Rock Island Depot - Wewoka, OK
Posted by: hamquilter
N 35° 09.656 W 096° 29.466
14S E 728516 N 3893772
The Wewoka depot has a fascinating story behind it.
Waymark Code: WMX5H8
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 11/30/2017
Views: 2
The Rock Island depot is a one-story frame building with a gabled roof, currently occupied by the Wewoka Chamber of Commerce. Wewoka was established in 1866 and is the capital of the Seminole Nation. In 1895, the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad (to become Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad in 1902) came through Wewoka on its way from McAlester to Oklahoma City.
Wewoka had side tracks to allow trains to pass each other east and west. This was known as the Wewoka Switch. During the oil boom when the town's population grew from 2,000 to 20,000, confusion reigned and merchandise often became "lost". The expression "I'm lost in the Wewoka Switch" became a common expression to mean you were in a bind or facing a trying situation. To read the full story of the Wewoka Switch, (
visit link)
The Switch which extended a half mile east and west of this depot has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The depot is located on N. Wewoka Avenue, on the north edge of the town. Across the street from the depot is a small historical park with a granite plaque documenting the History of the Wewoka Switch.