A Time Line in Pictures
From This
1919'
To This
I've been wanting to throw together what I have found on this Frisco Branch. "Frisco Branch"? A lot will be answered below.
1936 Arthur Sub-Divsion
Below is the1944 Frisco Central ETT
Clicking gives you the larger version, then download it and follow along.
This is a collection of information and pictures I've accumulated over the last few years in order to take an educated pilgrimage to the route.
These are clippings. The source information (link) from which they originated is long gone. Wiki supplied a lot.
So, what was "The Frisco"?
New York financier Jay Gould acquired the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway (The Frisco) for $2 million in 1881. In 1882, Gould purchased the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railway, adding it to the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway to form the largest railroad in Arkansas at the time. Gould’s ownership of the railroad was through the Missouri Pacific, which he had purchased in 1879. Missouri Pacific owned a controlling share of the stock in the Iron Mountain system by 1881 through an exchange of stock, and in another fifteen years, after Gould’s death in 1892, it would retain sole ownership, although the two railroads did not come under the same company name until 1917.
ST. LOUIS & SAN FRANCISCO RAILWAY.
By an act of Congress, passed and approved in 1885, the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway Company acquired the right to construct its road between Ft. Smith and the Red River, north of Paris, Texas, through the Choctaw Nation. By this act it acquired its right of way and station grounds, paying the Choctaw Nation for them. The road from Ft. Smith, Arkansas, to Paris, Texas, was constructed in 1886 and 1887. The operation of traffic trains between its termini was inaugurated on July 1, 1887, about 169 miles, of which 144 were in Oklahoma.
More from Wiki ...
During the 1880s the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, more popularly known as the “Frisco”, built a line from north to south through the Choctaw Nation, connecting Fort Smith, Arkansas with Paris, Texas. The railroad paralleled the Kiamichi River throughout much of its route in present-day Pushmataha County, Oklahoma. Train stations were established every few miles to aid in opening up the land and, more particularly, to serve as the locations of section houses. Supervisors for their respective miles of track lived in the section houses to administer the track and its right-of-way. These stations also served as points at which the trains could draw water.
By 1927, the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company (Frisco) operated just over 700 miles of track in Arkansas, with an assessed value of almost $12 million. The Missouri Pacific operated 1,810 miles of track in Arkansas by that year, representing more than thirty-five percent of the state’s total mileage, with an assessed value of almost $39 million.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Arkansas gave birth to most of the Oklahoma railroads.
Since the "Indian Nation" was mentioned, here is some history I gathered. Many of the depots were places with Indian names.
Indian History
From that, I'd guess that there was a little animosity between the races. Pray Tell.
Below is traveling north from the Texas / Oklahoma line. This write concentrates on the Wister to Hugo stations.
At this point, the railroad left Oklahoma and entered Arkansas.
Repetitious entries for each location:
During the 1880s the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, more popularly known as the “Frisco”, built a line from north to south through the Choctaw Nation, connecting Fort Smith, Arkansas with Paris, Texas. The railroad paralleled the Kiamichi River throughout much of its route in present-day Pushmataha County, Oklahoma. Train stations were established every few miles to aid in opening up the land and, more particularly, to serve as the locations of section houses. Supervisors for their respective miles of track lived in the section houses to administer the track and its right-of-way. These stations also served as points at which the trains could draw water.
During the 1880s the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, more popularly known as the “Frisco”, built a line from north to south through the Choctaw Nation, connecting Fort Smith, Arkansas with Paris, Texas. The railroad paralleled the Kiamichi River throughout much of its route in present-day Pushmataha County, Oklahoma.
Train stations were established every few miles to aid in opening up the land and, more particularly, to serve as the locations of section houses. Supervisors for their respective miles of track lived in the section houses to administer the track and its right-of-way. These stations also served as points at which the trains could draw water.
Wister
Caston
Folsom
LeFlore
History
Le Flore had its start about 1887 with the building of the Frisco railroad through that territory.[4] According to the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, the town name honors the Le Flore family, who were prominent in this area.[5]Le Flore is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 190 at the 2010 census, an increase of 13.1 percent from 168 at the 2000 census.[3]
by
Gordon S. Harmon
On the 85th Wedding Anniversary of Arthur Samuel Harmon and Mary Cecilia Cenotto (September 6, 1998) and also the 32 Anniversary of the death of Arthur Samuel Harmon and the 98th birthday of Lucy Cenotto Wade.
The laughter of children could still be heard as you walked around the old Family Home Place site in Leflore, OK. You could easily imagine what it must have been like in the home of Arthur Samuel Harmon and Mary Cecilia Cenotto Harmon during the period of 1914-1933. Today all that can be found in physical evidence at the old Home Place site is the Harmon Family Well.
A tour of this town in far eastern Leflore County, Oklahoma discovered the site of the Harmon Cotton Gin. On that site today is the old Leflore Depot. It has been moved from its original location near the San Francisco System railroad tracks approximately 70 yards west and turned 180 degrees and today (evidence is shown elsewhere in the Harmon Family History) of Arthur and Mary Harmon spending time in the Depot with their friends playing cards) is used as a barn. No evidence could be seen of the Harmon Cotton Gin. However, this author was told that parts of the old cotton gin were moved to another site in Leflore across from Dr. Booth’s office (still standing). A building was discovered, but not confirmed that it was indeed part of the Harmon Cotton Gin. On inspection, the apparent age of the building and its construction appeared that it could have very possibly been part of the gin. This author was told that a building from the Harmon Gin had been moved to this site and was later "burned down" because it had many bee hives.
A visit to the Leflore Cemetery located the burial site of Louis Layfayette Harmon (1920-1922), the brother of Eugene, Euna, Frances, James and Kenneth Harmon. The stone is not secured to the base as it is just sitting there. Efforts need to be made to secure the monument.(Update.....Recently, at the courtesy of the Evans Miller Funeral Home, Poteau, OK, this monumnet has been secured. A special thank you goes to Jim Cook of Evans Miller Funeral Home from all of the Harmons.)
Martha Kennedy Walden was contacted. She is the Postmistress of Leflore. She indicated that she knew Euna Harmon Tesney quite well and knew Euna’s brothers and sisters and had known Arthur and Mary Harmon. She mentioned that Mary Harmon had come to visit in Leflore when she was in her early 90s. She has a collection of old photos of Lefore and promised to look through them and if she found anything of interest to this author, she would let him know.
Dr. Booth’s office was located in "downtown" Leflore. Today it is in excellent condition as it has been restored and used for various businesses including a small cafe. Today, it is a political campaign office. Dr. Booth was the attending physician for the birth of all of the children of Arthur and Mary Harmon. As far as it is known, all the children were born at home. Dr. Booth’s home place site was also seen. The only thing remaining on that site is a storm shelter.
The Leflore pictorial history shown elsewhere in this family history will provide some additional "gleanings" of life in Leflore during this chapter of our Family History.
A visit to Leflore would not be complete without going to "Goats Bluff" near Summerfield, OK. It was here that many Harmon Family outings were held with family and friends. "Goats Bluff" had to be the BEST swimmin’" in those parts during its day. Lafaye Cristenberry Qualls of Poteau, OK and mother of Pauline Drake, a classmate of this author, had told the author of her times at "Goats Bluff" with her friend Doris Nell Cenotto. Dorris Nell is the daughter of Alex "Burley" Cenotto and niece of Mary Cenotto Harmon. Euna Harmon Tesney of Oklahoma City, OK fondly remembers the days at "Goats Bluff" and has recently said that they were the best days of her childhood. She said that the family would go on Saturday and just camp out. She remembers a Mrs. Kilpatrick - 'a very good swimmer who could float on her back in the water forever' - who taught her how to swim one time at "Goats Bluff." Mrs. Kilpatrick also taught her 3 daughters, one of them named Virginia, to swim at the same time. (Note: Another daughter Eloise is the mother to Jerry Kemp, another classmate of this author.) The swimmin’ hole at "Goats Bluff" has a natural smooth rock floor and a dam that obviously provided a pool that must have appeared to be deeper that deep for all of the Harmon children for a great time during these wonderful Harmon outings. Yes, you could still hear the laughter of children at "Goats Bluff" and its echo effect throughout the valley. Today, the author was told, the local children still consider "Goats Bluff" as the BEST swimmin’ in Leflore County, Oklahoma.
As the beautiful Oklahoma sunset was approaching, the author left with a sense that he had shared a special moment in the history of our Harmon Heritage. And, as that sun was setting on Leflore, Oklahoma, it was realized again that a chapter had long been completed on the life of Arthur Samuel Harmon and Mary Cecilia Cenotto Harmon and their children.....Eugene, Euna, Frances, Louis, James and Kenneth. Within the hour, a full moon appeared over this place of our Harmon Heritage and the realization continued to set in that the legacy of our Harmons has been born with new life of the fourth generation (great-great grandchildren of Arthur and Mary Harmon) and they too can proudly say this is family and Leflore, Oklahoma is home. AUTHORS NOTES: Additional Gleanings of Leflore, OK
Clint Purtell, a retired minister, writes on September 26, 1996....."I lived in Leflore from 1930 to 1943 and 6 months in 1946. Yes, I know the Arthur Harmon Family. Their Home Place was the next house west from our home place on the same street. Also, Frances Harmon West is a very faithful and valuable member of the Asbury Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. I regard her as a dear friend. James Arthur was near my age (I was born in '24). Frances completed her public school in Heavener, OK. I did not know her until we moved to Oklahoma City. I also know Algert Tesney to whom Euna was married.
We moved to Bengal in 1929 and to Leflore in 1930. My father came there as the depot agent for the Frisco Railroad. As the cotton gin was just across the railroad tracks southwest, we saw a lot of Mr. Arthur Harmon. Also, we briefly lived in a house owned by the Greens which was south of the cotton gin about one and a half blocks."
In Henry L. Peck's The Proud Heritage of Leflore County, A History of an Oklahoma County, he writes of Arthur Harmon....."L.C. Wells, a long resident of Shady Point, OK named the following as "old timers".....Mack, Will, and John Wright; the Harmons, Delmer, Arthur, and Charley." Mr. Peck further mentions Burley Cenotto (a brother of Mary Cenotto Harmon). He states....."the gin at Leflore was operated for a long time by A.S. Harmon who with his wife, Mary, now live at Wetumka." Hoffman Printing Company, Muskogee, OK 1963.
In excerpts and anecdotes from R.K. Rogers' Autobiography, 1895 to 1975.....he writes....."I was 17 and Bessie Howard 14 when we decided to get married. I had just gotten a job as agent for the Frisco Railway at Leflore, OK. We lived in the waiting room of the depot. People there were mostly Choctaw Indians and many of them could not speak English. Everyone was good to us as we were both still children. Leflore was near the river and was in a low area. They had no hog laws and it was an unhealthy place to live. So, malaria forced us back to Lincoln after about a year". Southwest Times Record, Ft. Smith, AR (undated)
Mary Cenotto Harmon writes of R.K. Rogers and Bess....."My husband and I knew them quite well at Leflore. We had a cotton gin there or rather a 3rd interest in it. W.W. Carekker of Shady Point, OK owned it. Bess could not leave the depot as messages were coming in over the wires. We could go down to the depot and play cards with Kay and Bess. Many times he would have to leave our card playing so he could read the messages that were coming through and also to send messages. We spent many hours with them. They were a few years younger than we were, but we had lots of happy days with them. They were just wonderful people." Mary Cenotto Harmon in a handwritten note attached to the article from the Southwest Times Record, Ft. Smith, AR (undated)
During a Harmon Family Reunion that was held in Leflore, OK at the City Park Pavillion next to old Harmon Family Homeplace Site, James Arthur Harmon offered to take anyone interested on a tour of "downtown" Leflore. There were several who took him up on this offer including this author. As we toured "downtown" Leflore and the adjacent area, James told many stories of his early growing up days in Leflore. Many fond memories were shared. We got a tour of the old cotton gin site, Dr. Booths office, and main street. There was even a story about him "stealing" candy from the general store one day and of course his mom, Mary Cenotto Harmon knew about it by the time that he got home from that adventure. And the rest of that story was history. You could clearly see as we toured the sleepy town of Leflore on that Sunday afternoon, that James Arthur Harmon shared alot of pride in that Leflore was home. We especially thank our Uncle James for taking the time to share that special moment in our Family History.
Bengal
BENGAL
Running a country store is a great life, especially to someone who's been away from the community for 27 years.
So says Robert Green, who grew up in this southeastern Oklahoma place, left it for city life and returned a few years back after retiring from a box-manufacturing firm in Dallas. Today he and his wife, Christine, operate the only store here.
"When I was a young fella and left, the first few years you couldn't give me this place," said Green, 56. "When you're a young man from out here in the country and go to a place like Dallas, with topless nightclubs and all that kind of stuff, you don't want to leave it.
"But time takes care of that."
Now, he said, relaxing in his stocking feet and leaning back in his chair behind the counter, "We have a lake out here so whenever I want to take off and go fishin' it's the wife's job to take over." Behind him were a television set, an old hornet's nest, a strip of flypaper and a notice about credit.
Out front of the small building, made of railroad ties, is a loafers' bench and an "Open" sign. The name of the store is "Crosstie Corner," but that sign blew away. Inside are groceries, tobacco, caps and T-shirts, fishing lures, jewelry, brooms, ax handles, a chain saw, motor oil, a few used saddles, boots and a vacuum cleaner. "You can't keep everything somebody will holler for," Green said, indicating he tries to anyway. "I sell lots and lots of beer and pop." He mentioned petroleum exploration crews. "After 5 these seismographers come in from out there in all that heat and dust I had to call the Budweiser man again just the other day."
"I make a livin'," he said, pulling on his cowboy boots to go wait on a gasoline customer, "and that's all you make in a big city, really."
Bengal, in eastern Latimer County on State Highway 82, is a community of about 100 people at the edge of the Ouachita Mountains.
It's in an area of logging and beef cattle as well as gas production.
Its post office was established in January 1890 in the Choctaw Nation of Indian Territory, and it once was a busier trade center along the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad. It is believed to have been named for the state in eastern India.
Compton
Talihina
County Le Flore
Area
- Total 0.8 sq mi (2.2 km2)
Elevation 682 ft (208 m)
Website http://www.talihinacc.com
Talihina (pronounced "tah-luh-HEE-nuh") is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States, its name originating from two Choctaw words, tully and hena, meaning iron road. Iron road is reference to the railroad that the town was built around. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,211 at the 2000 census.
Albion
A United States Post Office opened at Albion, Indian Territory on December 6, 1887 and is still in operation.
In its early days Albion—named by John T. Bailey, an Englishman, using the Roman name for England—was a sawmill town in the Indian Territory. Later it became a trading center in an agricultural region in which cotton and other crops were grown.
The site of Albion was selected because of its proximity to the Kiamichi River, with its abundant water supply. Adjacent station stops were established at Talihina, Oklahoma to the north, and Kiamichi, Oklahoma to the south.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Wade County, Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land.
Few roads or trails existed. Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s
. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed. The loss of passenger rail fortunately coincided with the construction of U.S. Highway 271.
Albion has more in common economically with Talihina, Oklahoma, the town to its north. Planners of the proposed State of Sequoyah, who in 1905 proposed a state to be formed from the Indian Territory, realized this, and called for Albion to be the southernmost town in a county which was also to include Talihina and towns to its north. Instead, Sequoyah was not admitted to the Union by Congress, and in the State of Oklahoma which followed it Albion became the northeastern-most town of a county whose geographic and population centers are far to Albion’s southwest.
Albion prospered during its first few decades. Most business was centered around a town square, with residential neighborhoods ringing it. During recent decades, however, it has diminished greatly. United States Census returns show it dropping from a high of 300 residents in 1920 to just 88 in 1990. [4]
Albion became home to an internationally known poet and author when Mato Kosyk, or Kossick, moved to the town in 1912. Locating there because its climate was considered healthy and its views of the Kiamichi Mountains were scenic, Kosyk lived for the next 28 years there, until his death in 1940. Kosyk, a Lutheran minister, immigrated to the United States from Werben, Lower Lusatia, Germany in 1883. He is considered one of the most significant writers in Sorbian, a Slavic language, and his 150th birthday was celebrated by his followers in Europe in 2003. Unfortunately Kosyk may not have fared well during his years in Albion; according to accounts he was swindled and defrauded by unscrupulous residents. [5]
Albion, Oklahoma
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Albion, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Coordinates: 34°39′43″N 95°5′58″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Pushmataha |
| Area | |
| - Total | 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2) |
| - Land | 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 673 ft (205 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 143 |
| - Density | 593.0/sq mi (229.0/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 74521 |
| Area code(s) | 918 |
| FIPS code | 40-01050[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1089573[2] |
Contents[hide] |
[edit] History
A United States Post Office opened at Albion, Indian Territory on December 6, 1887 and is still in operation.In its early days Albion—named by John T. Bailey, an Englishman, using the Roman name for England—was a sawmill town in the Indian Territory. Later it became a trading center in an agricultural region in which cotton and other crops were grown. [3]
During the 1880s the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, more popularly known as the “Frisco”, built a line from north to south through the Choctaw Nation, connecting Fort Smith, Arkansas with Paris, Texas. The railroad paralleled the Kiamichi River throughout much of its route in present-day Pushmataha County, Oklahoma. Train stations were established every few miles to aid in opening up the land and, more particularly, to serve as the locations of section houses. Supervisors for their respective miles of track lived in the section houses to administer the track and its right-of-way. These stations also served as points at which the trains could draw water.
The site of Albion was selected because of its proximity to the Kiamichi River, with its abundant water supply. Adjacent station stops were established at Talihina, Oklahoma to the north, and Kiamichi, Oklahoma to the south.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Wade County, Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land.
Few roads or trails existed. Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed. The loss of passenger rail fortunately coincided with the construction of U.S. Highway 271.
Albion has more in common economically with Talihina, Oklahoma, the town to its north. Planners of the proposed State of Sequoyah, who in 1905 proposed a state to be formed from the Indian Territory, realized this, and called for Albion to be the southernmost town in a county which was also to include Talihina and towns to its north. Instead, Sequoyah was not admitted to the Union by Congress, and in the State of Oklahoma which followed it Albion became the northeastern-most town of a county whose geographic and population centers are far to Albion’s southwest.
Albion prospered during its first few decades. Most business was centered around a town square, with residential neighborhoods ringing it. During recent decades, however, it has diminished greatly. United States Census returns show it dropping from a high of 300 residents in 1920 to just 88 in 1990. [4]
Albion became home to an internationally known poet and author when Mato Kosyk, or Kossick, moved to the town in 1912. Locating there because its climate was considered healthy and its views of the Kiamichi Mountains were scenic, Kosyk lived for the next 28 years there, until his death in 1940. Kosyk, a Lutheran minister, immigrated to the United States from Werben, Lower Lusatia, Germany in 1883. He is considered one of the most significant writers in Sorbian, a Slavic language, and his 150th birthday was celebrated by his followers in Europe in 2003. Unfortunately Kosyk may not have fared well during his years in Albion; according to accounts he was swindled and defrauded by unscrupulous residents. [5]
[edit] Geography
Albion is located at 34°39′43″N 95°5′58″W (34.662065, -95.099440)[6]. Using the statewide grid commonly in use in Oklahoma its coordinates are T2-2N-R21E. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²), all of it land.[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 143 people, 53 households, and 34 families residing in the town. The population density was 593.0 people per square mile (230.1/km²). There were 63 housing units at an average density of 261.3/sq mi (101.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 83.92% White, 12.59% Native American, and 3.50% from two or more races.There were 53 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.56.
In the town the population was spread out with 36.4% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 70.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $14,464, and the median income for a family was $17,750. Males had a median income of $33,438 versus $13,125 for females. The per capita income for the town was $6,800. There were 20.0% of families and 33.6% of the population living below the poverty line, including 43.2% of under eighteens and 8.7% of those over 64.
TALIHINA.
Located in Le Flore County,
Talihina is approximately thirty-nine miles southwest of Poteau on U.S.
Highway 271. The town lies at the junction of 271 with State Highways 1,
63, and 82. Situated in scenic Kiamichi Valley between the Kiamichi and
Winding Stair mountains, Talihina existed as a loosely organized
frontier community as early as 1884 when a town building was
constructed. The town received its name when the St. Louis and San
Francisco Railway (Frisco) laid tracks through the Choctaw Nation in
1886–87. The word "Talihina" is a contraction of two Choctaw words
meaning "iron road."
The railroad opened the area to eastern markets. Cattle, timber, and cotton provided the economic basis for expansion, and Talihina began to grow. The town claimed a population of 400 when it was incorporated in 1905, two years before Oklahoma statehood. By 1910 the 491 residents enjoyed telephone and electric service. By 1918 the town and surrounding area supported two banks, three churches, and seven general stores, and two sawmills operated. In the period between 1915 and 1921 two major hospitals, the Choctaw-Chickasaw Tuberculosis Sanatorium and the Eastern Oklahoma State Tuberculosis Sanatorium, were built against the foothills of Buffalo Mountain just northwest of Talihina. The location was chosen for its healthful climate and for the beautiful view of surrounding mountains.
Because the Kiamichi Valley provides a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities, outdoor sports and tourism have long been important to the economy. Forests of mixed pines, cedar, and hardwood, abundant wildlife, and many rivers and streams make the valley an attraction for outdoor enthusiasts. Beginning in the late 1920s six lakes were constructed throughout the valley, expanding the area available for fishing, horseback riding, boating, hiking, and camping. Seven miles northeast of town is Talimena State Park and Old Military Road historic site (National Register of Historic Places, NR 76002155), which is the western terminus of Talimena Drive, or Scenic Byway, a stretch of highway to Mena, Arkansas, enjoyed by nature-lovers for its fall foliage.
The 1920 population stood at 690, and it increased during the next decades to 1,057 in 1940 and 1,048 in 1960. The Talihina Signal, the Talihina News, the Talihina Tribune, and the Talihina American were among the newspapers that served the town, with the American continuing into the twenty-first century. Increasing tourist activity spurred Talihina's growth, and its population in 1970 was 1,223 and in 1990, 1,297. With the completion of Choctaw Nation Health Center in 1999, Talihina's economic stability further improved. In 2000 the census recorded a population of 1,211. The 2010 population was 1,114.
Michael S. CoxThe railroad opened the area to eastern markets. Cattle, timber, and cotton provided the economic basis for expansion, and Talihina began to grow. The town claimed a population of 400 when it was incorporated in 1905, two years before Oklahoma statehood. By 1910 the 491 residents enjoyed telephone and electric service. By 1918 the town and surrounding area supported two banks, three churches, and seven general stores, and two sawmills operated. In the period between 1915 and 1921 two major hospitals, the Choctaw-Chickasaw Tuberculosis Sanatorium and the Eastern Oklahoma State Tuberculosis Sanatorium, were built against the foothills of Buffalo Mountain just northwest of Talihina. The location was chosen for its healthful climate and for the beautiful view of surrounding mountains.
Because the Kiamichi Valley provides a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities, outdoor sports and tourism have long been important to the economy. Forests of mixed pines, cedar, and hardwood, abundant wildlife, and many rivers and streams make the valley an attraction for outdoor enthusiasts. Beginning in the late 1920s six lakes were constructed throughout the valley, expanding the area available for fishing, horseback riding, boating, hiking, and camping. Seven miles northeast of town is Talimena State Park and Old Military Road historic site (National Register of Historic Places, NR 76002155), which is the western terminus of Talimena Drive, or Scenic Byway, a stretch of highway to Mena, Arkansas, enjoyed by nature-lovers for its fall foliage.
The 1920 population stood at 690, and it increased during the next decades to 1,057 in 1940 and 1,048 in 1960. The Talihina Signal, the Talihina News, the Talihina Tribune, and the Talihina American were among the newspapers that served the town, with the American continuing into the twenty-first century. Increasing tourist activity spurred Talihina's growth, and its population in 1970 was 1,223 and in 1990, 1,297. With the completion of Choctaw Nation Health Center in 1999, Talihina's economic stability further improved. In 2000 the census recorded a population of 1,211. The 2010 population was 1,114.
See also: SETTLEMENT PATTERNS
Bibliography
Henry L. Peck, The Proud Heritage of LeFlore County: A History of an Oklahoma County (Van Buren, Ark.: Press Argus, 1963).
Talihina (Oklahoma) American, Centennial Issue, 25 September 1986.
Talihina (Oklahoman) American, 17 February and 3 March 1983.
Citation
The following (as per The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition) is the preferred citation for articles:Michael S. Cox, "Talihina," The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, www.okhistory.org (accessed November 04, 2017).
© Copyright Oklahoma Historical Society 2009.
Links of Interest
- Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority
- Kerr Arboretum and Botanical Area
- Talimena Scenic Drive
Talihina, Oklahoma
| Talihina, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
historic downtown Talihina
|
|
Location of Talihina, Oklahoma |
|
| Coordinates: 34°45′6″N 95°2′28″WCoordinates: 34°45′6″N 95°2′28″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Le Flore |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.8 sq mi (2.2 km2) |
| • Land | 0.8 sq mi (2.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 682 ft (208 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,114 |
| • Density | 1,392.5/sq mi (506.4/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| FIPS code | 40-72250[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1098731[2] |
| Website | http://www.talihinacc.com |
Contents
History
Talihina received its name in 1886–1887 when the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway (Frisco) built a line through the Choctaw Nation in Indian Territory. The railroad opened the surrounding area to ship cattle, timber, and cotton to Eastern markets and facilitated growth of the town. When Talihina incorporated in 1905, the town claimed a population of 400. Two major hospitals, the Choctaw-Chickasaw Tuberculosis Sanatorium and the Eastern Oklahoma State Tuberculosis Sanatorium, were built here between 1915 and 1921. By 1920, the population had grown to 690.[3]Tourism and recreation have been a major economic stimulus since the 1920s. Six lakes have been built in the Kiamichi Valley, attracting sportsmen and campers. Talimena State Park and Old Military Road historic site (National Register of Historic Places, NR 76002155) are 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Talihina. This is the western end of Talimena Scenic Drive, which runs to Mena, Arkansas and attracts many people to view the fall foliage.[3]
The Choctaw Nation Health Center was constructed in Talihina in 1999.[3]
Geography
Talihina is located at34°45′6″N 95°2′28″W (34.751602, −95.041207).[5] It is in the Kiamichi Valley between the Kiamichi and Winding Stair Mountains, about 39 miles (63 km) southwest of Poteau, the Le Flore County seat.[3]According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2), all of it land.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 491 | — | |
| 1920 | 690 | 40.5% | |
| 1930 | 1,032 | 49.6% | |
| 1940 | 1,057 | 2.4% | |
| 1950 | 965 | −8.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,048 | 8.6% | |
| 1970 | 1,223 | 16.7% | |
| 1980 | 1,387 | 13.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,297 | −6.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,270 | −2.1% | |
| 2010 | 1,114 | −12.3% | |
| Est. 2015 | 1,097 | [6] | −1.5% |
There were 463 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the town, the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,875, and the median income for a family was $25,761. Males had a median income of $19,688 versus $17,216 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,405. About 23.7% of families and 29.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.7% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.
Points of interest
Kiamichi
Kiamichi, Oklahoma
A United States Post Office was established at Kiamichi, Indian Territory on September 27, 1887 and operated until September 14, 1962. The community and post office took their name from the nearby Kiamichi River.[1]
Prior to Oklahoma's statehood Kiamichi was located in Wade County, Choctaw Nation.
During the 1880s, the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, more popularly known as the “Frisco”, built a line from north to south through the Choctaw Nation, connecting Fort Smith, Arkansas with Paris, Texas. The railroad paralleled the Kiamichi River throughout much of its route in present-day Pushmataha County. Train stations were established every few miles to aid in opening up the land and, more particularly, to serve as the locations of section houses. Supervisors for their respective miles of track lived in the section houses to administer the track and its right-of-way. These stations also served as points at which the trains could draw water.
The site of Kiamichi was selected because of its proximity to the Kiamichi River, with its abundant water supply. Adjacent station stops were established to the north and south.
The sparsely populated area, at that time known as Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land.
Few roads or trails existed. Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed. The loss of passenger rail fortunately coincided with the paving of U.S. Highway 271.
Pushmataha County, during its early decades, was home to prosperous cotton farming industry and other agricultural pursuits. Cotton farming had taken place around Kiamichi since territorial times, and a sizable African-American population came to live there. In later decades, with the eclipse of cotton and other agriculture to cattle ranching, the African-American population departed for elsewhere, generally to the south, in search of greater social and economic opportunities.
Tuskahoma
Tuskahoma is a community in northern Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, four miles east of Clayton,
A United States Post Office was established at Tushka Homma, Indian Territory on February 27, 1884. On October 28, 1891 the spelling changed to Tushkahomma. On December 6, 1910 the official spelling changed to its present rendering, Tuskahoma. The community has also been served by post office locations at nearby Council House, Oklahoma (1872-1880) and Lyceum, Oklahoma (1896-1900). Council House was located at the Choctaw Capitol Building and Lyceum was located at the former Choctaw Female Academy.[1]
Tuskahoma is a compound word meaning “red warrior” in the Choctaw language.[2]
Tuskahoma was designated as capital of the Choctaw Nation in 1882 when an Act of the Choctaw Nation dated October 20, 1882 established the community as the permanent seat of government. The Nation’s first capital after the Trail of Tears was at Nanih Waiyah, two miles east of Tuskahoma. Afterward, during a time of constitutional experimentation, it had changed back and forth from Nanih Waiyah to Doaksville, Skullyville, Fort Towson and Boggy Depot. Its wartime capital during the American Civil War was Armstrong Academy, also known as Chahta Tamaha.[3]
Following from the Choctaw Nation’s decision to seat its government permanently at Tuskahoma was its decision to build a building appropriate to the task. A spacious building was completed in the fall of 1884. It was two stories, brick, with a garret under its French mansard roof. Many called it the finest building in the Indian Territory. It included large rooms for the Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court. Also included was an Executive Office for the Principal Chief, or Governor, of the Choctaw Nation, five smaller rooms for the national officers, and five committee rooms. It was heated by numerous fireplaces. Debo, pp. 158-159.
Almost immediately a bustling town sprang up by the Capitol building. Several hotels, boarding houses, barber shops, stores, blacksmith shop, photographer’s tent, and homes were built. But when the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway built its tracks through the Kiamichi River valley in the mid-1880s they were placed two miles to the south of the Capitol. Business flocked to the vicinity of the new Tuskahoma railroad station and the Capitol precinct was abandoned, except during sessions of the government.[4]
One twist of history altered Tuskahoma’s prominence. The Choctaw Natioon constitution directed the constitutional officers, such as Principal Chief, National Secretary, National Treasurer, National Auditor and National Attorney to reside “at or near the seat of government”, but this provision was never enforced. During the National Council’s first session in its new Capitol the principal chief of the day, J.F. McCurtain, proposed building five homes on the site to accommodate the national officers but this was never done.[4]
In addition to serving as a government center, Tuskahoma was also intended to be a cultural center of some significance by providing a home for the Choctaw Nation’s national girls school. Tuskahoma Female Academy opened in 1892 at nearby Lyceum, Oklahoma with Peter J. Hudson serving as superintendent. The academy, also known as the Choctaw Female Academy, occupied a classical-style two-story colonnaded building. It burned in 1925 and was not rebuilt. From that time forward Tuskahoma’s role as a center of education ceased.[5]
Tuskahoma’s new site along the railroad prospered, and became a vibrant community and trading center. Banks, hotels, stores, churches, a school, and numerous homes lined its commercial district and residential streets. Its importance began to wane during the middle and later years of the Twentieth Century, as commerce transferred to nearby Clayton, Oklahoma or elsewhere.[6]
[edit] Geography
Local transportation was revolutionized during the 1950s by the construction of U.S. Highway 271, which provided paved all-weather highway connections to Clayton and the county seat at Antlers, Oklahoma to the east and south, and Talihina, Wilburton and Poteau to the northeast.
The Kiamichi River, important as a source of water, is not navigable at Tuskahoma and has never played a role in local transportation. It did, however, cause the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway to place its station at Tuskahoma’s present location, due to the trains’ need for a reliable water supply, rather than its original location at the Capitol.
The Kiamichi Mountains define life in the Tuskahoma region, which is one of Oklahoma’s most scenic. The Kiamichi River valley stretches to the east and west of the community. To the north lie the unusually serrated Potato Hills, with peaks topping out at approximately 1,000 feet in elevation. To the south is a scenic but imposing mountain wilderness, with summits topping off at approximately 1,600 feet in elevation. Here roads do not penetrate and all transportation is via unimproved—but marked and fairly well maintained—timber company roads, including Clayton Trail, Hurd Creek Trail, K Trail, Cripple Mountain Trail and Black Fork Trail.
Unusual and striking geological features abound in the Tuskahoma region. Its valley—one of the prettiest in Oklahoma—is of special note. The Potato Hills, a group of tall outcroppings eroded from prehistoric mountains, are a regional landmark. To the north of Tuskahoma lies McKinley Rocks, a series of massive white boulders seemingly strewn across the top of a mountain. Access is difficult, causing a Works Progress Administration survey crew to recommend during the 1930s that the site, while abounding in scenic beauty, should not become a state park due to lack of roads. The rocks, which afford views for miles in any direction, were first noted by a Choctaw survey party during the late 1890s. They are named in honor of the 26th President of the United States, William McKinley.[7]
[edit] Choctaw Nation Labor Day Festival
The historic Choctaw Capitol Building, erected in 1884.
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma holds its annual Labor Day Festival in Tuskahoma on the grounds of the Capitol building. Attendance ranges from 50,000 - 100,000 over the course of the festival, people coming from all corners of the United States. The festival features various events from country and gospel music concerts to softball games, and pow-wows, arts and crafts, basketball games, strength contests, a carnival, animal shows, horseshoe games, bison tours, volleyball games, a swimming pool, tent and RV grounds, a 5K run, playgrounds, a museum, and numerous other events.
[edit] References
History
A United States Post Office was established at Tushka Homma, Indian Territory on February 27, 1885. On October 28, 1891, the spelling changed to Tushkahomma. On December 6, 1910 the official spelling changed to its present rendering, Tuskahoma. The community has also been served by post office locations at nearby Council House, Oklahoma (1872–1880) and Lyceum, Oklahoma (1896–1900). Council House was located at the Choctaw Capitol Building and Lyceum was located at the former Choctaw Female Academy.[2]
Tuskahoma is a compound word meaning “red warrior” in the Choctaw language.[3]
Tuskahoma was designated as (political) capital of the Choctaw Nation in 1882 when an Act of the Choctaw Nation dated October 20, 1882, established the community as the permanent seat of government. The Nation’s first capital after the Trail of Tears was at Nanih [Nunih] Waiyah, two miles east of Tuskahoma. [It was named after "Nunih Waiyah," a sacred mound in Mississippi where the Choctaw brought the bones of their ancestors to rest and established the tribe. The mound was built by an earlier people, but it became sacred to the Choctaw as well.] Afterward, during a time of constitutional experimentation, the Choctaw shifted their capital from Nanih Waiyah to Doaksville, Skullyville, Fort Towson and Boggy Depot. The Choctaw wartime capital during the American Civil War was located at Armstrong Academy, also known as Chahta Tamaha.[4]
text
The Choctaw Capitol Museum and Judicial Department, Tuskahoma, Oklahoma in September 2009.
After the Choctaw Nation decided to make Tuskahoma the permanent capitaol, it decided to construct an appropriate building to house the government. A spacious Choctaw Capitol Building was completed in the fall of 1884. It was two stories, brick, with a garret under its French mansard roof. Many called it the finest building in the Indian Territory. It included large rooms for the Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court. Also included was an Executive Office for the Principal Chief, or Governor, of the Choctaw Nation, five smaller rooms for the national officers, and five committee rooms. It was heated by numerous fireplaces.[3]
Almost immediately a bustling town sprang up by the Capitol building. Several hotels, boarding houses, barber shops, stores, blacksmith shop, photographer’s tent, and homes were built. But when the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway built its tracks through the Kiamichi River valley in the mid-1880s, they ran two miles to the south of the Capitol. Business flocked to the vicinity of the new Tuskahoma railroad station and the Capitol precinct was abandoned, except during sessions of the government.[5]
This twist of history altered Tuskahoma’s prominence. The Choctaw Nation constitution directed the constitutional officers, such as Principal Chief, National Secretary, National Treasurer, National Auditor and National Attorney to reside “at or near the seat of government”, but this provision was never enforced. During the National Council’s first session in its new Capitol, the principal chief of the day, J.F. McCurtain, proposed building five homes on the site to accommodate the national officers, but this was never done.[5]
In addition to serving as a government center, Tuskahoma was also intended to be a cultural center and was the location of the Choctaw Nation’s national girls' school. Tuskahoma Female Academy [or Institute] opened in 1892 at nearby Lyceum with Peter J. Hudson serving as superintendent. The academy, also known as the Choctaw Female Academy, occupied a classical-style two-story colonnaded building. It burned in 1925 and was not rebuilt. [Noted Choctaw educator Anna Lewis, who had attended the school, bought the site and used materials from the ruins to build her family home, which she called Nunih Waiyah.[6]] From that time forward Tuskahoma’s role as a center of education ceased.[7]
Tuskahoma’s new site along the railroad prospered, and became a vibrant community and trading center. Banks, hotels, stores, churches, a school, and numerous homes lined its commercial district and residential streets. Its importance began to wane during the middle and later years of the 20th century, as commerce shifted to nearby Clayton, Oklahoma or elsewhere, following the construction of highways and shifting of transport off the railroads.[8]
Prior to Oklahoma's statehood, Tuskahoma and the Choctaw Capitol Building were located in Wade County, Choctaw Nation. More information on Tuskahoma may be found in the Pushmataha County Historical Society.
Geography
Local transportation was revolutionized during the 1950s by the construction of U.S. Highway 271, which provided paved all-weather highway connections to Clayton and the county seat at Antlers, Oklahoma to the east and south, and Talihina, Wilburton and Poteau to the northeast.
The Kiamichi River, important as a source of water, is not navigable at Tuskahoma and has never played a role in local transportation. It did, however, cause the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway to place its station at Tuskahoma’s present location, due to the trains’ need for a reliable water supply, rather than its original location at the Capitol.
The Kiamichi Mountains define life in the Tuskahoma region, which is one of Oklahoma’s most scenic. The Kiamichi River valley stretches to the east and west of the community. To the north lie the unusually serrated Potato Hills, with peaks topping out at approximately 1,000 feet in elevation. To the south is a scenic but imposing mountain wilderness, with summits topping off at approximately 1,600 feet in elevation. Here roads do not penetrate and all transportation is via unimproved—but marked and fairly well maintained—timber company roads, including Clayton Trail, Hurd Creek Trail, K Trail, Cripple Mountain Trail and Black Fork Trail.
Unusual and striking geological features abound in the Tuskahoma region. Its valley—one of the prettiest in Oklahoma—is of special note. The Potato Hills, a group of tall outcroppings eroded from prehistoric mountains, are a regional landmark. To the north of Tuskahoma lies McKinley Rocks, a series of massive white boulders seemingly strewn across the top of a mountain. Access is difficult, causing a Works Progress Administration survey crew to recommend during the 1930s that the site, while abounding in scenic beauty, should not become a state park due to lack of roads. The rocks, which afford views for miles in any direction, were first noted by a Choctaw survey party during the late 1890s. They are named in honor of the 26th President of the United States, William McKinley.[9]
Choctaw Nation Labor Day Festival
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma holds its annual Labor Day Festival in Tuskahoma on the grounds of the Capitol building. Attendance ranges from 50,000 - 100,000 over the course of the festival, people coming from all corners of the United States. The festival features various events from country and gospel music concerts to softball games, and pow-wows, arts and crafts, basketball games, strength contests, a carnival, animal shows, horseshoe games, bison tours, volleyball games, a swimming pool, tent and RV grounds, a 5K run, playgrounds, a museum, and numerous other events.
During recent years the Choctaw Capitol Building has been recognized as an architecturally and historically significant structure, and has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. It hosts the Choctaw Nation Labor Day Festival and provides the centerpiece for the festivities.
Clayton
Elevation 607 ft (185 m)
Clayton is a town in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 719 at the 2000 census.
Clayton was formerly known as Dexter. A United States Post Office was established at Dexter, Indian Territory on March 31, 1894. It was named for Dexter Chapman, early-day resident.
The official name of the post office name changed to Clayton, Indian Territory on April 5, 1907. Its name is thought to come from Clayton, Missouri. [3] It is also possible the town renamed itself after the popular William H.H. Clayton, judge of the U.S. Court for the Central District of Indian Territory. Judge Clayton was prominent in the role to gain Oklahoma’s statehood.
Clayton is the largest town or community in northern Pushmataha County. It is the region’s largest trading center due to its relative distance from the county seat of Antlers, Oklahoma—36 miles.
At this writing Flagpole Mountain retains a fire tower. Built of metal and several stories tall, it was once part of a network of towers, all manned, from which a fire watch was maintained. It is the only tower remaining in Pushmataha County, although it is no longer operational. Views from the tower are stunning, offering a panorama stretching for many miles in any direction.
Clayton, as regional trading center, remains economically healthy, with a locally based economy. It is currently home to a public school, several churches, and numerous businesses and homes.
Clayton, located in the picturesque Kiamichi River valley, is framed on its west by Flagpole Mountain (1,562 ft.) and to its east by unnamed mountains topping 1,600 feet in elevation. Within a few miles of Clayton is scenic McKinley Rocks, a collection of massive boulders strewn across a mountain top. South of Clayton is Clayton Lake State Park—which is surrounded by a pine tree forest—and northwest of town is Sardis Lake (Oklahoma), a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam which impounds the water of Jack’s Fork Creek. The Pushmataha Wildlife Refuge is also nearby, featuring scenic views from its mountain summit.
Stanley
Stanley is a community in northern Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, eight miles southwest of Clayton, Oklahoma.
A United States Post Office was established at Stanley, Indian Territory on August 20, 1906. It was named for William Eugene Stanley (1844-1910), Governor of Kansas, 1899-1903, and member of the Dawes Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, 1903-1904. He is buried in Highland Cemetery in Wichita, Kansas. The Dawes Commission was appointed by the U.S. Government to prepare the Choctaw Nation and its sister Five Civilized Tribes for statehood. [1]
The site of Stanley was selected because of its proximity to the Kiamichi River, with its abundant water supply. Adjacent station stops were established to the north and south.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land.
Few roads or trails existed. Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed. The loss of passenger rail fortunately coincided with the construction of Oklahoma State Highway 2.
Stanley is located in one of the most scenic places in Oklahoma. It is surrounded by the Kiamichi Mountains to its east and west, with summits to Stanley’s immediate west reaching 1,600 feet in elevation. The summits to Stanley’s east are lower. The relatively flat valley floor stretches to Stanley’s northeast and southwest. [2]
Dunbar / Eubanks
Eubanks is a former community in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, 13 miles north of Antlers, Oklahoma.
A United States Post Office was established for Eubanks, Indian Territory on February 26, 1907 and operated until April 30, 1934. It was named for William Eubanks, local lumberman. [1]
The site of Eubanks was selected because of its proximity to the Kiamichi River, with its abundant water supply. Adjacent station stops were established to the north and south.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land.
Few roads or trails existed. Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed. The loss of passenger rail fortunately coincided with the construction of Oklahoma State Highway 2.
Wadena
Kosoma
Kosoma
Kosoma is a settlement and former railroad station in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, United States. It is located just off Oklahoma State Highway 2, about 10 miles (16 km) north of Antlers.
[edit] Geography
Kosoma is located in a rugged but scenic area. It is adjacent to the Kiamichi River at the base of Big Mountain, also known as Deer Mountain. Close by is Lost Mountain, notable for its relative cone shape and location in the middle of the Kiamichi River valley, apart from other mountains. The area of the valley floor on which Kosoma was built is bracketed by two locally prominent and well-watered streams: Buck Creek to the south and Pine Creek to the north.[1]
[edit] History
A permanent settlement has existed at the site of modern Kosoma since at least the 1880s. During the 1880s the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, more popularly known as the “Frisco”, built a line from north to south through the Choctaw Nation, connecting Fort Smith, Arkansas with Paris, Texas. The railroad paralleled the Kiamichi River throughout much of its route in present-day Pushmataha County, Oklahoma. Train stations were established every few miles to aid in opening up the land and, more particularly, to serve as the locations of section houses. Supervisors for their respective miles of track lived in the section houses to administer the track and its right-of-way. These stations also served as points at which the trains could draw water.
The site of the future Kosoma was selected because of its proximity to the Kiamichi River, with its abundant water supply. Adjacent station stops were established at Wadena, four miles to the north, and Moyers, three miles to the south.
The name Kosoma, which means "place of the stinking water" in the Choctaw language, derives its name from prominent sulphur springs located nearby.[2]
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land. Few roads or trails existed. But with the railroad came white settlers, seeking commercial opportunities.
Kosoma became an immediate boom town, home to a thriving timber industry. Sawmills were established in the mountains surrounding the town and the mills used Kosoma’s railroad depot as a transshipment point. At its height Kosoma had numerous commercial establishments, including stores, saloons, and doctor’s offices, as well as at least one dance hall.[3]
Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed.
The loss of passenger rail fortunately coincided with the construction of Oklahoma State Highway 2. It offered a paved, graded route all the way from Antlers to two miles north of Moyers, at the turn-off to Baugh’s Prairie and Big Mountain. (It was later completed in the 1980s.) North of Kosoma the highway remained unpaved and somewhat primitive until completion in the 1980s, crossing Pine Creek via a low-water bridge and climbing the flank of Bull Run Mountain.[4]
Until the advent of State Highway 2 overland transportation was problematic at best—particularly due to the need to ford Buck Creek, which occupies a steep valley from its headwaters in the Kiamichi Mountains all the way to its confluence with the Kiamichi River.
A United States Post Office was established at Kosoma, Indian Territory on November 28, 1888, a testament to its early vitality so soon after the railroad opened. With the logging of forests in the region Kosoma went into a steep decline during the early 1900s, culminating in the loss of its post office in 1954.[2]
At this writing Kosoma is a ghost town with only two or three buildings still standing. These are found just off the short “Kosoma Loop” off State Highway 2 and have been subject to vandalism and theft by visitors, and neglect by current owners of the property.
Kosoma became an immediate boomtown, home to a thriving timber industry. Sawmills were established in the mountains surrounding the town and the mills used Kosoma’s railroad depot as a transshipment point. Moyers remained tiny and insubstantial until Kosoma’s decline in the early 1900s, when its local forests had all been logged.
Kosoma, Oklahoma Part 2
Kosoma is a ghost town and former railroad station in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, United States. It is located just off Oklahoma State Highway 2, about 10 miles (16 km) north of Antlers.
Kosoma is located in a rugged but scenic area. It is adjacent to the Kiamichi River at the base of Big Mountain, also known as Deer Mountain. Close by is Lost Mountain, notable for its relative cone shape and location in the middle of the Kiamichi River valley,
apart from other mountains. The area of the valley floor on which
Kosoma was built is bracketed by two locally prominent and well-watered
streams: Buck Creek to the south and Pine Creek to the north.[1]Geography
History
Kosoma, Indian Territory, c. 1898
.
.
The site of the future Kosoma was selected because of its proximity to the Kiamichi River, with its abundant water supply. Adjacent station stops were established at Wadena, four miles to the north, and Moyers, three miles to the south.
The name Kosoma, which means "place of the stinking water" in the Choctaw language, derives its name from prominent sulphur springs located nearby.[2]
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land. Few roads or trails existed, but with the railroad came white settlers, seeking commercial opportunities.
Kosoma became an immediate boomtown, home to a thriving timber industry. Sawmills were established in the mountains surrounding the town and the mills used Kosoma’s railroad depot as a transshipment point. At its height Kosoma had numerous commercial establishments, including stores, saloons, and doctor’s offices, as well as at least one dance hall.[3]
Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed.
The loss of passenger rail coincided with the construction of Oklahoma State Highway 2. It offered a paved, graded route all the way from Antlers to two miles north of Moyers, at the turn-off to Baugh’s Prairie and Big Mountain. (It was later completed in the 1980s.) North of Kosoma the highway remained unpaved and somewhat primitive until completion in the 1980s, crossing Pine Creek via a low-water bridge and climbing the flank of Bull Run Mountain.[4]
Until the advent of State Highway 2, overland transportation was problematic at best—particularly due to the need to ford Buck Creek, which occupies a steep valley from its headwaters in the Kiamichi Mountains all the way to its confluence with the Kiamichi River.
A United States Post Office was established at Kosoma, Indian Territory on November 28, 1888, a testament to its early vitality so soon after the railroad opened. With the logging of forests in the region, Kosoma went into a steep decline during the early 1900s (decade), culminating in the loss of its post office in 1954.[2]
At this writing, Kosoma is a ghost town with only two or three buildings still standing. These are found just off the short “Kosoma Loop” off State Highway 2 and have been subject to vandalism and theft by visitors, and neglect by current owners of the property.
During World War II, the Kosoma area was the site of two lethal air crashes. British pilots operating from a Royal Air Force base in Texas, hampered by poor weather, crashed into White Rock Mountain and Big Mountain, killing four crewmen. Two planes were destroyed, while a third plane crash-landed successfully a few miles northwest at Jumbo. On February 20, 2000 the AT6 Monument was dedicated in the fliers' honor at the crash site on Big Mountain, just southeast of Kosoma. Over 1,000 people attended the ceremony, and the story was carried by the British Broadcasting Corporation and many newspapers around the world.
More information on Kosoma and the Kiamichi River valley may be found in the Pushmataha County Historical Society.
Nomor
Moyers
In addition to timber, other natural resources, including mining, were important in the regional economy. An asphalt mine was established at Jumbo, northwest of Moyers, and a tram, or railroad, was built from Moyers northwest through the Kiamichi Mountains to Jumbo. Railroad cars were loaded with asphalt at the mine and was brought via the tram to Moyers’ depot. Although the rails have long since been taken up, the tram’s elevated track bed—a significant man-made structure—is still clearly evident from a quarter-mile west of the Moyers school along its route around Parker Mountain.
The first known mention of Moyers occurred in 1904, when an Antlers newspaper referred to the settlement as “Moyer’s Spur”. The term may have referred to the tram, which was a rail spur off the Frisco Railroad, and “Moyer” was a reference to Roy Abraham Moyer, a local settler. [1] It was not until 1910 that Moyer’s Spur became known as “Moyers”, the name it continues by today. [2]. It received its United States Post Office on June 7, 1895. [3]
In addition to logging and the railroad, Moyers became home to additional industry in 1907 when the Gulf Pipe Line Company—which was constructing a natural gas pipeline northward from the Texas gulf coast—built a pumping station southwest of the settlement, near Ten Mile Creek in the Rocky Point area. The pumping station was an important facility for the pipe line, and kept it operational for many miles north and south in either direction. A sizeable crew was stationed there, and was popular among local townspeople in Moyers and Antlers. [4]
Lumber would prove as beneficial to Moyers as it did earlier to Kosoma. The Walter-Hopkins Lumber Company established a presence there which proved so profitable that, by 1911, it built a sizable new store and office. From those humble origins it grew so that in succeeding decades Moyers came to resemble a “company town” – Walter-Hopkins owned many of the stores, homes, and much of the property in the town. It operated large lumber yards and a sawmill which came to employ many local men and lend Moyers what it has not had since: an industrial skyline complete with chimneys, towering machinery and conveyors. It remained in operation through the 1950s, after which its closure sent Moyers into a steep decline. [5]
Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed. The loss of passenger rail fortunately coincided with the construction of Oklahoma State Highway 2. It offered a paved, graded route all the way from Antlers to north of Moyers, at the turn-off to Baugh’s Prairie and Big Mountain. (It was later completed in the 1980s.) Until this time overland transportation was problematic at best—particularly the portion of road at Rodney Mountain (itself named after Rodney Moyer), between Moyers and Kellond.
The road, where it passed the foot of Rodney Mountain near Ten Mile Creek, “…is so rough that a farmer going to town with a can of cream, found that the cream had been churned, and he had butter,” according to one observer in 1926. Local conditions stayed pretty much the same until the opening of the state highway thirty years later. [6]
Moyers, at this writing, has a post office, one general store and one church, and a number of homes, both in the immediate vicinity and adjacent areas. It has regained its public junior high and high school –lost during the 1960s—and now educates local children from kindergarten through 12th grade. Over 100 years after lending the settlement its name, the Moyer family continues to live nearby. Ms. Jimi Moyer Cocke lives on a ranch just south of Rodney Mountain.
[edit] Geology
Moyers is located in a very picturesque area with varied topography. To its south is Rodney Mountain. To its immediate north is Parker Mountain, with the taller Whiterock Mountain rising behind it. East of Moyers is the Kiamichi River, and west is a relatively flat expanse connecting it to the Impson Valley. Buck Creek, a well-watered and dependable spring-fed stream rising in the mountains north of Whiterock Mountain, flows through a sharply-defined valley north of Moyers to its confluence with the Kiamichi. Ten Mile Creek—also spring-fed but more seasonally-dependent—flows east and south of Moyers. Two significant manmade structures are nearby, and due to their size and permanence have become a part of local topography: the elevated beds of the rail spur winding around the base of Parker Mountain, and the Frisco Railroad.
Part 2
A permanent settlement has existed at the site of modern Moyers since at least the 1880s.
The site of the future Moyers was selected because of its proximity to the Kiamichi River, with its abundant water supply. Adjacent station stops were established at Kosoma, Oklahoma, to the north, and Davenport—now Kellond, Oklahoma—to the south.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land. Few roads or trails existed. But with the railroad came white settlers, seeking commercial opportunities.
Kosoma became an immediate boomtown, home to a thriving timber industry. Sawmills were established in the mountains surrounding the town and the mills used Kosoma’s railroad depot as a transshipment point. Moyers remained tiny and insubstantial until Kosoma’s decline in the early 1900s (decade), when its local forests had all been logged.
In addition to timber, other natural resources, including mining, were important in the regional economy. An asphalt mine was established at Jumbo, northwest of Moyers, and a tram, or railroad, was built from Moyers northwest through the Kiamichi Mountains to Jumbo. Railroad cars were loaded with asphalt at the mine and was brought via the tram to Moyers’ depot. Although the rails have long since been taken up, the tram’s elevated track bed—a significant man-made structure—is still clearly evident from a quarter-mile west of the Moyers school along its route around Parker Mountain.
The first known mention of Moyers occurred in 1904, when an Antlers newspaper referred to the settlement as “Moyer’s Spur”. The term may have referred to the tram, which was a rail spur off the Frisco Railroad, and “Moyer” was a reference to Roy Abraham Moyer, a local settler.[1] It was not until 1910 that Moyer’s Spur became known as “Moyers”, the name it continues by today.[2] It received its United States Post Office on June 7, 1895.[3]
In addition to logging and the railroad, Moyers became home to additional industry in 1907 when the Gulf Pipe Line Company—which was constructing a natural gas pipeline northward from the Texas gulf coast—built a pumping station southwest of the settlement, near Ten Mile Creek in the Rocky Point area. The pumping station was an important facility for the pipe line, and kept it operational for many miles north and south in either direction. A sizeable crew was stationed there, and was popular among local townspeople in Moyers and Antlers.[4]
Lumber would prove as beneficial to Moyers as it did earlier to Kosoma. The Walter-Hopkins Lumber Company established a presence there which proved so profitable that, by 1911, it built a sizable new store and office. From those humble origins it grew so that in succeeding decades Moyers came to resemble a “company town” – Walter-Hopkins owned many of the stores, homes, and much of the property in the town. It operated large lumber yards and a sawmill which came to employ many local men and lend Moyers what it has not had since: an industrial skyline complete with chimneys, towering machinery and conveyors. It remained in operation through the 1950s, after which its closure sent Moyers into a steep decline.[5]
Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed. The loss of passenger rail fortunately coincided with the construction of Oklahoma State Highway 2. It offered a paved, graded route all the way from Antlers to north of Moyers, at the turn-off to Baugh’s Prairie and Big Mountain. (It was later completed in the 1980s.) Until this time overland transportation was problematic at best—particularly the portion of road at Rodney Mountain (itself named after Rodney Moyer), between Moyers and Kellond.
The road, where it passed the foot of Rodney Mountain near Ten Mile Creek, “…is so rough that a farmer going to town with a can of cream, found that the cream had been churned, and he had butter,” according to one observer in 1926. Local conditions stayed pretty much the same until the opening of the state highway thirty years later.[6]
During World War II the Moyers area was the site of two lethal air crashes. British pilots operating from a Royal Air Force base in Texas crashed into White Rock Mountain and Big Mountain, killing four crew men. Two planes were destroyed. A third plane crash-landed successfully at Jumbo. On February 20, 2000 the AT6 Monument was dedicated in the fliers' honor at the crash site on Big Mountain. Over 1,000 people attended the ceremony, and the story was carried by the British Broadcasting Corporation and many newspapers around the world.
Moyers, at this writing, has a post office, one general store and one church, and a number of homes, both in the immediate vicinity and adjacent areas. It has regained its public junior high and high school –lost during the 1960s—and now educates local children from kindergarten through 12th grade. The schools athletic teams are known as the Moyers Tigers, and Lady Tigers, kyle McBride, Nick McKnight, Kolbe Childress. Over 100 years after lending the settlement its name, the Moyer family continues to live nearby. Ms. Jimi Moyer Cocke lives on a ranch just south of Rodney Mountain.
Geology
Moyers is located in a very picturesque area with varied topography. To its south is Rodney Mountain. To its immediate north is Parker Mountain, with the taller Whiterock Mountain rising behind it. East of Moyers is the Kiamichi River, and west is a relatively flat expanse connecting it to the Impson Valley. Buck Creek, a well-watered and dependable spring-fed stream rising in the mountains north of Whiterock Mountain, flows through a sharply-defined valley north of Moyers to its confluence with the Kiamichi. Ten Mile Creek—also spring-fed but more seasonally-dependent—flows east and south of Moyers. Two significant manmade structures are nearby, and due to their size and permanence have become a part of local topography: the elevated beds of the rail spur winding around the base of Parker Mountain, and the Frisco Railroad.A permanent settlement has existed at the site of modern Moyers since at least the 1880s.
The site of the future Moyers was selected because of its proximity to the Kiamichi River, with its abundant water supply. Adjacent station stops were established at Kosoma, Oklahoma, to the north, and Davenport—now Kellond, Oklahoma—to the south.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land. Few roads or trails existed. But with the railroad came white settlers, seeking commercial opportunities.
Kellond
Kellond/Davenport
History
The site of Kellond was selected because of its proximity to the Kiamichi River, with its abundant water supply. Adjacent station stops were established at Moyers, Oklahoma to the north, and Antlers, Oklahoma to the south. By the early 1890s the stop was known as Davenport. Named for Luda P. Davenport (1861-1924), a local resident and county judge, it was identified on maps as Davenport through the early 1900s. The exact cause and date of its change of name to Kellond is unknown, and was not noted by the local press.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land.
Few roads or trails existed. Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed. The loss of passenger rail fortunately coincided with the construction of Oklahoma State Highway 2.
Near Kellond was a locally important low-water ford on the Kiamichi River known as Rodney Crossing. The crossing obtained its name from Rodney Mountain, located to the north of the settlement. It was also home to the short-lived post office and small community of Rodney, Oklahoma.
Davenport, and later Kellond, never developed as a commercial center. Its most significant structure was, and continues to be, a handsome public school constructed of native stone as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The school, closed for many years, has served a variety of purposes, most recently as a night club and residence.
Kellond is an unincorporated community and former railroad station in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma. Kellond is located approximately three miles northwest of Antlers on Oklahoma State Highway 2.
The school building had two classrooms separated by a hallway, a larger playroom, two entryways, a large storage room which was later updated into two restrooms, (until then, there were two outhouses on the east side of the school) a large auditorium, and a basement which was used as a lunchroom and had a small kitchen, and various storage rooms.
The two classrooms were for first through fourth grades, known as the Little Room and fifth through eighth grades known as the Big Room.
In the early 1950s the two teachers were Mrs. Bertha Lee Wheeler Smith, better known as Miss Bertha, and Mr. Lonnie D. Killlan. Later, Mr. Charles Bolin of Finley, replaced Mr. Killian. Miss Bertha was the teacher for the Little Room and Mr. Killian and Mr. Bolin were teachers for the Big Room.
The teacherage, a small frame house, sat to the north of the school. This is where Miss Bertha, her husband, Eanon, and daughter, Kathy, lived from 1953 until 1964.
There was a rock wall that surrounded the school, teacherage, and large playground on the west and north sides. The east and south sides were bordered by barbed wire fences that kept out the livestock, mostly Brahma cattle owned by Wren Shaw. A large creek ran the full length of the south side, which provided many recess activities like catching crawdads.
History
The site of Kellond was selected because of its proximity to the Kiamichi River, with its abundant water supply. Adjacent station stops were established at Moyers, Oklahoma to the north, and Antlers, Oklahoma to the south. By the early 1890s, the stop was known as Davenport. Named for Luda P. Davenport (1861-1924), a local resident and county judge, it was identified on maps as Davenport through the early 1900s (decade). The exact cause and date of its change of name to Kellond is unknown, and was not noted by the local press.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land.
Few roads or trails existed. Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed. The loss of passenger rail fortunately coincided with the construction of Oklahoma State Highway 2.
Near Kellond was a locally important low-water ford on the Kiamichi River known as Rodney Crossing. The crossing obtained its name from Rodney Mountain, located to the north of the settlement. It was also home to the short-lived post office and small community of Rodney, Oklahoma.
Davenport, and later Kellond, never developed as a commercial center. Its most significant structure was, and continues to be, a handsome public school constructed of native stone as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The school, closed for many years, has served a variety of purposes, most recently as a night club and residence.
More information on Kellond may be found in t
Antlers
Deer Capital of the World!
For no one knows how many hundreds of years, a brisk trickle of fresh mountain water has bubbled from the earth within what now are the city limits of Antlers.
Long before Civil War days, adventurers and Indians and stock traders used to halt in their day's prairie wanderings near this spring. It had a natural shelter of giant trees.
When the Frisco Railway came through in 1887, its direct route south came within 20 feet of this famous pioneering stopover station and campground
Hunters used the spring and grounds as headquarters. The town was named Beaver's Station then. On the trees, they nailed huge antlers, trophies of the deer they bagged. Automatically the spot became known as Antlers Spring.
A train depot was built, a name needed for the budding settlement, and Antlers Spring became Antlers - the forerunner of today's Pushmataha County seat. The spring still flows today, as it did in early years - only a few steps from the center of enterprising, growing Antlers.
Travelers who choose to make Antlers their "home base" will find themselves in a perfect position to make sojourns to the area's many lakes, rivers, and public lands - all easily accessible from the Kiamichi community.
The highly-rated lakes of Sardis, McGee Creek, Pine Creek, Clayton and Hugo boast exceptional fishing and water recreation, along with clean, well-kept campsites. Not to be overlooked: The Historical Society Museum, antique shops, golf course, and specialty dining
The site of Antlers was selected because of an excellent spring which furnished a good supply of fresh water. Adjacent station stops were established at Davenport—now Kellond, Oklahoma—to the north, and Hamden, Oklahoma to the south
Antlers is a city in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,552 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pushmataha County[3].
The historic center of Antlers—not counting its newly expanded city limits—straddles at least two watersheds. Rain falling in the northeast part of town drains into creeks flowing northward directly into the Kiamichi River. This soil is rocky, with bedrock near the surface. Water falling elsewhere in the town drains into creeks draining southward into Beaver Creek, which flows to the Kiamichi River. This soil is sandy. Standpipe Hill—which overlooks downtown Antlers—stands considerably higher, and features picturesque views to the north into the Kiamichi River valley.
Evidence abounds of prehistoric activity within the city limits of present-day Antlers. Arrowheads wash up continually over time at sites throughout the town. Most of the sites are well-watered sites atop hills, which the prehistoric inhabitants found the most healthful.
Antlers and the rest of the Kiamichi River valley fell squarely within the realm of the powerful American Indian culture based at Spiro Mounds. The Mississippian culture based there controlled a large portion of southeastern Oklahoma and adjacent states.
More recently nomadic Caddo Indians roamed the area. Rarely establishing permanent villages, they were highly mobile and hunted and fished across the region.
The area that is now Antlers was granted to the Choctaw Indians in 1832 by the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek.
The site of Antlers was selected because of an excellent spring which furnished a good supply of fresh water. Adjacent station stops were established at Davenport—now Kellond, Oklahoma—to the north, and Hamden, Oklahoma to the south.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Jack’s Fork County of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land.
Few roads or trails existed. Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether and its rails were removed. The loss of passenger rail fortunately coincided with the construction of several highways linking Antlers to other communities, including U.S. Highway 271, Oklahoma State Highway 7, and Oklahoma State Highway 2.
Antlers was given its name due to the presence of large antlers, or the horns of bucks, nailed to nearby trees, ostensibly to mark the site of the spring. Its vitality caused a United States Post Office to be established at Antlers, Indian Territory on August 26, 1887. According to early settler—and probably first businessman—Colonel Victor M. Locke, Jr., a hunter was encamped at the site of the spring at present-day Antlers early one autumn and killed a “magnificent buck.” He nailed its antlers on a tree by the spring as a challenge to other hunters, who followed suit. Railroad officials later designated their new station stop as “Antlers” in recognition of this prominent local landmark.[5]
American settlers from the United States lived in Antlers and surrounding areas at the pleasure and discretion of the Choctaw government. It afforded them no protections or government services of any kind, and during the 1890s the U.S. government acted to provide a minimal level of support. It established Recording Districts throughout all Five Civilized Tribes of the Indian Territory. Antlers became Record Town of Recording District #24, which covered almost all of present-day Pushmataha, Choctaw and McCurtain counties. American citizens living in this area now had the rudiments of a justice system available.
To support the needs of a Record Town, a United States Court was established at Antlers. A large wooden courthouse was built to accommodate the justices, lawyers and courtroom facilities necessary, and Antlers became home to a small government outpost. During the waning days of the Indian Territory the Republican Party was in power in Washington, D.C., so the justices, sheriffs, deputies, and court clerks were all Republican. Local residents, being from former Confederate States, were almost all Democrats.
In order to prepare for Oklahoma’s statehood the U.S. Government surveyed and plotted every town of significance. Antlers was surveyed in 1901 and a townsite of 182 acres was mapped. Once the area was included in a state, residents could establish formal ownership of their homes and property.
Upon the advent of Oklahoma’s statehood on November 16, 1907 the Choctaw Nation, and the Indian Territory, ceased to exist. Antlers lost its prized status as a United States Court town and the complexion of the town’s population changed as those who worked in the “cottage industry” which had arisen to support the Court left in pursuit of other employment.
Antlers’ next incarnation was, to some degree, that of a resort town. The town served as a convenient gateway to the Kiamichi Mountains, and many tourists and vacationers came regularly and routinely to fish, hunt, and relax in the town and nearby mountains. Many came from Paris, Texas.
Slow but sustained growth was to be the order of the day for the next several decades, until April 12, 1945. During the late afternoon of that day Antlers was devastated by a powerful tornado. It came into town from the southwest, bearing northeast. It destroyed stores and homes in a wide swath, including stores and shops at the south end of High Street.
Sixty-seven residents were killed, and over 300 injured. Antlers High School was established as a makeshift morgue to receive bodies. Perhaps the most significant destruction occurred in the 300 block of East Main Street, where the large and historic St. Agnes Academy for Choctaw Indians was completely destroyed. Miraculously, only two lives were lost: nuns who were killed by a falling chimney. The students, however, survived.
U.S. Army troops were dispatched from Camp Maxey, Texas, a World War II-era army base located between Paris and Arthur City, Texas. The troops assisted with rescue, maintaining law and order, and clearing rubble.
Meteorologists have since retroactively categorized the Antlers tornado as an F5 on the Fujita Scale. An F5 storm is the most powerful storm possible. Local residents believed there were actually two tornados striking the town, as they could see two funnels. The Antlers tornado funnel measured a half-mile wide at its base, and the two funnel clouds observed locally were within the larger one. The Antlers F5 was so powerful that it could be clearly heard, as well as seen, four miles east of town at the Ethel Road crossroads, and as far north as Kosoma.[6]
After 1945 the town enjoyed the general prosperity experienced by the United States at large. With the advent of universal electrical service most homes came to have air-conditioning, and later almost all had televisions. Social relations changed at this point as individuals and families found their entertainment indoors, rather than outdoors or downtown.
During the 1950s highways linking Antlers with towns in every direction were paved, making transportation easy and efficient. This development coincided with Antlers losing passenger rail service in the late 1950s, when the Frisco Railroad ceased carrying passengers. Freight service continued until the railroad ceased all operations in 1981.
The biggest change of the post-war years occurred in 1975, when R.C. Pruett opened East Town Village on the eastern outskirts of Antlers. In doing so he mirrored a trend seen in almost every town across the country—major retailers relocated from historic downtowns to larger facilities on their outskirts. Pruett’s grocery store was a new one, but within a few years merchants began deserting Antlers’ historic downtown for East Town Village or other locations, or closing altogether.
At the same time, Antlers residents began shopping at Wal-Mart, a large-pad retailer with a large store in Hugo, Oklahoma. Offering “everyday low prices”, Wal-Mart offered greater variety at lower prices than Antlers merchants were able, and to this day many of its customers come from Antlers.
In recent years a move has been afoot to declare Antlers a “Main Street USA” site. Main Street USA, a program sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has proven successful elsewhere in Oklahoma and the United States. Its goals are to assist Antlers merchants in recreating their downtown as a “destination”, with attractive plantings and flowers, street furniture, and economic vitality.
Due to a series of fires beginning in the 1970s – some of them arson – Antlers lost a number of its stores, reducing the character of its downtown. The buildings which remain are handsome, sturdy brick buildings with impressive facades. In recent years merchants have been taking down the 1960s-era awnings and other structures, bringing to light a wealth of architectural details.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 2,552 people, 1,068 households, and two families residing in the city. The population density was 931.1 people per square mile (359.6/km²). There were 1,260 housing units at an average density of 459.7/sq mi (177.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.13% White, 1.84% African American, 14.93% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 4.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.76% of the population.
There were 1,068 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 78.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $17,594, and the median income for a family was $22,684. Males had a median income of $23,958 versus $16,688 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,285. About 28.9% of families and 31.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.7% of those under age 18 and 23.2% of those age 65 or over.
Old Frisco Depot
The Frisco Depot at Antlers is now under the management of the Pushmataha County Historical Society. The building had been unoccupied since 1958 and was in a sad state of disrepair until 1985 when the depot had been slowly and painstakingly restored to the state of dignity that it deserves.
The Pushmataha County Historical Society has many records available at the depot for amateur or professional genealogists. Records are accessible for the counties of Pushmataha, Pittsburg, Latimer, McCurtain, Choctaw, Bryan, and Atoka. Family histories are also left at the depot on file with the hope of helping people discover their roots.
From then to now, including the Harvey House ...
The St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad (the "Frisco") completed its tracks connecting Paris, Texas with Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1887. A frame depot sat across the track west of the present Depot. In January 1900, the Frisco made plans for a Fred Harvey house at Antlers to feed and lodge travelers. In mid-July the Harvey House held a grand ball with music furnished by Paris musicians. Opened for business about August 12, the dining room had six large tables and the hotel had thirteen richly furnished bedrooms.
Announcement was made in May, 1906, that a new stucco Frisco depot and Harvey House combination would be built in Hugo. By February 1908, the Harvey house in Antlers was running only a lunch counter and the hotel for travelers. Some trains had dining cars but some still stopped 20 minutes in Antlers for meals. The Harvey House was abandoned in late November, 1910, but when the Antlers depot burned in July, 1911, the Frisco moved its offices into the building and plans began for a new depot.
After the devastating Antlers fire of 1904, city trustees passed an ordinance that required fireproof buildings of brick, stone or cement throughout within city limits. In March 1913, the Frisco announced that it would build a brick building east of the tracks. By early May the first stakes were in the ground marking the site. On June 5, 1914, the railroad moved into the new depot. But in April 1915, seven carloads of materials from the razed Harvey House were shipped out, bringing to an end a delightful but short-lived historic building in Antlers.
Final passenger service on the Frisco through Antlers ended February 1, 1958. The Frisco was taken over by Burlington Northern which ran freight trains until the final run the first week of February, 1981. The the track from Antlers south was used to transport pulpwood loaded onto cars in front of the old Frisco Depot until 1990 when a new facility was completed just south of Antlers.
Hours: Open Tuesday, 9 to noon and by appt. - Train excursion 2nd Saturday of June
Address: 119 West Main
Phone: 580-298-2488
Hunters used the spring and grounds as headquarters. The town was named Beaver's Station then. On the trees, they nailed huge antlers, trophies of the deer they bagged. Automatically the spot became known as Antlers Spring.
A train depot was built, a name needed for the budding settlement, and Antlers Spring became Antlers - the forerunner of today's Pushmataha County seat. The spring still flows today, as it did in early years - only a few steps from the center of enterprising, growing Antlers.
Travelers who choose to make Antlers their "home base" will find themselves in a perfect position to make sojourns to the area's many lakes, rivers, and public lands - all easily accessible from the Kiamichi community.
The highly-rated lakes of Sardis, McGee Creek, Pine Creek, Clayton and Hugo boast exceptional fishing and water recreation, along with clean, well-kept campsites. Not to be overlooked: The Historical Society Museum, antique shops, golf course, and specialty dining.
Hamden
Hamden is a community in northern Choctaw County, Oklahoma, seven miles southeast of Antlers, Oklahoma.
A United States Post Office was established at Hamden, Indian Territory on March 31, 1894 and operated until May 15, 1924. [1] Hamden is on the boundary separating Choctaw County and Pushmataha County, and residents of the community live in both.
The site of Hamden was selected because of its proximity to a local creek. Adjacent station stops were established to the north and south.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Kiamitia County (Kiamichi County) of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land.
Few roads or trails existed. Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether.
Hamden, in its commercial heyday, boasted a cotton gin, store, school and churches, in addition to numerous homes. Residents continue to live in the area. The only local landmarks are a community center and the foundations of the old cotton gin, located near the railroad tracks and creek.
Hugo
Hugo is a city in Choctaw County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 5,536 at the 2000 census. It is the birthplace of Bill Moyers, B. J. Thomas, James Ling, and William Childress, and serves as winter quarters for some circus performers. It is the county seat of Choctaw County[3][page needed]. The town is located in a cultural area of the state known as Little Dixie and the tourist area Kiamichi Country.
Hugo
The city was founded in 1902 and now has a population of approximately 6,000. It is located on the main line of the Frisco railroad and a branch of the same system also on United States Highways 70 and 271 and State Highway No. 2, with secondary highways leading out into the surrounding country.
Hugo is a division headquarters of the Frisco railroad and has Frisco shops, with many railroad men making their headquarters here. It also has a large cotton compress, several cotton gins, three wholesale grocery houses, tie treating plant, feed mills, wholesale flour and feed establishment, lumber mill, three lumber and building material stores, four hotels, tourist courts, two strong and successful banks, tin and sheet metal works, plumbing shops, two bakeries, wholesale produce houses, school bus and commercial body building plant, iron works, theatres, creamery and ice cream factory, ice plants, peanut mill, wholesale and retail oil companies, mattress factory, modern laundries, dry cleaning plants, motor sales and service firms, implement and machinery houses, auto supply houses, wide-awake Chamber of Commerce, modern hospital, one first class dairy and two weekly newspapers and job printing plants, livestock sales yard, bottling works, wholesale candy and cigar house, home appliance stores, auto salvage firms, abstract offices, many modern retail stores engaged in all lines and carrying stocks equal to those commonly found only in much larger cities and other lines of business.
HUGO HERITAGE RAILROAD IS NO LONGER IN OPERATION!!
The Hugo Heritage Raiload (HHR) was formed in 1989 by the Choctaw County Historical Society (Frisco Depot Museum) with the cooperation of the Kiamichi Railroad. It operated under the name of Cimmaron Valley Scenic Railway at first but was quickly changed to HHR when two Norfolk & Western passenger car prior to restoration old Norfolk and Western passenger cars were purchased and reburbished. These were repainted to Kiamichi Railroad colors with Circus embellishments to the sides and were renumbered to cars 1001 & 1002 (see picture above).
Restored passenger car - Hugo Heritage Railroad Car No. 1002 Powered by a Kiamichi Railroad diesel engine, this two car operation begain tourist passenger service over Kiamichi Railroad tracks (Antlers, OK, to Paris, TX and Durant, OK, to Hope, AR) as time permitted between regular rail traffic. The majority of these trips were either Hugo to Antlers or Hugo to Paris since this trackage had the least commercial use, but occasional longer excursions were made to Durant or to Valliant or Idabel.
The HHR continued these operations until 2002 when Kiamichi Railroad was purchased by a larger operation which was, in turn, also purchased by an even larger organization. At this point the HRR was denied access to the rails and the operation had to be discontinued.
The restored passenger cars are currently in the possession of, and on display at, the Antlers, Oklahoma, Depot Museum.
ca 1941
Hugo, the metropolis of Choctaw county, Oklahoma, has for 39 years pursued the even tenor of her ways; has quietly, surely and steadily marched in the ranks of progress and development.The city was founded in 1902 and now has a population of approximately 6,000. It is located on the main line of the Frisco railroad and a branch of the same system also on United States Highways 70 and 271 and State Highway No. 2, with secondary highways leading out into the surrounding country.With commercial, industrial, governmental and political interests centered here and yearly enhancement of valuation and steady expansion of trade, Hugo offers superior advantages to those seeking investment where it will yield sure returns.The advancement of Hugo has been marked with conservatism; its growth has been steady and permanent. It is naturally one of the most attractive little cities in Oklahoma, and upon it is stamped the signet of enterprise and public spirit.To the attractiveness of nature are added the grace of architectural design and the solidity and substantial character of municipal improvement.Hugo has an unfailing supply of pure, healthful water; efficient electric light and power service, natural gas, motorized fire department, modern telephone exchange, telegraph service, in fact, all modern public utilities.It is situated near the center of Choctaw county, 26 miles north of Paris, Texas; 20 miles south of Antlers; about 56 miles east of Durant, and about 44 miles west of Idabel, Oklahoma.A short distance south of the city is the far-famed Red River Valley, one of the most prolific agricultural regions in the Southwest.Hugo is a division headquarters of the Frisco railroad and has Frisco shops, with many railroad men making their headquarters here. It also has a large cotton compress, several cotton gins, three wholesale grocery houses, tie treating plant, feed mills, wholesale flour and feed establishment, lumber mill, three lumber and building material stores, four hotels, tourist courts, two strong and successful banks, tin and sheet metal works, plumbing shops, two bakeries, wholesale produce houses, school bus and commercial body building plant, iron works, theatres, creamery and ice cream factory, ice plants, peanut mill, wholesale and retail oil companies, mattress factory, modern laundries, dry cleaning plants, motor sales and service firms, implement and machinery houses, auto supply houses, wide-awake Chamber of Commerce, modern hospital, one first class dairy and two weekly newspapers and job printing plants, livestock sales yard, bottling works, wholesale candy and cigar house, home appliance stores, auto salvage firms, abstract offices, many modern retail stores engaged in all lines and carrying stocks equal to those commonly found only in much larger cities and other lines of business.All streets in the business section and many of those in the residence districts are paved and others are graded, graveled and well kept.Choctaw county has a magnificent Court House, which is situated at the edge of the business district and towers high and tells of worthy ambition and lofty ideals which prevail throughout the county. The city also has a modern post office building and city hall, auditorium, fully accredited high school, grade schools, in fact, a system of schools which ranks with the best in the state also churches of all leading denominations, several owning imposing and costly houses of worship.Hugo is a city of many beautiful homes, cozy cottages and well kept lawns. A majority of the homes are owned by those living in them.Hugo is in the center of one of the outstanding agricultural, horticultural, poultry, dairying, livestock and hog producing sections of Southeast Oklahoma. A majority of the soils in Choctaw county and particularly those in the Red River Valley are very fertile and will produce the full limit of any garden, fruit or field crop common to this section of the country.Local farmers raise cotton, corn, oats, lespedeza, kaffir corn, velvet beans, peanuts, sweet and irish potatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, peaches, apples, pears, plums, cherries, grapes, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, the finest tomatoes grown in the state, all kinds of garden vegetables, sorghum, cow pens, soy beans, alfalfa, and all pasture grasses and forage crops.As a livestock section Choctaw county ranks among the best in Southeast Oklahoma. Purebred dairy cows, livestock, hogs, sheep and goats are numerous throughout this region. The diary business is steadily on the increase and practically every farmer is engaged in the poultry business to a greater or less extent.An immense dam is now being constructed At Denison, Texas, on the Red River, which should double the value of much of the Red River valley land also bring many thousands of additional acres under cultivation.In the surrounding country are some of the best hunting grounds and fishing streams and lakes in Southeast Oklahoma. Quail, dove, squirrels and rabbits are plentiful and streams and lakes abound with black bass, crappie, perch, cat and other fish.Northeast of Hugo is the Kiamichi Mountains, National Forest, State Game Preserve and Beavers Bend State Park, the latter being one of the leading recreational centers of the Southwest. Hugo wants more people to share in her present progress and future possibilities and the stranger will receive a hearty welcome within her gates.
Arkinda S. Div Crossing
Grant
Grant is an unincorporated community in Choctaw County, Oklahoma, United States, along U.S. Route 271 south of Hugo. Established on the Frisco Railroad in the Indian Territory, the Grant Post Office opened on January 31, 1889. It was named for Ulysses S. Grant. The ZIP Code is 74738.
Arthur City Tx.
Camp Maxy
Hinckley
Paris
Jason Lee
Davis' RailFan Pages -
The Rail Scene In and Around Paris, Texas
Enjoy!
Chaparral #703 on the Chaparral sub of the Kiamichi Railroad.
The Chaparral runs between Antlers, OK, Hugo, OK, and Paris, TX. Hugo, OK, is the base of operations for the Kiamichi, whose mainline parallels the Red River and runs from an interconnect with the BNSF at Lakeside, OK, on the west end, to the east end interconnecting with the UP in Hope, AR. The Kiamichi is owned by RailAmerica.
This photograph was taken at Gate II Road near Camp Maxey, between Paris and Powderly TX, along US Highway 271.
History
Preserved wooden caboose on display in Missouri
Preserved Railway Express Agency car, along with Kiamichi EMD F7 slug No. SL1, at the Frisco Depot Museum in Hugo, Oklahoma
The St. Louis–San Francisco Railway had two main lines: St. Louis–Tulsa–Oklahoma City and Kansas City–Memphis–Birmingham. The junction of the two lines was in Springfield, Missouri, home to the company's main shop facility and headquarters. Other lines included:
- Springfield–Kansas City (via Clinton, Missouri)
- Monett, Missouri (Pierce City)–Wichita, Kansas
- Monett, Missouri–Hugo, Oklahoma–Paris, Texas
- St. Louis–River Junction, Arkansas (Memphis, Tennessee)
- Tulsa, Oklahoma–Dallas, Texas
- Tulsa, Oklahoma–Avard, Oklahoma
- Lakeside, Oklahoma–Hugo, Oklahoma–Hope, Arkansas.
It was the last passenger railroad to end Jim Crow or segregation of passengers by race.
The Frisco merged into the Burlington Northern Railroad on November 21, 1980.
The city of Frisco, Texas was named after the railroad and uses the former railroad's logo as its own logo. The logo is modeled after a stretched-out raccoon skin[4][5] (giving rise to Frisco High School's mascot, the Fighting Raccoons).
http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v003/v003p229.html
Antlers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antlers,_Oklahoma
Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad Company (CO&G #1) (Minnesota)
Abandoned line between Frisco Junction and Pittsburgh, Oklahoma (84 miles) on ~1/1940.
Pittsburg is west of junction toward McAlister.
Consolidated into Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Company (CRI&P #5) [12/16/1947] on 1/1/1948.
Clayton
FS Junt.Ft Smith 1939
Antlers
On July 9,1880 work was started on a line from Missouri to Texas,crossing the Arkansas River at Van Buren and Fort Smith and extending through southeast Oklahoma to Paris, Texas. This line was completed on July 1, 1887 and made connection with the Texas and Pacific to Dallas and Fort Worth.
Built in 1914 on the main line from Dallas to St Louis, the Frisco Depot houses America Indian artifacts, antiques, a miniature train exhibit and railroad memorabilia. Museum open Tuesday-Friday, 9am-3pm and Saturday, 9am-5pm; admission free.
During the 1880s the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, more popularly known as the “Frisco”, built a line from north to south through the Choctaw Nation, connecting Fort Smith, Arkansas with Paris, Texas. The railroad paralleled the Kiamichi River throughout much of its route in present-day Pushmataha County, Oklahoma. Train stations were established every few miles to aid in opening up the land and, more particularly, to serve as the locations of section houses. Supervisors for their respective miles of track lived in the section houses to administer the track and its right-of-way. These stations also served as points at which the trains could draw water.
T
KIAMICHI RAILROAD. The Kiamichi Railroad began operations on July 22, 1987, over 227 miles of former Burlington Northern Railroad Company trackage in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. This mileage had been part of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company prior to its merger with the Burlington Northern. The Kiamichi, named for the Kiamichi River, has two lines, one of which extends from Madill, Oklahoma, to Hope, Arkansas, and the other from Antlers, Oklahoma, to Paris, Texas. The two lines cross at Hugo, Oklahoma, where the line has its headquarters. The sixteen miles in Texas from the Red River to Paris was built in 1888 by the Paris and Great Northern Railroad Company. In 1988 the Kiamichi had fifty-two employees and handled 32,180 carloads over its system. On April 6, 1990, the affiliated Chaparral Railroad began service over sixty-one miles between Paris and Farmersville acquired from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company. The company also had trackage rights over an additional twenty-five miles between Farmersville and Garland. However, the Chaparral embargoed its line on August 10, 1994, and the Kiamichi began service over the four miles south of Paris.
The Kiamichi Railroad Company (reporting mark KRR) is a Class III short-line railroad headquartered in Hugo, Oklahoma.
KRR operates two lines totaling 231 miles (372 km) which intersect in Hugo, as well as maintaining trackage rights on an additional 45 miles (72 km) of track.[1] The main line (186 miles) runs from Hope, Arkansas (where it interchanges with Union Pacific Railroad) to Lakeside, Oklahoma, then along 20 miles of BNSF Railway trackage rights to a BNSF interchange point at Madill, Oklahoma. Along this line, KRR interchanges with Union Pacific at Durant, Oklahoma, with Kansas City Southern Railway at Ashdown, Arkansas, and with De Queen and Eastern Railroad via Texas, Oklahoma and Eastern Railroad at Valliant, Oklahoma.[1] A 40-mile branch line runs from Antlers, Oklahoma to Paris, Texas.[1]
KRR traffic generally consists of coal, lumber, paper, glass, cement, pulpwood, stone and food products. The KRR hauled around 53,000 carloads in 2008.[2]
The line was a former main line of the Frisco railway; KRR started operations in 1987.[1][2]
KRR was purchased by RailAmerica, a short-line railroad holding company, in 2002.[2] And in turn, another holding company, Genesee & Wyoming Inc., purchased RailAmerica in late 2012.
Dale Roberts to F units, E units, FA's, PA's and other Diesel Cab units
· Hugo, OK ·
As
much as I worked with this unit, you'd think that I'd have a LOT more
photos of it? But I don't. Work is work, foam is foam. There's not a
lot of time to mesh the two effectively. This is a former Kansas City
Southern unit that performed admirably on the Kiamichi Railroad. Photo
by Dale E. Coyote at the Hugo Oklahoma diesel pit back in the late 1989
or early 1990.
— at Kiamichi Railroad.
— at Kiamichi Railroad.
Greenwood Ok. http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v017/v017p007.html names come from these chiefs.
