Historic Rock Island Depot Chickasha was incorporated in 1892.  It may have started out as a bedraggled tent city of pioneers and prospectors, but soon the “Queen of the Washita” was setting the tone for progress and prosperity in western Oklahoma. Cotton, oil and cattle, and an ambitious institution for girls all made Chickasha something unique in the young state. This town was no blip on a map or mere rest stop – it was a destination. And at the heart of all the activity and growth was the Rock Island Depot. Tracks for the Rock Island Railroad arrived in Chickasha in 1892. The facility began as a boxcar that had been placed on the siding, but eventually grew to include over 150 structures. In 1910-11, the railroad built the handsome stucco edifice that is still one of Chickasha’s most notable sites today. Sadly, as with many towns in Oklahoma, the prosperity did not last long. In the 1920s, a labor dispute so disgusted the president of the Rock Island Railroad that he relocated most of its business. It was a deep blow to the local economy. Over time, markets changed, transportation evolved, and the oil boom/bust left Chickasha in the dust. A shadow fell over the once-thriving downtown, terminating at the locked and silent Depot. The silence lasted until 1985, when the Chickasha Antique Automobile Club took the Depot property to serve as both club headquarters and a museum.  In 1992, the club applied for a grant to restore the depot building and was awarded $600,000.  The club added $240,000 of their own funds, taken from the proceeds of their annual spring and fall swap meets.  The restoration began in 1997, and the Depot was rededicated on June 11, 1998.  The transportation hub became a transportation museum. 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Daily          October 1-2, 2010          Chickasha, Oklahoma Sponsored by the Chickasha Area Arts Council HOME          Contact Us     Directions to     Media     Links     Site Map