Oklahoma, New Mexico and Pacific Railroad Depot - Ardmore, OK
N 34° 10.582 W 097° 07.627
14S E 672610 N 3783295
Placed on the National Register in 1982, the old Ringling Road Station is used today by American Legion Post 65, who meet here on the first Monday of the month at 6 PM.
Waymark Code: WMW2FB
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 07/01/2017
Views: 3
Secondary Website 1 provides some in-depth detail, while the Statement of Significance explains why this old depot is extra special, with its ties to John Ringling:
The Ringling Road Depot in Ardmore is significant because it is the only building in Oklahoma directly associated with John Ringling of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.
John Ringling's railroad building efforts led directly to the establishment of three towns in southern Oklahoma: Ringling, Wilson, and Healdton, as well as the Healdton oil field.
Ringling and the city of Ardmore built this depot in 1915 with Ringling's Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Pacific Railroad Company. Construction of a line west from Ardmore had been begun in 1913 and was supposed to reach Lawton, Oklahoma. By the time builders finished the depot, the line extended 25 miles to the west, the present site of Ringling, Oklahoma. The depot built there no longer exists.
The Ringling Road never extended further west than Ringling because of the discovery of oil at Healdton, Oklahoma. The oilfield at Healdton was vital to the Allied effort in World War I. It supplied 50% of all the oil the Allied powers used during the war. The Ringling Road made this output possible.
The Santa Fe Railroad Company purchased the Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Pacific Railroad from Ringling in 1926. Santa Fe used the line until 1976, when they closed the 25-mile stretch.
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While they are small towns, Ringling, Wilson, and Healdton are all still with us today.
Street address:
301 N Washington St
Ardmore, OK USA
73401
County / Borough / Parish: Carter
Year listed: 1982
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Transportation
Periods of significance: 1900-1924
Historic function: Transportation
Current function: Social
Privately owned?: no
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
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