Muskogee was formed in 1872, when the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT or �the Katy�) established a depot on an open plain just a few miles to the south of the confluence of the Arkansas, Grand, and Verdigris Rivers in Indian Territory. A small settlement there soon grew to become the center of political and commercial activity in the territory prior to Oklahoma becoming a state in 1907. Muskogee, once known as the �Queen City of the Southwest,� enjoyed major growth after statehood due to oil, cattle, cotton, and the railroads. This book features a diverse collection of Muskogee postcard images that take readers on a trip back in time on a virtual tour of the city.
Authors Roger Bell and Jerry Hoffman have been interested in Muskogee history and its preservation for over 30 years. Bell is the chairman of the Three Rivers Museum in Muskogee. Hoffman is a longtime board member at Three Rivers Museum, and the postcard images are from his vast personal collection.