In the early 20th century, there were many logging railroads in northern
MS. A short line was organized out of some of them, running from the
M&O at Okolona, south west to Houston. Later, the M&O bought it, and
extended it to Calhoun City, using some more logging roads. In 1936,
the M&O closed it, because it was not turning a profit. It was bought
by some Houston investors, and operated as the Okolona, Houston &
Calhoun City, hauling passengers and freight, until it went broke in
1939. In the summer of 1941, the father of the current owner bought the
Houston depot along with it's three acres. He moved his family into
the passenger end, and opened a dry cleaners in the freight end. In 1947,
a new building was built on the east side of the property, and the dry
cleaning service was moved into it, where it remains today. A house
was built where a coal business had been on the west side of the property.
The depot now houses a small equipment dealership.
This former line went from Okolona west to Van Vleet, then through Parkersburg to Houston. From Houston the line went west through Hall, Pyland, Vardaman, Derma and into Calhoun City. The ROW can still be made out on aerial photos and topo maps, and some of the old ROW has been used as dirt roads.
The old Mobile & Ohio, then Okolona, Houston & Calhoun City RR depot in Houston, MS. This depot bas been used as a residence, and is used as a small business today. It was separate from the Gulf, Mobile & Northern depot/station in Houston and perhaps survived because the M & O abandoned this line before the merger with the GM&N. (Photo by Tom Lucas)
