Railroad officials chose Antlers as the site due to the presence of a well-watered spring of fresh water.

This ordinance prevented the Frisco Railroad from replacing the depot with a stucco building such as had just been built (and still exists) in Hugo, Indian Territory.

Freight service continued until February 1981, when the Burlington Northern Railroad—which had since purchased the Frisco Railroad—closed and abandoned all railroad track, trestles and right-of-way north of Antlers.

South of the town the track remained in place and pulpwood continued being loaded onto railroad cars at the Antlers Depot for shipment southbound.

Senator Don Nickles announced that Burlington Northern agreed to donate the depot to the historical society.

At the time the depot’s registration nomination was prepared for entry into the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, the building was empty except for the agent’s office.

Ticket windows and desks made of walnut—original furnishings—were still in place, as was the train order board lever controls, which were still in use.

The historical society contends that it received ownership outright from Burlington Northern in 1985, and labored solely to restore, preserve and operate the building until recent times.

Historical society officers acknowledge the validity of the city’s claim but say that a transfer of ownership occurred as part of the fine print on a lengthy legal document purporting to achieve other objectives.

“…Title to the Depot building was transferred to the city in an underhanded manner,” society officials wrote in a letter published in the town newspaper.