Post by Eric Standridge on Oct 13, 2011 10:31:09 GMT -6
At one time, the city of Poteau was known as "Poteau Switch". Poteau was named this because of the St. Louis and San Fransisco Railroad that passed through town. The "Frisco" had a switching station in Poteau, and simply dubbed the town Poteau Switch.
The towns origins began in 1875. During this time, a few families started trickling in to the area. The purchased land from the Native American land owners to build homes and farms on.
Development really began in 1881 when Buck and Hester Davis moved into the area. They settled in what would later become the crossings of the Frisco and K.C.S. railroads. The closest town during this time was Kulley Chaha, located almost five ½ miles northeast of present day Poteau. Settlers would have to cross the Poteau River in order to reach that town. Buck Davis saw this as an impediment to progress, so he built a ferry that crossed the Poteau River. This essentially opened up the growing town of Poteau to settlement.
In 1885, Bud Tate arrived in Poteau and built the first general store in the area. Because of this, residents no longer had to travel to Kulley Chaha in order to get supplies. This was another milestone in the development of early Poteau.
When the Frisco railroad came through in 1886, Bud Tate was in the way. Since his store was on the Frisco right-of-way, it had to be moved. John Dennis, and his son, Jim, built another store for Tate six hundred feet south of its former location, on what would become part of the courthouse lawn.
After the Frisco had established its railroad through Poteau Switch, business development blossomed along the west side of the tracks. Mr. Welch, Mr. Fleener, and Mr. Beard all had stores here. This new downtown district was centered between what is now Beard Avenue to Green Avenue. The businesses wern't permanent structures, rather, they resembled that of a wild west movie set.
Business development would continue in this area until 1899. That year, a great fire wiped out most of the downtown businesses. That same year, the first rock building was constructed on the east side of the Frisco Tracks. This set a new trend. As Poteau Switch slowly became known as just Poteau, the downtown area slowly moved from west to east.
There is nothing left of the old downtown area that was once known as Poteau Switch besides faded photographs and old stories.
The towns origins began in 1875. During this time, a few families started trickling in to the area. The purchased land from the Native American land owners to build homes and farms on.
Development really began in 1881 when Buck and Hester Davis moved into the area. They settled in what would later become the crossings of the Frisco and K.C.S. railroads. The closest town during this time was Kulley Chaha, located almost five ½ miles northeast of present day Poteau. Settlers would have to cross the Poteau River in order to reach that town. Buck Davis saw this as an impediment to progress, so he built a ferry that crossed the Poteau River. This essentially opened up the growing town of Poteau to settlement.
In 1885, Bud Tate arrived in Poteau and built the first general store in the area. Because of this, residents no longer had to travel to Kulley Chaha in order to get supplies. This was another milestone in the development of early Poteau.
When the Frisco railroad came through in 1886, Bud Tate was in the way. Since his store was on the Frisco right-of-way, it had to be moved. John Dennis, and his son, Jim, built another store for Tate six hundred feet south of its former location, on what would become part of the courthouse lawn.
After the Frisco had established its railroad through Poteau Switch, business development blossomed along the west side of the tracks. Mr. Welch, Mr. Fleener, and Mr. Beard all had stores here. This new downtown district was centered between what is now Beard Avenue to Green Avenue. The businesses wern't permanent structures, rather, they resembled that of a wild west movie set.
Business development would continue in this area until 1899. That year, a great fire wiped out most of the downtown businesses. That same year, the first rock building was constructed on the east side of the Frisco Tracks. This set a new trend. As Poteau Switch slowly became known as just Poteau, the downtown area slowly moved from west to east.
There is nothing left of the old downtown area that was once known as Poteau Switch besides faded photographs and old stories.