Pocola, Oklahoma
Pocola is a town of 4,423 people in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, founded in 1884.
Why visit Pocola
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails and 8 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Hackett Creek Bridge, Brooks Stephins Mountain, Elmwood Cemetery and Jenson Tunnel.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 94°F; January lows average 30°F.
Weather in Pocola
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Pocola
Pocola is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, Pocola had a population of 4,255. Pocola is a Choctaw word meaning "ten", the approximate distance in miles from Fort Smith, Arkansas.
From the Wikipedia article Pocola, Oklahoma (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do8
Hackett Creek Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 5.0 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Museums and landmarks4
Elmwood Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.1 mi
Cemetery in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Jenson Tunnel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Railway tunnel in Le Flore County, Oklahoma
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Churches and places of worship8
History
The Battle of Devil's Backbone took place nearby on September 1, 1863, and resulted in a victory for the Union Army.
A post office was established at Pocola, Indian Territory on February 15, 1881. The community took its name from the Choctaw word for the number ten, as the site was ten miles from Fort Smith, Arkansas. At the time of its founding the settlement was located in Skullyville County, a part of the Moshulatubbee District of the Choctaw Nation.
Will Hartshorne began operating a small coal mine in this area during the 1880s. By 1895, he employed six men, and sold the mine to the Fort Smith and Western Coal and Railway in the following year. The population of Pocola was estimated at 200 in 1900, but the number declined to about 75 in 1918. The post office closed in 1916.
The community did not incorporate until 1963, allowing it to gain water rights along the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System and to ensure that the area was not annexed by other Le Flore County communities. The town began annexing land, enlarging itself to about 30 square miles. By 1970, the population had grown to 1,840. In 1980, the census recorded 3,268 residents. A post office was reestablished in 1986.
From the History section of Pocola, Oklahoma on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Map of Pocola
41 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 30°F | 2.9 in | 1.4 in |
| Feb | 57°F | 33°F | 2.7 in | 0.6 in |
| Mar | 66°F | 42°F | 3.9 in | 0.3 in |
| Apr | 74°F | 50°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 81°F | 60°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 68°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 94°F | 72°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 94°F | 71°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 63°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 76°F | 51°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 63°F | 40°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 53°F | 32°F | 3.5 in | 0.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ft Smith Rgnl Ap Gsn 72344 (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Le Flore County has had 24 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2021-02-24: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-17: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-04-05: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-01: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2019-05-25: Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Arkoma 6 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Fort Smith 9 mi northeast, about 14 min by car
- Spiro 9 mi west, about 14 min by car
- Muldrow 13 mi northwest, about 21 min by car
- Panama 13 mi southwest, about 20 min by car
- Van Buren 15 mi northeast, about 24 min by car
- Poteau 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- Heavener 26 mi south, about 42 min by car
- Stigler 37 mi west, about 59 min by car
- Gore 41 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Jenson Tunnel, North Entrance, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hackett Creek Bridge, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Elmwood Cemetery, 1 of 6, Valis55, CC BY-SA 4.0
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