Hello Frisco Folks! These are all of the photographs that I have come on the old depot in Ozark, Missouri. Take care, Rich Ship it on the Frisco!
Hello Frisco Folks, I wanted to update some of the photographs for Ozark, MO. Today I have added a picture of Garrison Spring. Garrison Spring fed water to the previously uploaded pictures of the Ozark Branch water tower. History of the Spring: Around 1881-1883, when the railroad line was built from Springfield, MO to Chadwick, MO a water pipeline of approximately 4" in diameter, was installed from the reservoir at the spring, to the railroad tower. Water was then distributed to the depot, the apartments on the second level, and the section house. This was the first running water in Ozark. The railroad paid Martha Jane Garrison $100 annually for the water. The water line is still visible today in many spots from the reservoir, and along the branch. http://www.ozarkchamber.com/garrison.php The railroad was known as the Chadwick Flyer. Take care, Rich Ship it on the Frisco!
Rich, Thank you so much for posting these photos! My son wanted to do his historic model for school on the Ozark train depot. After hours of searching for some pictures, I was so excited to find yours! He will be thrilled too! We know where Garrison Springs is, but can you tell us more about where the depot was located? We really appreciate your help! Thanks again! Kelli and my second grade son.
Hi Kelli I am only happy to help. The location of the old Frisco Depot in Ozark is easy to find. I have posted a photo of the location. If you are taking 14 east from Highway 65 keep you eye out for 10th Street on the right. It is across form the antique mall and before the Diamond Shamrock gas station. Go down 10th Street till you see a car wash. That unfortunately is where the station should be standing. You can still see evidence of the roadbed for the track and bridges in the area. From behind the Diamond Shamrock gas station across the 14 and going behind the Chinese restaurant you can see the the location of the old tracks. It is very evident by the vertical cut in 14th Street. If you want to follow them further, you can see where the tracks cane down from Springfield. You can start at the power plant on Fremont Road by Lake Springfield. You will wind through the country. You lose them around Fremont and Highway CC. They went through part of Fremont Hills (Cassidy). If you go to Highway CC and 22nd Street and head south just past the the Conoco station you will see some apartments on you right. Just past them you see a depression in land, that is were the tracks came on to 22nd Street. But at the time, 22nd, did not exist. You are now traveling down the old Frisco railroad bed. As you approach Tracker Boats the road bends to the right. If you look straight you can see the railroad roadbed continues straight through Tracker boats. You can see some the road bed again around Caroline's Pampered Pets. But where you can really see it is just south of Bumbsteads. Just past there parking lot on the left you will see a big hump of dirt in the woods. From there it crossed the highway. When you get back on 14th heading east just pass all of the fast food restaurants and before you get to Empire Bank, you can look north and see the roadbed. To the south you will see it go behind Empire Bank heading toward the carwash. If you need any more information, please let me know. Take care, Rich Ship it on the Frisco!
Hi Kelli Here is a photograph, it is not the best, of the "Chadwick Flyer" from the 1920s. That was the name of the train that traveled from Springfield through Ozark to Chadwick on a daily basis. Date 6/1923. FEM FM
From the Springfield Public Library's Digital Collection of the Frisco Employees' Magazine. See pages 6-8 from the June 1926, for a story about the men who ran the Chadwick Turn. http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/frisco/magazines/magazines.cfm
Hi Kelli I found a few more photographs of the Frisco depot, bridge, and an early photograph of the "Chadwick Flyer." The first one is the original depot, building in the middle, before it was enlarged. In the second one is the station is behind the mill. You can see the water tower on the left. The third one is a shot of Ozark with the bridge and the water tower in the far right corner The fourth one is a view of the bridge. If you were to walk down the old road bed behind the the Chinese restaurant on 14th Street you would see the beginning of the bridge in the far left. Last but not least, an early shot of the Chadwick Flyer. The photo that Frisco Meteor posted and the magazine that Karl mention should be helpful too! I hope this helps your son, Take care, Rich Ship it on the Frisco!
WOW!! Those are so great! Thank you all so much for your help! I hope we can do this model justice! We have built the platform for the train and are planning on finishing it up tomorrow. If it turns out halfway decent, I might post a picture of it on here. If nothing else, it might be good for a few laughs! Unfortunately, we do not have any older trains for him to use so the tracks will be bare! My son's whole second grade went on a tour of Ozark's historical buildings and he came home with so many stories! It was really interesting to learn some of the history since I did not grow up here. We will have to make it to the tracks some time this summer and explore. He will love that! I have actually seen some of the places you mentioned, so I will have to be sure and point them out when we go by next time. BTW, my uncle worked on the Frisco for many years in Springfield. I am sure he already knows, but I will have to pass this web site on to him just in case. When I was little, it was always a big deal when the train came through St. James, MO because it was "Uncle Marty's train". Thanks again for your help everyone, and sorry if I rambled too much! Kelli
Hello to all on this particular subject, If you go by the old mill located alongside the old metal roadway bridge going over the Finley River, you can see the tracks in front of the mill. Thought I would bring this little tidbit to attention. Gary Wayne
From Richard Crabtree on Frisco Rails Across Missouri: Here we are at the Frisco depot in Ozark, Missouri and the famed Chadwick Flyer. At the depot we see bunch of beautiful Gibson Girls waiting to board the train northbound to Springfield, Missouri. It would appear that the train is running late and someone is yelling for them to get on the train! Photograph circa 1890s. For those wondering what a Gibson Girl was see the link below. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_Girl
This photograph has been published several times, and there has been speculation with regard to the young ladies. One opined that this was a wedding party, another thought that they were members of a school class, and another thought that they were headed to Springfield for a day in the big city. The depot livery and McCraken Grain Company point to a post 1910 date.
The Finley River Mill has been restored. Grand opening Oct. 7 to 10, 2021. Do not know if they put the spur track along side of it. It would look neat if they had Frisco box car there.
No tracks at the mill, nor to Ozark, MO. Unfortunately no easy way to get an appropriate box car there.