Poteau, Oklahoma
| Poteau, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
| City | |
The LeFlore County Courthouse is one of five sites in Poteau listed on the National Register of Historic Places
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 Location of Poteau, Oklahoma |
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| Coordinates: 35°3′31″N 94°37′48″W / 35.05861°N 94.63000°WCoordinates: 35°3′31″N 94°37′48″W / 35.05861°N 94.63000°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Le Flore |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jeff Shockley |
| Area | |
| • Total | 31.7 sq mi (82.0 km2) |
| • Land | 28.6 sq mi (74.2 km2) |
| • Water | 3.0 sq mi (7.8 km2) |
| Elevation | 489 ft (149 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 8,520 |
| • Estimate (2014) | 8,665 |
| • Density | 270/sq mi (100/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 74953 |
| Area code(s) | 539/918 |
| FIPS code | 40-60350 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1096874 |
| Website | City of Poteau |
Poteau (/ˈpoʊtoʊ/ POH-toh) is a city in, and county seat of, Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 8,520 as of the 2010 census.
Poteau was founded in 1885, its name being derived from the nearby Poteau River. A group of French explorers gave the river its present name during the early 18th Century. Poteau is a French word meaning post.
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 itself. 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. Poteau was officially incorporated in 1898.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 31.7 square miles (82 km2), of which 28.6 square miles (74 km2) is land and 3.0 square miles (7.8 km2), or 9.54%, is water. It is about 12 miles (19 km) west of the Oklahoma-Arkansas border.
The city is located in the valley below Cavanal Hill, the "World's Highest Hill."
The Poteau River, the only river in Oklahoma that flows north, is located near the city. It flows into Arkansas where it meets with the Arkansas River at Belle Point in Fort Smith.
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