Purcell was built in 1887 in the Chickasaw Nation when the first north-south railroad was constructed across Indian Territory.  During the 1889 Land Run, Lexington was founded across the South Canadian River.  This 1890 map shows the area before the land run.




Purcell was built at one of the few fords along that stretch of the South Canadian River.  The railroad built a roundhouse at the foot of Depot Hill.  Trains coming south from Kansas and north from Texas turned around at Purcell and headed back in the other directions.