Krebs Heritage Museum
85 S. Main St.
P.O. Box 1519
Krebs OK lahoma 74554
918-426-0377 / 918-423-7191
krebsmuseum@yahoo.com
Use the links below to navigate the
site
Home Page link will take you back to the beginning of
the tour
History of the Museum
information on the founder and museum's beginning
Old Photos link will
reveal images of a younger Krebs at work and play
Krebs Historical Society
Krebs History link
tells a small portion of our rich history
OLD KREBS PHOTOGRAPHS
This page gives us a glimpse into the Krebs of days gone by. The
Museum is always on the lookout for photos of our heritage to copy, preserve,
and display for current and future generations to enjoy. If you have
any photos that we may copy please contact the museum. We have the means
to copy by optical or digital methods. Check back often for updates.
St. Joseph's Catholic Church
St. Joseph's Catholic Church was established in 1885. The first
wood frame church burned to the ground in 1902. This beautiful brick
church was built in 1903. The photo on the left is from a postcard that
is postmarked in 1915. Photo on the right is a recent photo. Not a lot
has changed in 90 years. It is one of the oldest existing churches in the
state.
Coal Mine No. 11
The base photo in this collage was taken from the 1902 annual
report of the Osage Coal & Mining Company, which operated the major
mines in Krebs from the 1870's to the early 1900's. Mine #11 exploded
on January 7, 1892, killing almost 100 men and boys as young as 12 years
old and wounding many more. This was the worst mining disaster in Indian
Territory/Oklahoma history and almost every household in Krebs was directly
affected. The report states that the mine had been totally refurbished
just prior to 1902. Krebs, McAlester, and most of the surrounding towns
within 15 miles, owe their existance to coal mining. The color overlay
in lower right is of the memorial that was erected and dedicated at the
site of the mine in the Summer of 2002. It memorializes those lost or wounded
in the 1892 explosion. The large masonry object to the left of the large
tree, is a base for mining machinery and is all that remains of the original
mine. The memorial is located 2 1/2 blocks north of the Krebs School.
Krebs MK&T Depot in the late 1880's
This photo is of the KATY depot in downtown Krebs and is purported
to be one of the oldest photos of an area business location discovered
to date. The building at far left is the 'Osage Coal & Mining Co.'
business office. The locomotive was called 'The Nellie'. Visable in the
right side of the locomotive cabin are Andy Drumb (Conductor) on left and
J. Mann (Engineer). The KATY branch line that the Nellie served went as
far East as Wilburton. What is now State Highway 31 crosses from left to
right between the locomotive and the coal office. This treasure of a by-gone
era would have been lost forever without the help of the 'KATY Red River
Museum' in Dennison, Texas.
The Krebs Opera House
This photo is from a post card issued before statehood. The previous
opera house burned to the ground on January 16, 1902. This new one was
built in 1903. Streetcar tracks can be seen in Main Street. This photo
was taken from what is now the front of the present Post Office. The Krebs
Museum is located just to the left of and out of range of this photo.
August 1911 Krebs fire aftermath
On Saturday August 19, 1911 a terrible fire destroyed a large
portion of the Krebs business district. Everything from the Opera House
to Washington Ave. (31 Highway) was destroyed. Notice the contents of
the stores that was saved by being carried out into Main street. Also
notice the streetcar tracks in front of the Opera House at left and the
wording OPERA HOUSE and 1903 date at the top of building. The current Post
Office on Main Street is the location from where this photo was taken.
A newspaper article about the fire and an additional photo of the fire
aftermath are on display at the Krebs Heritage Museum.
Street car in downtown Krebs heading for McAlester
Pittsburg County Railway Company's trolley car #35 is stopped
in downtown Krebs on Washington Avenue (31 Highway) heading West. At
far left is 'Jabara's Dry Goods' and next door is 'Milwee Drug Store'.
Krebs City Hall is obscured behind the streetcar. A highway 31
sign is visible at far right by the automobile. The Krebs KATY depot
is just out of sight at the right of the photo. The streetcar line which
was operated by the electric power generating company in McAlester, began
operation in the late 1890's and had extended as far as Hartshorne by late
1904. The line ceased operation in early 1947. This photo was taken in
1945-46 period.
The only safe depository of the ultimate powers of
society is in the people themselves. T. Jefferson
