For more than 30 years, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad was the sole line running through Muskogee. Built in 1871-72, this line had for many years been the only railroad in Indian Territory, but by the turn of the century that was changing.

A newspaper article in February of 1900 noted that Wagoner had three railroads compared to Muskogee’s one. Citizens of Muskogee began to clamor for an east-west line to be built, but financing was an issue. However, a new railroad was proposed to run from Muskogee to Tahlequah.

For the next several months, many meetings were held among officials from Muskogee, Fort Gibson and Tahlequah to discuss this proposed line. The major impediment to building the line — besides money — was the need for a bridge over the Grand River.

In September of 1900, Mayor D.M. Wisdom of Muskogee appointed a railroad task force including Clarence Turner, Andrew Robb, H.B. Spaulding, Leo Bennett and Joseph Sondheimer. These men met with representatives from Fort Gibson and Tahlequah to lay out plans for this much-needed railroad.

Muskogee agreed that it would undertake the expense of building the river bridge and laying tracks to Fort Gibson. Then Fort Gibson and Tahlequah would share the expense of completing the rail line between these two towns.

It was not until April of 1901 that the railroad was assured. Not surprisingly this was about the time a young railroad investor named Charles Haskell arrived in Muskogee. It was Haskell, a master of raising investor funds, who helped the rail line become a reality. It was given the name of the Ozark and Cherokee Central Railroad.

By July of that year surveying had begun for the railroad and plans were announced to extend it all the way to Fayetteville, Ark. The tracks would parallel the Barren Fork Creek, which was hardly a straight line, but would be the easiest route through the flint hills east of Tahlequah.

Muskogee also built a roundhouse, or repair facility, for the Ozark and Cherokee thus moving the community toward its future as a railroad hub. Progress on the line continued steadily over the next year. Graders worked from both directions, coming out of Fayetteville and moving west and out of Muskogee moving east.

The line was completed in February of 1903 and members of the Muskogee Elks Club were among the first passengers to book a trip to the Cherokee capital on the new railroad. A report of their excursion was given in the Phoenix two days later and the writer waxed eloquent about the journey “among the eternal hills of flint ... where coolest springs from the hillside flow.”

A little over a year later, the successful east-west line was bought by the Frisco Railroad, no doubt returning a profit to investors such as Charles Haskell. This enabled him to bring several railroads to Muskogee.