold mines prior to the construction of a railroad in the area. However, when the Southern Pacific Railroad built a railroad in 1876, it bypassed Tehichipa, instead establishing a new town named "Tehachapi Summit". The railroad caused Tehachapi Summit to grow at Tehichipa's expense. Tehachapi Summit evolved into the city of Tehachapi, while Tehichipa ultimately died out. The only surviving building from Tehichipa, the Errea House, is now located in Tehachapi. [2]

A post office operated at Tehichipa from 1869 to 1877, when the service was transferred to Old Town. [1]

See also

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The Errea House, a historic house located at 311 S. Green St. in Tehachapi, California, is the house is the only surviving building from the settlement of Tehichipa, the first town in the Tehachapi area. Tehichipa was founded in 1869, and the house was built sometime between 1870 and 1875. In 1876, the Southern Pacific Railroad bypassed Tehichipa, instead establishing a new townsite at Tehachapi Summit, which later became Tehachapi. The railroad's action led to the decline of Tehichipa's shipping industry, and the town's residents gradually moved to Tehachapi. The Errea House was moved to Tehachapi as well around 1900. No buildings from the original settlement survive at the site of Tehichipa, and the Errea House is the only building remaining from the town. The Errea House is now located across from the Tehachapi Museum, where it helps illustrate the city's early history.

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The Tehachapi Railroad Depot was a railroad station in Tehachapi, California. The Southern Pacific Railroad built the line through the area in 1876. The depot was built in 1904 after the original station building was destroyed in a fire. the railroad founded the town of Tehachapi and drew the residents of nearby Tehichipa to the new settlement. The depot served a significant section of railroad, as it was located near the Tehachapi Loop and was one of the most active rural stations during World War II. The station later served as a warehouse and a railroad office.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 1083. ISBN   1-884995-14-4.
  2. Troy, D.; M. Farrell; J. C. Sammis (February 14, 1997). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Errea House". National Park Service . Retrieved April 20, 2013.

35°05′09″N118°12′31″W / 35.0858°N 118.2085°W / 35.0858; -118.2085