You’re standing next to what was once the Southern Pacific Freight Depot-a real workhorse of Yuma, built in 1891 when railroads were king and everything from cucumbers to copper passed through here. Picture it, all that redwood shiplap siding giving off the faint scent of pine, sunlight catching on those wooden Stick-Eastlake details. Back in the day, freight agents hustled all sorts of shipments, some worth a fortune-thousands of dollars back then, which in today’s money would be... well, let’s just say enough to buy more than one of those trendy desert condos.
An office was tacked on in 1917. Maybe someone got tired of shuffling invoices in the summer heat. This spot got its official spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987-quite an achievement for a freight depot.
But here’s the twist- in March 2024, this building was lost in an arson fire. It’s gone, but its story lingers, a reminder that even the biggest crossroads can turn silent overnight.
Ready for Lee Hotel? Just head north for about 2 minutes-look to your left when you get close.
