Intercity Transportation

In olden days, how did people get from one city to another?  It is said that there was a stagecoach route that came through Russett in the early pioneer days.  But, how about later? 

Does anyone remember the Jordan Bus Company?  At one time Highway US 70 ran right through Russett.  US 70 was one of the major highways in the nation.  It starts at the Pacific Ocean in San Diego, California and runs all the way to the Atlantic Ocean in North Carolina.  US 70 came from Ardmore to the west through Dickson, Mannsville, Russett then turned at the bottom of the hill toward Petty John Springs on to Madill. 

There were intercity bus lines in Oklahoma and country folks could stand by the highway and flag down a bus and ride to town.  To return home people would catch the bus at the town's bus station and ride to nearest place to their home and the bus would stop to let them off.  The bus line that ran through Russett was the Jordan Bus Company.  Below is a map of the bus routes.

Blue indicates Greyhound, red indicates Trailways. Additional colors indicate significant independent bus companies, and are identified with labels. Black indicates smaller independent companies.

Thin blue or red lines indicate routes which were once part of Greyhound or Trailways, but later transferred to independent bus companies.  To view click on the thumbnail to enlarge, click on your browser's return button to return.

Another intercity public transportation in the 1940s and 1950s before US 70 was rerouted bypassing Russett to the south was the "Mail Hack".  There was a man called Mr. Ed that picked up and delivered mail to and from each of the post offices throughout the county and on into Ardmore.  Mr. Ed had built on the back of his pickup what today is called a cap.  He built bench seats around the inside of the cap.   He would haul people on his way to and from Ardmore. People would sit on those hard wooden bench seats around the pile of mail sacks in the middle.  People would make their way to Highway 70 and flag down Mr. Ed and for a small fee he would take you to Ardmore.  At an appointed time he would pick up people to return home.