Poteau had remained a sleepy little agricultural village until the late 1880’s. Once the railroad to Bengal was completed in 1886, the area immediately saw a building boom. Poteau didn’t gain official status until the following year when, on October 27th, the first post office in town was established. The new town, officially known as […]
Tag: pioneer
Frontier Life in Old Poteau Switch, Oklahoma
The Early Days of Poteau From the formation of the Indian Territory until Statehood, eastern Oklahoma was outlaw territory. Following the Civil War, many stories of outlaws, robberies, and other acts of violence were reported throughout the area. Much of this was contained by the Lighthorsemen, but these Native American law officers didn’t have authority […]
Pioneer Life: Sod Homes on the Prairies
Oklahoma Settlement Begins Overburdened wagon trains lined the border between Kansas and Indian Territory on a warm spring day in April 1889. Excitement coursed through the crowd as they waited in eager anticipation. They had come in droves from all walks of life; there were doctors, lawyers, dentists, shopkeepers, farmers, and even the occasional ruffian. […]