THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY THAT ALMOST HAPPENED HERE

Back in March of 1894—when coffee was a nickel and bad guys had better names—Woodward, Oklahoma nearly earned a spot in the Hall of Infamy. And I do mean nearly, like "missed it by a whisker on a prairie dog."

 

It was one of those windy nights where the tumbleweeds roll faster than gossip in a barbershop. The townsfolk were winding down, the railroad agent was probably sipping cold coffee and counting the minutes 'til quitting time, and the moon, bless its shiny little face, was just rising above the stockyards.

 

That’s when Bill Doolin and Bill Dalton—two gents with more "wanted" posters than church manners—rolled into town like they owned the tracks. You’ve heard of ‘em, right? The Wild Bunch? Legends in the outlaw game. Folks say they could rob a train while eating biscuits and not spill a crumb.

 

Only… they didn’t rob a train in Woodward.

 

Not quite.

 

Instead, those slippery bandits hit the train station. Just waltzed in, tied up the poor agent, grabbed a pile of cash meant for rail shipments and payroll, and slipped back into the night like a fart in a windstorm.

 

Now, that robbery was real. You can check the papers: March 13, 1894. But here’s where it gets wild…

 

Rumors say that wasn’t their first plan. Oh no, sir. Word has it, they were fixin’ to rob the actual train—you know, the one barreling through on the midnight line. But something spooked ‘em. Maybe a lawman was nearby. Maybe the timing was off. Maybe the coffee wasn’t strong enough. Who knows?

 

Whatever the reason, they left the train alone and settled for the station. So, technically—technically—Woodward didn’t have a Great Train Robbery.

 

But oh… we came close. Real close.

 

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Now every time I walk by the tracks, I wonder what coulda been. One twist of fate, and ol’ Woodward might be famous for more than cattle, wind, and big-hearted folks. We mighta been the next Dodge City—or at least got a line in a Johnny Cash song.

But fate’s funny that way. It gives you just enough to talk about over coffee but not enough to rewrite the textbooks.

 

Still, if you squint real hard at those old train tracks, you can just about see two shadows ducking out of town, saddlebags full, opportunity missed, legend almost made.

 

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