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This Missouri Pacific Railroad passenger station was constructed between 1905 and 1910 and played a part in the system of railways that had a huge influence on Carthage and the entire surrounding region.
Mostly because of the mining industry and railroads, Jasper County saw a jump in population by 100 percent in a 10 year period between 1871 and 1881. Five different rail lines came into Jasper County in that span of 10 years which included The Missouri Pacific Railroad line to Carthage that was completed in 1881.
With the railroads quickly arriving in the area, there appeared to be a lack of education about them. Several lawsuits erupted for a variety of reasons ranging from encroachment on personal property, to injury and even death. Some residents would blame the railroads for the deaths of their pets and livestock that were not even properly fenced or contained.
At least 17 Carthage residents along Parsons Street brought on civil suits against the Missouri Pacific Railroad in its first year of service. Sarah Barker, a 34-year-old hat shop owner on Parsons Street sued the line because she claimed the railroad depreciated her business by $500 and she wanted reimbursed for that very amount. Several of the other suits were for the same reason.
The White River Railway, an extension of the Missouri Pacific line from Kansas City to Little Rock, Ark., was a 239 mile rail that connected Carthage to the cotton belt and the rich trade to the south and southeast. It crosses the White River in Branson, now Lake Taneycomo, and takes a 50-mile short cut through the Ozarks. Construction on the railway was completed in 1905 and was built in two sections. There was a northward line starting in Batesville, Ark., and the southward line started in Carthage. It cost more than $12 million to complete the line which was nearly six times higher than a normal railroad. Building a line through the Ozarks proved to be very difficult because of the many hills and valleys which required tall trusses and blasting through mountains. Laborers were paid $1.25 to $1.50 per day and men with teams were paid $2.50 to $3 per day.
The Missouri Pacific Railroad Station at 514 N. Orner St. in Carthage is in excellent condition and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It has served as an office for the Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad, which now operates the White River Line, since 1992.
Wade Utter is a columnist for The Carthage Press
Zooming In! is a column dedicated to the history of Carthage. Every Wednesday since July of 2009, Wade Utter has photographed and exposed the history behind new and century-old structures in the Carthage area.
