Kosoma, Oklahoma facts for kids
Kosoma is a ghost town in Oklahoma, USA. It used to be a busy railroad station. You can find it in Pushmataha County, about 10 miles north of Antlers, right off Oklahoma State Highway 2.
Contents
Exploring Kosoma's Location
Kosoma is in a beautiful, wild area. It sits next to the Kiamichi River, at the bottom of a place called Big Mountain (also known as Deer Mountain). Nearby is Lost Mountain, which looks like a cone and stands alone in the middle of the Kiamichi River valley.
Two important streams flow near where Kosoma was built. Buck Creek is to the south, and Pine Creek is to the north. Both streams have plenty of water.
Kosoma's Past: A Railroad Town
People have lived in the area where Kosoma is now since at least the 1880s. Back then, the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, often called the "Frisco" railroad, built tracks through the Choctaw Nation. These tracks connected Fort Smith, Arkansas with Paris, Texas.
The railroad tracks followed the Kiamichi River for much of their path in what is now Pushmataha County. Train stations were set up every few miles. These stations helped open up the land and were home to "section houses." Supervisors lived in these houses to manage their parts of the track. The stations also allowed trains to get water.
Kosoma was chosen as a station stop because it was close to the Kiamichi River, which had lots of water. Other stations nearby were Wadena, four miles north, and Moyers, three miles south.
What Does "Kosoma" Mean?
The name Kosoma comes from the Choctaw language. It means "place of the stinking water." This name comes from the strong-smelling sulphur springs found nearby.
A Busy Timber Town
The area was not very populated at first. It was known as Jack’s Fork County in the Pushmataha District of the Choctaw Nation, part of the Indian Territory. Choctaw Indians lived there, farming or living off the land. There were not many roads or trails.
But when the railroad arrived, white settlers came looking for business chances. Kosoma quickly became a "boomtown" because of its busy timber industry. Sawmills were built in the mountains around the town. These mills used Kosoma’s railroad station to ship their wood.
At its busiest, Kosoma had many businesses. There were stores, saloons, and doctor’s offices. It even had at least one dance hall!
Changes in Transportation
The Frisco Railroad provided transportation, with six trains running each day (three in each direction). This continued until the late 1950s, when passenger trains stopped. Freight trains kept running until 1981, when the railroad closed completely and its rails were removed.
Around the same time passenger trains stopped, Oklahoma State Highway 2 was being built. This new paved road went from Antlers to two miles north of Moyers. It was later finished in the 1980s. North of Kosoma, the highway was unpaved and rough until it was completed in the 1980s. Before the highway, traveling by land was very difficult. It was especially hard to cross Buck Creek, which had a steep valley.
Kosoma's Decline
A United States Post Office was opened in Kosoma, Indian Territory, on November 28, 1888. This shows how important the town was soon after the railroad opened. However, as the forests in the area were cut down, Kosoma began to decline in the early 1900s. Its post office closed in 1954.
Today, Kosoma is a ghost town. Only two or three buildings are still standing. You can find them just off the short “Kosoma Loop” from State Highway 2. Sadly, these buildings have been damaged.
World War II Air Crashes
During World War II, two deadly airplane crashes happened near Kosoma. British pilots were flying from a Royal Air Force base in Texas. Bad weather caused their planes to crash into White Rock Mountain and Big Mountain. Four crew members died. Two planes were destroyed, but a third plane managed to crash-land safely a few miles northwest in Jumbo.
On February 20, 2000, the AT6 Monument was dedicated to these brave fliers. It is located at the crash site on Big Mountain, just southeast of Kosoma. Over 1,000 people came to the ceremony. News about the event was shared by the British Broadcasting Corporation and many newspapers around the world.
You can find more information about Kosoma and the Kiamichi River valley at the Pushmataha County Historical Society.
