Poteau
| Poteau | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Location in Oklahoma
|
|||
| Basic data | |||
| Foundation : | 1885 | ||
| State : | United States | ||
| State : | Oklahoma | ||
| County : | Le Flore County | ||
| Coordinates : | 35 ° 4 ′ N , 94 ° 38 ′ W | ||
| Time zone : | Central ( UTC − 6 / −5 ) | ||
| Residents : | 8,539 (as of 2011) | ||
| Population density : | 104.1 inhabitants per km 2 | ||
| Area : | 82 km 2 (approx. 32 mi 2 ) | ||
| Height : | 149 m | ||
| Postcodes : | 74953 | ||
| Area code : | +1 539,918 | ||
| FIPS : | 40-60350 | ||
| GNIS ID : | 1096874 | ||
| Website : | www.poteau-ok.com | ||
| Mayor : | Jeff Shockley | ||
Poteau is a City and at the same administrative center ( the county seat ) of the Le Flore County in the US -amerikanischen State Oklahoma .
geography
The nearest major city, Fort Smith, in the state of Arkansas , is about 35 kilometers away in the northeast. Spiro is 15 kilometers to the north. The Poteau River and the major roads US Highway 59 and US Highway 271 run through the city. On the southern outskirts of the city are the Robert S. Kerr Airport and Lake Wister State Park . Poteau is located in the Poteau Valley and is surrounded by mountains and hills, including to the west of Cavanal Hill , which is sometimes referred to as "The World's Highest Hill".
History
Various Indian tribes were indigenous to the region , as evidenced by numerous artefacts , parts of which can now be seen in the local Kerr Museum . The first known European settlements in the area were established in 1719. The city was founded in 1885 with a few residential buildings and a department store, a post office followed in 1888 and the City of Poteau was registered on October 8, 1898. The name was adopted after the Poteau River. After 1900 several coal mines were opened, whereby the place continued to grow. Even today, mining is still an important industry for the area. Former Oklahoma Governor Robert S. Kerr ran a ranch in Poteau .
Demographic data
In 2011 a population of 8539 people was determined, which means an increase of 7.6% compared to the year 2000. The average age of the residents in 2011 was 34.4 years, well below the average for Oklahoma, which was 40.6 years. The share of the natives was around 11%.