Old Railroad In Oklahoma

[Northtowne]

I ran across a reference to a railroad from Fayetteville, AR to Westville to Tahlequah to  Muskogee, OK built around 1907 and supossedly purchased by the Frisco. It was called the OZARK and CHEROKEE CENTRAL RAILWAY.I lived near Muskogee and traveled that area extensively 1953 to 1960 and never heard reference to a railroad ever running in that direction, never saw any signs in towns along the way that would have indicated one had been there, and wonder why in the world one would be built on that route anyway. I know the KCS runs thru Westville,OK but goes North and South. If anyone knows, I would like some dates of operation and maybe a rough idea of the route, and was there local business or did it only serve to connect Fayetteville to Muskogee. Did the Frisco operate it for awhile and then it just disappeared? I expect this is too remote an area of inquiry but maybe someone out there can shed some light on this. Thanks

 NORTHTOWNE

[Datafever]

From http://198.209.8.207/lochist/frisco/history/1962history.cfm

(A history of the Frisco) 

1903 - ...

Purchase of the Ozark and Cherokee Central Railway 144 miles extending from Fayetteville, Ark., to Okmulgee, Indian Territory. This line was jointly constructed in whole or part by the Ozark and Cherokee Central Ry., the Oklahoma Coal and RR Co., and the Muskogee City Bridge Co. 

EDIT: based on other web sites found, it appears that 1903 is the date that the O&CCR was completely built. 

[Datafever]

I found an old court case that indicates that the line was still in operation (at least in Hulbert) in 1924.

http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/deliverdocument.asp?citeid=41315 

[Datafever]

From this history of Fayetteville

About 1900, construction started on a railroad to the west, known as the Ozark & Cherokee Central Railway. It was first completed to Westville, Oklahoma, and later extended to Tahlequah and Muskogee, Oklahoma. The line was later purchased by the SLSF. For many years, the railroads were a major boost to the economic growth of Fayetteville, providing a faster and more efficient method of moving commodities in and out of the area, as well as passenger service to distant destinations.

[Datafever]

According to this history of the Frisco, the Ozark and Cherokee Central was sold to the Frisco on July 15, 1907.

[nanaimo73]

It is shown in the 1928 Handy Railroad Atlas as being part of the SLSF, and the SLSF extending east 43 miles from Fayetteville to Pettigrew, in Madison County, with a 17 mile branch from Combs (Madison Co.) to Cass (Franklin Co). The line west of Fayetteville is shown in a 1944 Colliar Atlas but not in the 1945 Britannica Atlas.  

[N737AA]

The segment from Okmulgee to Muskogee is still operated by BNSF, don't know what happened to the East end of it.

Mike in Tulsa

BNSF Cherokee Sub

[twopdhart]

The Frisco line from Muskogee to Fayetteville was abandoned at the start of World War II; track sold for scrap to support the war effort. The abandoned Tahlequah station sat in ruins on the west side of town off old State Highway 51 (Choctaw Street) for many years but is gone now. The old right-of-way around the south side of Tahlequah was visible from U.S. 62 for many years but has been obscured as the area has developed with fast-food restaurants and discount stores. The bridge abutments are still visible along Barren Fork Creek and the Illinois River, if you know where to look if and when you take a float trip on one of these streams. There also are remnants of the ROW around the town of Hulbert west of Tahlequah.

[DR JIM FITE]

The UP tracks to the power plant at Muskogee on the way to Tahlequah are part of that line.  It joins the UP at Fort Gibson and is now welded rail for unit coal trains if joe hasn't canned them.  The road to Fort Gibson Dam is pretty much the old RR bed where the line went through the lake there now emerging toward Hulbert.   A small segment of sentimental rail still is left just below the dam.  It followed the highway from Hulbert to Tahlequah and entered Tahlequah behind the High School.  The fill is still there.  It went over the hill and through Go Ye Village and behind Walmart in Tahlequah.  You can get to it and walk it at Walking Stick Road (I think it is called).  Then to Park Hill, Wahilla private club, Welling and Eldon and up the valley to Westville where it crossed the KCS.  Some remnants are still there but very hard to find.  You can see it curving into Westville North of town on its way to KCS crossing.  There are a couple of old bridge piers west of Fayetteville if they are still there.  It merged with the Frisco near the south end of the University at the station still standing.  Portions of the right of way and fills can be seen between Eldon and Proctor to Christy where it went around the mountain and then curved toward Westville.  You can see the right of way from the country road called Ross Swimmer Road.  I grew up there and hiked and tracked as much as I could.   There was a 2nd railroad graded from the north into Tahlequah and about 3 miles south.  It ran down Water Street.  The line was graded but nary a rail was ever laid.  Hope this helps.  Aren't many of us interested unless you live there.

[DR JIM FITE]

Early 1900's to about 1941 when abandoned for scrap metal.  Frisco acquired the O&CC early after contstruction about 1907 I think.  I have a paper bound book a local fella wrote on the line.  Much of the right of way was pretty flat and has disappeared, probably for the dirt in it.   You can see a few remnants East of cemetery in Tahlequah and behind Walmart and behind the high school.  The land is so featureless it is hard to tell what is old right of way and what is just low hillocks.  Sometimes a tree line or fence follow it but it is very hard to track, so to speak.    [e-mail]

[DR JIM FITE]

Just a short spur of track in Fayetteville to a couple of industries south of the University remain.  All other rails gone after OGE spur at Fort Gibson which is original ROW.  You can find a fair amount of roadbed from Welling to north of Westville at the highway.  You can find a few concrete culverts.  [e-mail]

[DR JIM FITE]

Here's a decent synopsis of the Ozarks and Cherokee Central RR throhgh Tahlequah running from Okmulgee to Fayetteville.  I have a paper bound book of the history of the RR. 

 https://www.condrenrails.com/Frisco/O&CC%20Ry/O&CC-History.html

[e-mail]

[DR JIM FITE]

Here's a map of the Tahlequah line FYI.  The orange line is incorrect in that it shows the O&CC running around the mountain on the north side from Christie to Westville and it actually ran south around the mountain throgh Adalee and up the valley to Westville.  This can be followed on the rural road Ross Swimmer Road and the fill and roadbed seen well.   I can't find it from Christie to Adalee.  Jim Fite

https://www.fayettevillehistory.com/maps/2009/11/fayetteville-railroads.html?cid=6a00d83451fb5369e20133f5439c9d970b#comment-6a00d83451fb5369e20133f5439c9d970b

 

[samfp1943]

DR JIM FITE

Here's a map of the Tahlequah line FYI.  The orange line is incorrect in that it shows the O&CC running around the mountain on the north side from Christie to Westville and it actually ran south around the mountain throgh Adalee and up the valley to Westville.  This can be followed on the rural road Ross Swimmer Road and the fill and roadbed seen well.   I can't find it from Christie to Adalee.  Jim Fite

https://www.fayettevillehistory.com/maps/2009/11/fayetteville-railroads.html?cid=6a00d83451fb5369e20133f5439c9d970b#comment-6a00d83451fb5369e20133f5439c9d970b

[Heated link from OP's post! ]

Been a long time since I had thought about this; But, mucho years back, My family and friends used to frequent the area of Ft. Gibson Lake, at a place called Snug Harbor'. At that place, there was an in door fishing facility; it was built using a former railroad bridge (Thru truss). It was a terrific place to fish, in incliment conditions .... 

  The location, West of Hulbert, OK, seems to 'match' the former ROW of the O&CC RR (?). The bridge was partially dismantled when The Lake was empounded (roundabout 1942 (?) ); The eastern half  opf the bridge,was removed (?), and the Fishing Pier was constructed and acessed from the West side of the Lake. Not sure if it is still in use there?  Thanks, Doctor, for the memories! 

[mudchicken]

RECORD FODDER:

 

From the ICC Valuation Dockets (VD-400; 149-ICC-139):

OZARK & CHEROKEE CENTRAL RAILWAY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Louis and San Francisco RR Name change, April 19, 1901 103.00 mi.

Fayetteville, AR to Muskogee, OK, 1903

North Arkansas & Western Railway (4/19/1901) Muskogee City Bridge Company (3/16/1903)

Shawnee, Oklahoma and Missouri Coal and Railway (3/16/1903)

ICC Valuation Sections 16,17,18 (OK) AND 1,3,8 (AR)

Fayette Jcn to Petigrew AR abandons 1936  FD-11206 (221-ICC-241, 40 miles)

Bacon to Ft. Gibson OK abandons 1970 FD-26382 (10-13-71, 35 miles)

McNair/Fayetteville AR to E Ft Fibson, OK FD-13609 (252-ICC-803 1-24-42, 91.16 miles)

[Jeff Collins]

DR JIM FITE

The UP tracks to the power plant at Muskogee on the way to Tahlequah are part of that line.  It joins the UP at Fort Gibson and is now welded rail for unit coal trains if joe hasn't canned them.  The road to Fort Gibson Dam is pretty much the old RR bed where the line went through the lake there now emerging toward Hulbert.   A small segment of sentimental rail still is left just below the dam.  It followed the highway from Hulbert to Tahlequah and entered Tahlequah behind the High School.  The fill is still there.  It went over the hill and through Go Ye Village and behind Walmart in Tahlequah.  You can get to it and walk it at Walking Stick Road (I think it is called).  Then to Park Hill, Wahilla private club, Welling and Eldon and up the valley to Westville where it crossed the KCS.  Some remnants are still there but very hard to find.  You can see it curving into Westville North of town on its way to KCS crossing.  There are a couple of old bridge piers west of Fayetteville if they are still there.  It merged with the Frisco near the south end of the University at the station still standing.  Portions of the right of way and fills can be seen between Eldon and Proctor to Christy where it went around the mountain and then curved toward Westville.  You can see the right of way from the country road called Ross Swimmer Road.  I grew up there and hiked and tracked as much as I could.   There was a 2nd railroad graded from the north into Tahlequah and about 3 miles south.  It ran down Water Street.  The line was graded but nary a rail was ever laid.  Hope this helps.  Aren't many of us interested unless you live there.

 

I'm interested! You mentioned Wauhillau Outing Club having some remnants of the railroad but I don't remember where they were, but I haven't been there fo years. My family were members of Sequoyah Club (near Park Hill) and there are still pilings on each side and a large pier in the middle of the Illinois River there. Did they belong to the same line? I'm assuming so. Sequoyah Club used to have a joint Father Son float trip with Wauhilla every year, and we would float down the Baron Fork to where it intersected with the Illinois, then we were walking distance upriver to Sequoyah Club where we would all have dinner....however, some of our dads were so sloshed by then they just wanted to go to bed! Most of the members/founders of Sequoyah Club were from Muskogee, many went to Shattuck School where I went in the late 60's. They would tell of the days when the road between Muskogee and Tahlequah ( teens and 1920's) was just a trail, so hazardous to drive, and took 5-6 hours. When the train came it had a Sequoyah Club stop. That is when the wives and children would live out there all summer, and the dads could commute easily, if not every day, on weekends. It was a glorious place to be as a kid in the summer.

[DR JIM FITE]

Jeff, yes the concrete piers at Sequoyah Club were the bridge piers on the line through Tahlequah from Fayetteville to Okmulgee.   A long fill led up to the bridge on the East side of it.  I haven't been there in years.  There were 3 young women killed on that bridge when they walked over it and a train hit them.  They didn't realize their only hope was to jump into the river.  I hiked as much of the old right of way as I could find but much of the terrain is flat and you just can't identify the roadbed in many places.  Jim

[JOHN RICE]

For all of you railroad archeologists, there is still original rail of the O&CC sticking out where it crossed Old Morris Highway east of Okmulgee. 

15873 Old Morris Highway.

Also the original trestle across Cussetah Creek is still there but hard to reach.