Elephant Packing House

The Elephant Packing House is a large industrial structure built with concrete and brick featuring Spanish Colonial Revival design elements like red tile roofing and curved parapets. The building includes two sawtooth skylights that were designed to bring natural light into the processing areas where fruit was packed and prepared.

The structure was built in 1924 by the Union Pacific Railroad to process Valencia oranges from the Elephant Orchards. It later transitioned to handling fruit for the Old Mission Brand and served as a key facility in the region's citrus operations.

The name comes from Elephant Orchards in Redlands, a prominent fruit grove that gave the place its identity. The structure shows how deeply citrus farming shaped the character and economy of Southern California's communities.

The facility stands on West Truslow Avenue near the former railroad corridor in Fullerton. Check local guidelines before visiting, as historic sites like this may have limited public access or require prior arrangement.

The building retains its original wood floors and decorative mission tile trim that reflect the craftsmanship of 1920s construction methods. These details remain rare in surviving factory buildings and offer insight into the quality workmanship applied to an industrial facility from that era.

Location: California

Architectural style: Spanish Colonial Revival architecture

GPS coordinates: 33.86750,-117.92556

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:41