This plot of land may look ordinary, but the history behind it is anything
but Lang Station had a huge impact on the railroad system in our state, as
well as our country.
It really opened up traveling by railroad to the rest of the country. So, prior
to the Southern Pacific Railroad being built, you had, it was all
stagecoaches,” says Evan Decker.
The importance of Lang Station could be represented by one artifact, the
golden spike, which signified the completion of the Southern Pacific
Railroad.
“So it was a solid golden spike that was ceremonial only,” says Decker.
“Basically, what they did was when they met together, it was kind of like a big
ceremony of the golden spike it, it was really kind of it’s kind of like, I guess
you could say, a relic for our history,” says Decker.
Arguably the most important people to Lang Station as well as the railroads
were the track layers who, in their lifetime, never got their do.
“Without the Chinese track layers, there wouldn’t be a railroad period. So I
really, I would put them at the top of the list,” says Decker.
“In terms of, you know, the, the people that are important to the contributions of the railroad here,” says Decker.
With Lang Station gone. All that remains of this historic landmark is a
couple of reminders of the impact this station had on history.
“One plaque for that was put up in 1976 by the Chinese Historical Society of
Southern California,” says Decker.
“That’s on the other side of the road, probably covered
up, and then this one here that is kind of beyond the gate here. That is the
state plaque. That was put in in 1957,” says Decker.
