A Prairie in the Mountains

207 looking splendid during our volunteer outreach event at the 2024 Oklahoma State Fair.

From a long forgotten park engine like many others, to a shiny well preserved piece of history from Oklahoma’s past. 207 started life in southeastern Oklahoma and southwest Arkansas working for Dierks Lumber & Coal Co. After retirement around 1955, she ended up on display at the Tulsa County Fairgrounds. 207 spent years in the beloved Bells Amusement park which has long since disappeared. From 1983 to 2022 she sat in a dark black coat of paint with little to no care or attention on the southeast corner of the fairgrounds. Flash forward to 2023 and our small group of volunteers got permission to give her a makeover. As of 2025 the cosmetic restoration of 207 is 90% complete with work continuing regularly.