Early Businesses in Poteau, late 1800s

 Immigration from the Panic of 1893 and the arrival of the Kansas City, Pittsburg, and Gulf Railroad solidified Poteau’s status among other towns in the region.  While many of the nearby towns were either dying out or had reached a stable plateau, Poteau’s economy remained strong.  Since Welch’s store was developed on the corner of Fleener Avenue and Railroad Avenue, the town’s growth has remained strong.

Coal mining was still the principal business in the area.  A great many coalmines had been established from Cavanal Mountain to Sugar Loaf Mountain, and people continued to pour into the region in order to work these mines.  For the railroads, this was big business.  The Cavanal, Coal, Coke & Railway Company operated a small railway spur that led up to the side of Cavanal Mountain where the Witteville Coal Mines were located.  In 1898 alone, 19,605 tons of coal had been loaded in to the railroad cars. 

Logging had also been important in the previous decade, but it wasn’t until the mid-1890’s that it became one of Poteau’s most important industries.  Before the modern advancements of the age reached Poteau, trees had to be cut by hand and then drug down the mountains by ox teams to Poteau River.  Once at the river, the logs would then be floated downstream until they reached Ft. Smith.

By 1890, several logging camps had been set up throughout Cavanal Mountain.  The trees were still cut by hand, but new facilities existed that enabled the loggers to process the logs nearby.  Once the wood was processed, they then transported the material by oxen into town.  Much of this wood was used for local building.  As the country expanded, demand for both raw and processed wood grew.  The Kansas City, Pittsburg, and Gulf Railroad quickly seized this opportunity.  Shortly after the depot was constructed, the railroad quickly established facilities in order to transport wood from Cavanal Mountain throughout the country.

The Amos Bro’s Handle Company was one of the dominant industries of the area.  Located a quarter mile northeast of the St. Louis and San Francisco Depot, this factory was a major employer in the area. 

The Amos Brothers Factory

The large complex consisted of numerous buildings.  The main factory spanned 4,100 feet and manufactured plow handles, cultivators, wheels and other wooden work for carriages.  Wood was brought in from local sawmills and stored under a large shed located north of the main factory.  Once the finished product was completed, it was then moved to the warehouse to the south of the factory, where it was held until it could be delivered to market.  

Over the next 30 years, the Amos Bro’s Handle Company would continue to be a very successful business.  By June 1911, the company had a capital stock of 20,000.  By 1920, the company owners had become moderately wealthy, and decided to move on.  On May 31, 1920, the Amos Handle Company sold its plant to the Turner, Day & Woolbright Handle Company of Louisville, Kentucky.

While industry around Poteau was flourishing, businesses along the old Railroad Avenue continued to develop.  

Bridgman’s Furniture was first established along this road in 1896.  For over one hundred years, the Bridgman family has remained a solid pillar of Poteau’s success.

Robert S. Bridgman moved to Poteau from Hackett, Arkansas in the fall of 1896.  He was 38 years old.  Shortly after arriving, he purchased a moderate one and a half story building off Railroad Avenue.  That same year, he also gained ownership of the Poteau Journal.  He established a furniture store on the first floor building, and used the second floor as his printing press.  Bridgman’s building measured 24 feet wide by 32 feet deep, providing almost 800 square feet of sales space.  Residents of Poteau now had one of the finest furniture stores to be found in eastern Indian Territory.

Residents of Poteau got a little sweeter after George Brehm arrived in Poteau.  George Brehm  was originally from Lupfig, Switzerland.  After immigrating to the United States in 1851, he went on to serve the Union Infantry during the Civil War.  Not much is known of the Brehm family after the war, but it is known that George and his family finally settled in Poteau in 1896.

After they arrived, they quickly set about building the first bakery and confectionary in Poteau.  Unusual for this time, the Brehm Bakery was located on the southeast side of the St. Louis and San Francisco tracks.  The wood frame building was constructed with an odd approach, but one that worked remarkably well.  The building was set into two parts.  The front room consisted of the showcase area, where a wide variety of baked goods and candies was offered for sale.  The actual bakery was offset from the front room by several feet.  It consisted of a large brick oven that spanned almost the entire room.  

Residents of Poteau enjoyed the many sweet and tasty treats that the bakery had to offer.  During the hot summer months, people would congregate on the front porches of the bakery to escape the heat.  The bakery offered a wide variety of breads and candies.  Fruit Syrups, Jellies, pastries, and several varieties of breads dominated the front room, as well as rock candy, round stick “pulled” candies, and the always-popular chocolate candies.

In 1897, a few blocks south of the Brehm Bakery on Railroad Avenue, construction began on the first rock building east of the St. Louis and San Francisco tracks.  Captain Edmund McKenna , a Civil War veteran, began construction on this two-story rock building on May 27, 1897.  

The rock used for the construction of this building was quarried locally and hauled to the site by ox-driven carts.  After completion, the building would measure around 77 feet wide by 82 feet deep, providing 6,266 square feet of space on each floor.  The first floor was divided into three sections, each measuring 26 feet wide by 82 feet deep, with around 2126 square feet of floor space.  The building featured galvanized iron fronts, plenty of windows, and an ornate architectural style that was prevalent during the period.  A large 8-foot wide porch ran the length along the front of the building.

Facing the St. Louis and San Francisco tracks, the first floor housed three stores.  The “Racket Store” was located in the middle unit.  Racket Stores were often called "Five and Dime" stores.  These stores offered products at a low price, and generally offered a good variety of dry goods.  To the right of the Racket Store was a millinery store.  On the north end of the building, Noble and Bird’s drug store was one of the most frequented stores in the area.  The courthouse was located on the second floor of the building.  Although heavily remodeled, this building still exists and still houses retail stores on the bottom floor. 

While business boomed throughout Poteau during the 1890’s, Melvin Flener had decided that he had had enough.  One of the early pioneers to Poteau, Flener had owned and operated several businesses and organizations throughout the area.  After twelve years of running the most successful hotel in Poteau, Melvin Flener needed a break.  By October of 1898, the Flener was shut down for good.

The Flener House, located on Fleener Avenue. (Trivia: The name of the road, "Fleener" is spelled incorrectly!)