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40-558: The Choctaw Rocket followed a railway built by the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad between 1900 and 1902, informally known as the Choctaw Route . The CO&G and its railways were purchased by the Rock Island railroad in 1902. A predecessor train, along the same route, and having the numbers #51/52, had the name, Chocktaw Limited in the 1930s. After an inaugural tour at cities along

80-499: A bridge across the Canadian River. The state then used the bridge in its construction of State Highway 18 , drawing a small amount of trade to the area from nearby cities, such as Ada. Before the construction of the bridge, those south of Asher could only cross the river when it was shallow enough. Asher, originally a cotton farming community, suffered in its early years from crop losses caused by boll weevils. Farmers were then dealt

120-566: A further blow when the town's first two cotton gins were destroyed by fire. These setbacks compounded the loss of trade and left the town in dire straits. In 1927, oil was discovered in and around the town. Asher sprang up almost overnight to serve the needs of the oil workers. It was also around this time that executives moved into Asher and purchased enormous amounts of supplies and merchandise at inflated prices. There were many businesses in town including feed and grocery stores, jewelry stores and drug stores as well as banks, barber shops, hotels and

160-472: A high school (grades 9 to 12). The school was established in 1903. In 1913, there were four other school districts within three miles (5 km) of Asher—Clover Dale, Gravel Hill, Avoca , and Pleasant Hill. The schools were small, consisting of only a room or two. Basic facilities were at a minimum. Talk began of consolidating all of the schools into the Asher district. This was later accomplished, presumably around

200-676: A name which lasted until mid-1958. After the discontinuance of Western Pacific 's rail diesel car trains 1-2 ( Salt Lake City - San Francisco ) in 1960, the Rock Island's Memphis - Amarillo RDC route held the distinction of being the longest such route in the United States. Declining patronage and a desire by the Rock Island to close many small-town depots resulted in the discontinuance of this route, now designated as unnamed trains 23–24, with last runs occurring on August 8, 1964. Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad The Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad ( CO&G ), known informally as

240-661: A result of the dissolution of the Rock Island Railroad in 1980. Some segments of the former CO&G were abandoned; others remain in use by the Union Pacific Railroad and various short lines . As of 2014, the former Choctaw Route can be described from east to west as: The former Choctaw Route passenger depot in Little Rock, Arkansas , is now a component of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park , though

280-535: A second crew operated between McAlester and Amarillo. By 1952, the Choctaw Rocket had lost its Rocket designation, Rock Island's identification for the company's premier passenger trains, reflecting the route's downgrade to secondary train status. In August 1953, the conventional locomotive-pulled trains were replaced by self-propelled Budd rail diesel cars and the trains were renamed the Choctaw Rockette ,

320-640: A small theater. Many leading families of Oklahoma, such as the McAlisters, the O'Dells, the Patterson's, the Campbells and the Byruns, lived in the town. There were also many doctors with offices in Asher. For a while, Asher became prosperous. Tecumseh, Oklahoma , was originally the county seat of Pottawatomie County. In late 1930, a long-standing war between Shawnee and Tecumseh escalated when voters approved measures to move

360-515: A trading post operated by Jesse Chisholm , for whom the famous cattle trail was named. A Chisholm family home and cemetery are also located in Asher. The Sacred Heart Mission Site is nine miles east of Asher. As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 393 people, 161 households, and 106 families residing in the town. The population density was 491.25 inhabitants per square mile (189.67/km ). There were 184 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile (89/km ). The racial makeup of

400-501: Is a time table of major events that occurred in Asher as well as surrounding communities whose events affected Asher's history. Asher's post office was established on November 26, 1901, when it was moved from nearby Avoca. Below is a list of Asher postmasters. The town is in the Asher Public Schools school district. Asher Public Schools is an independent school district. It has an elementary school (grades Pre-K to 8) and

440-597: The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (the "Rock Island") in 1902, and was formally merged into the Rock Island on January 1, 1948. The Memphis-Amarillo route remained an important main line for the Rock Island, hosting local and transcontinental freight traffic as well as passenger trains such as the Choctaw Rocket from 1940-1964. Ownership of the Choctaw Route's railway components were split into numerous pieces as

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480-472: The Choctaw Rocket . The Choctaw Rocket when inaugurated operated between Memphis, Tennessee and Amarillo, Texas. In January 1949 it was restructured to operate only between Memphis and Oklahoma City, with a connecting non-Rocket train between Oklahoma City and Amarillo. Contrary to some beliefs, the Choctaw Rocket never operated to Tucumcari, New Mexico although a companion Rock Island train on this route,

520-580: The Memphis-Californian and the Cherokee, did operate to Tucumcari, New Mexico, connecting there with the Southern Pacific Railroad to continue service west to Los Angeles . The Railway Mail Service utilized the Choctaw Rocket for United States mail transportation, sorting and distribution along the route. One railway post office crew worked between Memphis, TN and McAlester, OK, while

560-876: The Mississippi River , and ending in Huntersville, now known as North Little Rock, Arkansas . As the new owner, the C&;MR then began building west, including a bridge over the Arkansas River to Little Rock . That bridge later became known as the Rock Island Bridge, and is today the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock. The C&MR

600-468: The United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km ), all land. Asher is approximately 30 miles (48 km) south of I-40 and 34 miles (55 km) east of I-35 . Nearby cities (with a 15,000+ population) include Ada (21 miles south) and Shawnee (27 miles north). Asher is located two miles (3 km) west of Chisholm Spring , once the site of

640-618: The "Choctaw Route," was an American railroad in the states of Arkansas and Oklahoma . The company, originally known as the Choctaw Coal and Railway Company, completed its main line between West Memphis, Arkansas and western Oklahoma by 1900. In 1901 the CO&;G chartered a subsidiary company, the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Texas Railroad, to continue construction west into the Texas panhandle, and by 1902

680-544: The CO&G assets later acquired by the Rock Island; but, the whole line was abandoned February 10, 1942. The Watonga and Northwestern Railroad was incorporated in Oklahoma Territory on May 19, 1900. Its name changed to the Choctaw Northern Railroad on March 22, 1901. Though not originally controlled by the CO&G, this railway did in the 1901-1902 timeframe build its main line from a connection with

720-703: The CO&G at Geary, Oklahoma north toward the Oklahoma-Kansas border, about 106 miles distant. It passed through or created towns along the way such as Greenfield , Watonga and Homestead in Blaine County ; Cleo Springs , originally Cleo, in Major County ; and, in Alfalfa County , the towns of Aline , Augusta, Lambert , Ingersoll , Driftwood , and Amorita . At the border, it continued about 16 miles north through Waldron, Kansas —where it crossed

760-591: The CO&G took up operation of the W&;BRV under an 80-year lease. The Western Oklahoma Railroad (“WORR”) was incorporated in what was then the Territory of Oklahoma on December 11, 1900. This railway was a CO&G creation from the beginning: the CO&G arranged financing, and agreed to purchase WORR’s trackage once finished. Construction started in March, 1901 and was completed by May 1, 1902 on two different lines. One

800-596: The Shawnee to Tecumseh Railway branch from the Tecumseh Railway Co. and promptly extended the branch to Asher. For the next 40 years, Asher would serve as the termination point for the branch and its engine, " Old Beck ". Rapid construction of railroads opened up 400 square miles (1,000 km ) of a fertile section of the South Canadian River valley to shipping facilities. Asher was the trade center and market of

840-581: The adjoining historic freight depot was razed as part of the Clinton Center's development. Asher, Oklahoma Asher is a town in Pottawatomie County , Oklahoma . The population was 393 at the 2010 census , a decline of 6.2 percent from the figure of 419 in 2000. Asher is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 177 and State Highway 39 in Pottawatomie County. According to

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880-544: The area. Further development came when, on January 15, 1903, The Jennings Company closed on 1,000 business and residence lots. The Jennings Company advertised investment in the growing town and new factories and industries of various kinds soon located in Asher. Asher and the new settlers had hopes of creating a large city. However, the settlers were disappointed when the towns of Seminole and Konawa were built and took away much of Asher's trade. The people of Asher would not give up, and pulled together town resources and constructed

920-405: The county seat. The Tecumseh Railway never had any other trackage, and on December 12, 1900, it was purchased by the CO&G. In 1902 the CO&G added 20.2 miles to the line, extending it from Tecumseh to Asher , which was a cotton producing area that also experienced a short-lived oil boom starting in the late 1920s. This route, served by faithful vintage locomotive Old Beck , was among

960-713: The county that had passed the centennial mark, was honored on a centennial monument dedicated September 21, 2007. This date was chosen to coincide with the Oklahoma Centennial. Other Asher honorees were the First Baptist Church, which was founded in 1902 and Asher School, which was established in 1903. The monument is located in Centennial Park, on the grounds of the Santa Fe Museum, in Shawnee, Oklahoma . Below

1000-412: The laws of Oklahoma Territory on January 23, 1902 (and not to be confused with the main CO&G corporate entity), this CO&G subsidiary built a 38.5 mile line between Guthrie, Oklahoma and Chandler, Oklahoma in the 1902-1903 timeframe. It changed its name to the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Western Railroad on May 5, 1902. (This line was abandoned June 1, 1924.) The CO&G came under the control of

1040-652: The line of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railroad —to end at Anthony, Kansas , which had existed at the intersection of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad and the Missouri Pacific Railway since at least 1891. This gave it a mainline of about 121 miles. It also built a branch from its line at Ingersoll—a town created by the railroad—west to the Woods County seat of Alva, Oklahoma , about 16 miles. This gave

1080-475: The most valuable section of the county. Asher was slated to be the county seat and it was planned that the greater part of Tecumseh would move down to form an impressive community. There was a paper-- The Petroleum County Times —produced, meetings held and petitions circulated. However, the measure never progressed further as times were not favorable for the creation of a new county. The oil boom ended when only four wells proved to be profitable. Once again, Asher

1120-431: The new US Highway 177 . Businesses migrated to the new highway and many storefronts in the original town were closed. The final business, Green's Market, which was located on Division Street (old SH-18) closed in 1985, after serving the community for 40 years. Several businesses on US-177 remain, mostly serving those traveling through the area. In 2001, Asher celebrated its 100th anniversary. The town, along with others in

1160-520: The railroad had extended as far west as Amarillo . Following the CO&G's construction from McAlester to Oklahoma City through the town of Shawnee in 1895, the Tecumseh Railway was incorporated under the laws of Oklahoma Territory on August 20, 1896. That same year, the Tecumseh built 5.2 miles of rail from a junction near Shawnee to Tecumseh, Oklahoma , which at that time was acting as

1200-470: The railway a total trackage of about 137–138 miles. This railroad was conveyed to the CO&G on May 3, 1902. An entity called the Choctaw and Memphis Railroad (C&MR), a publicly traded company, on October 25, 1898 purchased at foreclosure the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad . That was a line running 133 miles from Hopefield, Arkansas , which was a ferry crossing point to Memphis, Tennessee across

1240-606: The route, the Choctaw Rocket entered regular service on November 17, 1940. The original locomotive and car assignments for the two Choctaw Rocket sets of equipment included E6 locomotives 628 and 629, modernized heavyweight railway post office - baggage cars 702 and 703, coaches 350- Amarillo , and 351- Oklahoma City , sleepers 622- Seminole , and 623- Wewoka , and dining -parlor- observation cars 430- Memphis , and 431- Little Rock . The coaches, sleepers and observation cars were all streamlined cars ordered from Pullman Standard Manufacturing Company, specifically for use on

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1280-469: The seat to Shawnee. A spin-off of this feud was the move for the creation of a new county, to be named Petroleum County. The new county would be composed of prime oil-producing land, including the southern half of Pottawatomie County and portions of Seminole, Pontotoc and McClain Counties. The move was started by Tecumseh supporters who wanted to make Shawnee's county seat victory as hollow as possible by removing

1320-583: The town was 75.8% white and 13% Native American , with the remainder of another race or mixed race. The population included 10 Hispanic or Latino individuals. There were 161 households, out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, half (49.7%) were married couples living together, 16.1% had a single householder with no spouse present, and 34.2% were non-families. Individuals living alone accounted for 29.2% of households. Individuals living alone who were 65 years of age or older accounted for 14.3% of households. The average household size

1360-478: Was $ 44,444. The per capita income for the town was $ 17,340. An estimated 9.2% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 20.8% of those age 65 or over. Asher dates back to 1892 when George "Matt" Asher, from Clay County, Kentucky, purchased land in Oklahoma Territory from a Shawnee estate salesperson to set up his farm home. The post office

1400-404: Was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.01. In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.7% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 35,962, and the median income for a family

1440-567: Was a 40.1 mile line from Elk City to the Texas state line near Texola, Oklahoma . The other was a 117.5 mile line from a Branch Junction near Haileyville, Oklahoma off of the Rock Island Memphis-Tucumcari line, through Tishomingo to Ardmore, Oklahoma . The CO&G purchased the lines on May 1, 1902, and operated the tracks from the first day. Originally incorporated as the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad Company under

1480-466: Was established November 26, 1901, when the postmaster of nearby Avoca, Oklahoma , George A. McCurry, moved the Avoca post office and his store to the new community that would become Asher. This was done without permission from the government and left Avoca without a post office. According to the tale, McCurry was given a home and store building as payment for moving the post office to the new settlement. The town

1520-411: Was in danger of dying out. Fortunately, another oil well was found just west of the town. This time the people connected to the well were local citizens and were cautious and conservative in their estimates and spending. This led to a small but steady production of oil in the community. Asher was dealt another setback in 1967 when SH-18 was taken out of commission and traffic was diverted west of town on

1560-423: Was named for Mr. Asher, who supplied the land with the consideration the community would carry his namesake, though he never lived there. There was a sale of public lots in 1902. Asher is the last remaining post office in the original Avoca Township, which also included the towns of Sacred Heart Mission , Osmit, Avoca, Meanko, Boyer and Violet. On October 12, 1900, the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf (CO&G) bought

1600-536: Was sold to the CO&G in 1900. The CO&G extended its Oklahoma tracks to meet the Little Rock line. The White and Black River Valley Railway (W&BRV), previously called the Batesville and Brinkley Railroad, had a line between the towns of Brinkley and Jacksonport , as well as a branch line between Wiville and Gregory , entirely within the State of Arkansas and about 62 miles in total length. On July 1, 1900,

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