Poteau, Oklahoma
Poteau is a city of 8,959 people in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, founded in 1885.
Why visit Poteau
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 10 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include The Tower Drive-In, Poteau Movie Theater, Hotel Lowrey and LeFlore County Courthouse.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 93°F; January lows average 27°F.
Weather in Poteau
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Poteau
Poteau is a city in and the county seat of LeFlore County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, Poteau had a population of 8,807.
From the Wikipedia article Poteau, Oklahoma (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Poteau Movie Theater
Cinema and theater · 1.1 mi
2214 North Broadway Street, Poteau
Museums and landmarks7
Hotel Lowrey
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic building in Poteau, Oklahoma, United States
LeFlore County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Building in Poteau, Oklahoma, United States
Poteau Community Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Community center in Poteau, United States of America
Shady Point School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.3 mi
School building in Shady Point, Oklahoma
Terry House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
NRHP-listed in Oklahoma County
Poteau School Gymnasium-Auditorium
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Twyman Park
Park · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Park in the United States of America
Restaurants and cafes10
Arby's
Fast food · Sandwich · 1.3 mi
2303 North Broadway Street, Poteau
Mo-Sa 09:30-23:00; Su 09:30-22:30
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.8 mi
1706 North Broadway, Poteau
Mo-Th 06:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-24:00; Su 07:00-23:00
History
In 1719, Bernard de la Harpe led a group of French explorers through this area, and gave the river its present name. The present-day city was founded in 1885, its name derived from the nearby Poteau River. During the late 1700s, a large French outpost was at Belle Point (Ft. Smith). Further up the Poteau River was a secondary post at the base of Cavanal Mountain. Because of this, the river was named the "Post River", or Poteau River, and the outpost was simply called the post, or "Poteau". Poteau is a French word meaning post.
The Poteau Chamber of Commerce has written that the community was founded in 1885 as a few houses and Bud Tate's general store. At the time of its founding, Poteau was in Sugar Loaf County, a part of the Moshulatubbee District of the Choctaw Nation. It was incorporated as a town in the Indian Territory by the federal government on October 8, 1898. The first stone public building, a school, was also built in 1898. The Fort Smith and Southern Railway built a rail line through the Poteau area in 1886–1887, en route to Paris, Texas, including a station within the city. The Poteau post office opened in 1887 and the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad (acquired by the Kansas City Southern Railway in 1900) began serving the town in 1896.
From the History section of Poteau, Oklahoma on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship12
Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 1.1 mi
500 College Avenue, Poteau
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries14
Healthcare2
Map of Poteau
57 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 27°F | 2.9 in | 0.4 in |
| Feb | 56°F | 32°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 63°F | 39°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 72°F | 47°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 79°F | 59°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 68°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 93°F | 70°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 93°F | 69°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 61°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 76°F | 50°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 64°F | 39°F | 4.7 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 53°F | 31°F | 3.8 in | 0.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Wister 3S (10 mi away), rain and snow from Spiro, 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
Robert S Kerr Airport (RKR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Panama 8 mi northwest, about 13 min by car
- Heavener 12 mi south, about 19 min by car
- Spiro 12 mi north, about 19 min by car
- Arkoma 20 mi northeast, about 33 min by car
- Muldrow 23 mi north, about 37 min by car
- Fort Smith 24 mi northeast, about 38 min by car
- Van Buren 30 mi northeast, about 49 min by car
- Stigler 32 mi northwest, about 51 min by car
- Wilburton 41 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Gore 43 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min 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
Loading what members have shared...
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
- LeFlore County Courthouse, Clinton Steeds, CC BY 2.0
- Twyman Park, Pool Building, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Terry House, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Poteau Community Building, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Poteau School Gymnasium-Auditorium, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.