The North Arkansas and Western Railroad was chartered on November 29, 1899, to connect Fayetteville with nearby Indian Territory.

Track was completed to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, under the name Ozark and Cherokee Central Railway, which was based in Fayetteville.

This track also connected Fayetteville to Westville, Oklahoma, which gave access to the Kansas City Southern Railway.

[3] The tracks were extended west to Fort Gibson and Muskogee, Oklahoma, by 1903 after bridging the Arkansas River.

As its predecessors did, the Frisco Depot has served as a place for locals, travelers, and University of Arkansas students to mingle.