In 1877, the Florence, El Dorado, and Walnut Valley Railroad Company built a branch line from Florence to El Dorado, and a station called Burns was built north of the present city location. In 1881, the rail line was extended to Douglass, then later to Arkansas City. The line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The line from Florence through Burns to El Dorado was abandoned in 1942. The original branch line connected Florence through El Dorado to Arkansas City.