The station was originally built in 1867 by the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad. During the 1890s Southern Pacific added Victorian Ornamentation to the depot in order to make it appear more attractive to students and visitors to Stanford University.

The northbound platform was a later addition to this station. It is just a wide concrete walkway that parallels the tracks on one side and Alma Street on the other side. There are only a few sheltered benches on the northbound side.

Alma street is a low traffic street that parallels the tracks on their eastern side. Diagonal parking was available for limited time parking. A longer term parking lot was available on the other side of the tracks.

Oak Grove Avenue crosses the tracks on their northern side of the station. Large gates lower to stop traffic from crossing the tracks when a train is present, and smaller gates lower to prevent pedestrians from crossing when a train is present.

The northbound platform can be seen from the southbound side. One should note the mature shade trees lining the northbound side.

A parking lot on the southbound side of the station provided all day parking for a fee. There was also a small white zone for passenger drop offs. A machine inside the station was available to self-pay for parking.

Old wooden seats had been refurbished and established the feeling of the old station. The station is fully automated with no station agent or other personnel present.

There were two doorways open. One was bordered by racks for newspapers and free publications. In the background was an old style 10-ride validation machine.

The original station was on the southbound side of the tracks. It has been registered as California State Historic Landmark #955

The clock tower appeared to be a later addition to the station. It's four faces told identical time, but their time differed from the time display on electronic arrival times signs.

A low, but long building at the southern end of the southbound side provided lots of protected parking for bicycles.

A tree appeared to have been cut down at the back of the parking lot. Up close, that stump turned out to be art. A sign on it read:

J.B. Blunk U.S.A. 1926
Station Hill Redwood 1987
Commissioned by the
California Arts Council Art
In Public Buildings Program

Ravenswood Avenue was the main road on the southern end of the station eastward out of town. Just as on the northern end, mechanical gates stopped both cars and pedestrians from crossing when a train was present.

The view from the southern end of the station along Ravenswood Avenue, looking north from between the two sets of tracks. The southbound line and station were on the left and the northbound line and platform were on the right. Electronic arrival signs were visible on both sides. In the foreground was a pedestrian-only crossing from one platform to another.