The Wheaton Historical Society

The town of Wheaton was established in 1907 by the Monark Town Site Company. This company was formed to organize new towns along the Missouri and North Arkansas Railway.

By February 1908, the Wheaton Depot was almost finished. The first passenger train began regular service through Wheaton by March of the same year.

Down through the years, the M and NA Railroad was burdened with management problems, which resulted in numerous strikes of the workers. After nearly 40 years, the M and NA Railway ceased operations in September of 1946.

The assets were sold for salvage, and the tracks were removed in 1951. The Calhoun Putnam Lumberyard purchased the Depot property, except for the right of way to extend main street.

In 2007 the Wheaton Historical Society purchased the Train Depot from the City of Wheaton. Currently, the Train Depot is in urgent need of restoration.

The Wheaton Train Depot has stood for 100 years as a silent reminder of a more properous time in our history. It is the only original Depot that remains in all of Barry County. In 1999 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, (one of about 15 sites in Barry County).

The Wheaton Historical Society was organized in July 2007 for the purpose of preserving the one-hundred year history of Wheaton, Missouri.

The Wheaton Train Depot is, in fact, the very essence of our town. Unlike other cities that created railways to serve the needs of their people; our town was created specifically to service the needs of the M and NA Railway. If it was not for the Missouri and North Arkansas Railway, it is almost certain that Wheaton would have never existed. Hence, it is our primary goal to refurbish and restore the Train Depot.

After the restoration project is compled, the Train Depot will become a museum. The Wheaton Train Depot Museum will showcase the 100 year history of Wheaton, with particular attention spotlighted upon the Missouri and North Arkansas Railway.

We welcome you to join the Wheaton Historical Society. You may email our Society requesting additional membership information; or you may attend a meeting to register in person.

We are currently accepting donations for the restoration project.

June 2008. Work on the exterior of the depot is complete and work on the interior will begin this summer. We are very pleased with the outstanding progress!