At 1:30 PM on the afternoon of January 19, 1887, "Old Number Two" arrived in town greeted by dozens of Santa Paulans, many in fringe-top buggies at the spot where the new railroad depot was soon to be constructed. That depot still stands in Santa Paula today. The occasion was officially marked with a telegram sent from Santa Paula to the offices of the Ventura County Star-Free Press reporting "The railroad and train have just reached town and everybody smiling and happy." By late February, Henderson writes further, passenger and freight trains were arriving daily and the new depot opened in early May. Passengers were charged 10 cents per mile and the trip between Newhall and Ventura took just two hours (where by stagecoach it had taken all day).Rail service in Santa Paula was a critical component in the development of the citrus industry here and throughout Ventura County. Orange and lemons were farmed in great numbers here in part because of the efficient rail system to ship the citrus to markets around the country.The development of the agricultural industry in Ventura County became a backbone of the area's development long before US 101 became the magnet for residential, commercial and retail development years later.The arrival of train service and the connections it brought to the larger world are even more remarkable today given the interconnections we all take for granted with cell phones, the Internet and satellite television. Santa Paula's world was opened 120 years ago by the arrival of train service. Santa Paulans have fought mightily to keep the small town character enjoyed then, alive today in our community. These efforts have succeeded in keeping Santa Paula the jewel of Ventura County. But the town we enjoy today really can trace its character and roots back to a January day in 1887 when the train came to town.