Hamden, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Hamden is a community in northern Choctaw County, Oklahoma
, seven miles southeast of Antlers, Oklahoma
.
A United States Post Office was established at Hamden, Indian Territory on March 31, 1894 and operated until May 15, 1924. Hamden is on the boundary separating Choctaw County and Pushmataha County, and residents of the community live in both.
During the 1880s the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway
, more popularly known as the “Frisco”, built a line from north to south through the Choctaw Nation
of the Indian Territory
, connecting Fort Smith, Arkansas
with Paris, Texas
. Train stations were established every few miles to aid in opening up the land and, more particularly, to serve as the locations of section houses. Supervisors for their respective miles of track lived in the section houses to administer the track and its right-of-way. These stations also served as points at which the trains could draw water
.
The site of Hamden was selected because of its proximity to a local creek. Adjacent station stops were established to the north and south.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Kiamitia County
(Kiamichi County) of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land.
Few roads or trails existed. Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether.
Hamden, in its commercial heyday, boasted a cotton gin
, store
, school
and churches, in addition to numerous homes
. Residents continue to live in the area. The only local landmarks are a community center and the foundations of the old cotton gin, located near the railroad tracks and creek.
Choctaw County, Oklahoma
Choctaw County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 15,342. Its county seat is Hugo.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
, seven miles southeast of Antlers, Oklahoma
Antlers, Oklahoma
Antlers is a city in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma. The population was 2,552 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pushmataha County.-Geography:Antlers is located at...
.
A United States Post Office was established at Hamden, Indian Territory on March 31, 1894 and operated until May 15, 1924. Hamden is on the boundary separating Choctaw County and Pushmataha County, and residents of the community live in both.
During the 1880s the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway
St. Louis-San Francisco Railway
The St. Louis – San Francisco Railway , also known as the Frisco, was a railroad that operated in the Midwest and South Central U.S. from 1876 to 1980.-History:...
, more popularly known as the “Frisco”, built a line from north to south through the Choctaw Nation
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is a semi-autonomous Native American homeland comprising twelve tribal districts. The Choctaw Nation maintains a special relationship with both the United States and Oklahoma governments...
of the Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
, connecting Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
with Paris, Texas
Paris, Texas
Paris, Texas is a city located northeast of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex in Lamar County, Texas, in the United States. It is situated in Northeast Texas at the western edge of the Piney Woods. Physiographically, these regions are part of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. In 1900, 9,358 people lived...
. Train stations were established every few miles to aid in opening up the land and, more particularly, to serve as the locations of section houses. Supervisors for their respective miles of track lived in the section houses to administer the track and its right-of-way. These stations also served as points at which the trains could draw water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
.
The site of Hamden was selected because of its proximity to a local creek. Adjacent station stops were established to the north and south.
The sparsely-populated area, at that time known as Kiamitia County
Kiamitia County
Kiamitia County, also known as Kiamichi County, was a political subdivision of the Choctaw Nation of Indian Territory. The county formed part of the nation’s Pushmataha District, or Third District, one of three administrative super-regions....
(Kiamichi County) of the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, was home to Choctaw Indians who farmed or subsisted on the land.
Few roads or trails existed. Transportation was provided by the Frisco Railroad, which offered six trains per day—three in each direction—until it closed to passenger traffic during the late 1950s. It continued freight operations until 1981, when it closed altogether.
Hamden, in its commercial heyday, boasted a cotton gin
Cotton gin
A cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, a job formerly performed painstakingly by hand...
, store
Store
Store may refer to:*a retail store*a place where things are stored, e.g. a ship's paint store*expendables released from an aircraft, such as ordnance or countermeasures*Štore, a town and a municipality in eastern Slovenia...
, school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
and churches, in addition to numerous homes
Homes
Homes may refer to:*the plural form of "home";*an abbreviation of "homie".HOMES may refer to:*a mnemonic for remembering the names of five Great Lakes....
. Residents continue to live in the area. The only local landmarks are a community center and the foundations of the old cotton gin, located near the railroad tracks and creek.