By 1894, Ilwaco stood at the center of canning, lumbering, cranberry, and railroad interests that were estimated to put about $600,000 into circulation there each year. The scene recalls the period when the railroad ruled local commerce on the Long Beach Peninsula. The Nahcotta, an 1889 Pullman-built narrow gauge passenger coach, was built for practical use and later recognized on the Washington Heritage Register of Historic Places for its direct connection to the peninsula's growth and development and for embodying the distinctive characteristics of its type and period of construction. Built in the Eastlake style as the railroad's street car, it carried thousands of people during the four decades that the IR&N train operated there. The Nahcotta and the nearby depot reflect the diverse form and function of the Clamshell Railroad. The freight depot stored products and cargo transported on the line, helping agricultural produce such as cranberries and aquaculture products like oysters reach markets in Portland and other large cities, while also providing secure shipment for travelers' belongings. The depot was later moved just over a block from its original location along the tracks at the intersection of Spruce Street and 1st Avenue.