Antlers Frisco Depot and Antlers Spring facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Antlers Frisco Depot and Antlers Spring
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 Location in Oklahoma
Location in the United States
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| Location | 119 W. Main St., Antlers, Oklahoma |
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| Area | 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) |
| Built | 1911 |
| NRHP reference No. | 80003298 |
| Added to NRHP | June 27, 1980 |
The Frisco Depot and the nearby Antlers Spring are important historic places in Antlers, Oklahoma, United States. They are both listed together on the National Register of Historic Places, which means they are recognized for their special history.
Contents
The Antlers Frisco Depot: A Historic Place
How Antlers Began with the Railroad
The town of Antlers exists because of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad, often called the Frisco Railroad. This railroad opened in June 1887. It was built through the mountains and forests of the Choctaw Nation in what was then the Indian Territory. The railroad brought new life and connections to the area.
Many trains ran every day. There were three passenger trains and two freight trains going in each direction. This meant ten trains passed through daily! To keep the tracks in good shape, the railroad set up "section houses" every few miles. Workers lived in these houses and were in charge of maintaining the tracks nearby.
One of these section houses was built where Antlers is today. Railroad officials chose this spot because there was a fresh water spring. Around the spring, hunters had nailed many deer antlers to trees as trophies. These antlers became a local landmark. The station was first called Beaver Station, but it was soon renamed Antlers.
Antlers quickly grew into a busy town. It had a wooden railroad station and many wooden businesses. But in 1904, a big fire destroyed much of the downtown area. After the fire, town leaders made a rule. All new buildings had to be fireproof, made of brick, stone, or cement. This rule meant the Frisco Railroad had to build a strong, brick depot.
In March 1913, the railroad announced plans for a new brick building. Construction began two months later. On June 5, 1914, the new depot opened. It quickly became the most important building in Antlers. Crowds would gather to meet passenger trains, and business owners used freight trains to send and receive goods. For many years, the depot was the busiest place in the county.
Changes Over Time
On February 1, 1958, a new era began. The Frisco Railroad stopped offering passenger train service. This happened because more people were buying cars, and new highways were being built. Freight service continued until February 1981. At that time, the Burlington Northern Railroad, which had bought the Frisco Railroad, closed the tracks north of Antlers.
South of Antlers, the tracks stayed open. Wood products were still loaded onto trains at the Antlers Depot. This continued until 1990, when a new loading area was built just south of town.
In 1984, the Pushmataha County Historical Society was formed. Their first big goal was to get the old Antlers depot. They wanted to fix it up and turn it into a county museum. On June 1, 1985, U.S. Senator Don Nickles announced good news. Burlington Northern agreed to give the depot to the historical society. The society then began its work to restore the building.
Inside the Depot Building
The depot building has a simple, long design. It is 100 feet long and 30 feet wide. It's made of red brick with a flat roof. A wooden canopy hangs over the observation window.
Inside, about half of the building was for passengers, and the other half was for storing or moving freight. The building's design shows how things were in the past. It had separate waiting rooms and restrooms. There was a waiting room for white passengers and another for Black passengers.
When the depot was nominated to be a historic place in 1979, it was mostly empty. But the agent's office still had its original walnut ticket windows and desks. The controls for the train order board were also still there and being used.
The Antlers Spring
The Antlers Spring also has a long history. It was important for the railroad and the town. Over time, it was enclosed in a concrete wall and roofed. Even though it still flowed, it had not been well cared for. However, its historical importance was recognized. It was included with the depot when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
What's Happening Now at the Depot
Today, the Antlers Depot is home to two important groups. The Pushmataha County Chamber of Commerce uses the space that was once the white passenger waiting room. The Pushmataha County Historical Society uses the former ticket office, the Black passenger waiting room, and the freight room.
There have been some disagreements about who officially owns the building. The historical society believes they received full ownership from Burlington Northern in 1985. They worked hard to restore and care for the building for many years. More recently, the City of Antlers has said it owns the building. They point to legal papers signed by historical society officers that seem to transfer the deed to the city.
The historical society officers agree that the city's claim is legally valid. But they say the ownership transfer happened in a confusing way, hidden in a long legal document. They wrote in the local newspaper that the transfer was "underhanded." They felt their board and members were not properly informed. They believe the city might have the legal title, but not the "moral title."
Despite these differences, the city and the historical society have worked together well. The city manager now helps with the depot's physical upkeep. From 2009 to 2013, the chamber of commerce also had space there. Even with the ownership questions, both groups have successfully worked to preserve the Depot. It continues to be a public trust. The building now serves solely as the home of the historical society. Volunteers staff it and keep it open throughout the week for visitors.
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