Located approximately 12 miles northwest of Cordell, Oklahoma and 12
miles southwest of Clinton.
Section 1 and 2, Township 11 North, Range 19 West. Post office
established September 1900 and William Radford was the first
postmaster. Town was named for J. M. Foss of Cordell.
Foss had its beginnings in the late 1890s when settlers
living near a post office called Wilson moved four miles northward to
the valley of Turkey Creek. They tried to name their new post office
Graham, but that name was taken. The Post Office Department named the
new place Maharg, an anagram for Graham. May 2, 1902, a sudden flash
flood, caused by unusually heavy rainfall practically wiped out the
village. Several persons drowned, buildings were wrecked or washed
away, animals were destroyed. The residents moved out of the creek
bottoms to higher land adjacent to the railroad already built through
the area. A post office named Foss became the name of the town that
developed.
Foss grew rapidly, and by 1905 had a population of
900-1000 persons. The town was surrounded by productive farmlands. Top
prices were paid for farm products. Stores and shops sprung up to
serve the area. Two banks had larger deposits than most rural areas.
Three cotton gins operated and in 1908 shipments of cotton
approximated 10,000 bales, most ginned in Foss.
Rock and brick business buildings replaced frame
structures, large up-to-date homes replaced smaller ones, a school
system was organized and several churches built substantial houses of
worship.
After the initial rapid growth, the population leveled
at approximately 500. By 1912 Foss had an electric plant. An opera
house had been constructed and a second hotel added.
Foss had several newspapers at various times. Foss
Enterprise (1905), Foss Banner (1901-193?), Foss Democrat (1903-19??).
After 1920, however, the town began to have problems.
Located almost midway between the larger and rapidly growing rail
centers of Clinton and Elk City, and with the faster transportation of
the automobile, trade territory of Foss was largely absorbed by
Clinton and Elk City. Foss began to decline.
The financial problems of the late 1920s, the
depression, the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and World War II of the 1940s
all caused migration from the area and the closing of stores. In the
1950s and 1960s there was some revival caused by the increase use of
the air force installation at Burns Flat. With the closing of the base
many people moved. One bank continued to stay open until September
1977.
Population was 163 in 1998.
Foss is today but a reminder of the past. Ruins of
Kobel's gas station and an old jail remain. Foundation outlines of
old buildings are visible and sidewalks lining vacant town blocks,
never to be used again.
1999 photo of the Foss Post Office.
Cemeteries 
