The Great Fire of 1899 in Poteau

All of the growth in Poteau came to a brief halt around 1899.  The exact date is unknown, but Poteau experienced her first major disaster around this time.   

During this time, the city bocks between Beard Avenue and Green Avenue were considered the heart of Poteau.  The earliest businesses, such as Welch’s general merchandise store and Flener’s Hotel, were first established in this area.  As the town grew, Poteau began spreading out from these two blocks. 

In late 1899, the heart of Poteau burned.

While there is very little historic information about the fire, by looking at the history that does exist along with similar events during the time one can begin to piece the story together.  

Most likely, the fire originated from one of the many pot-bellied stoves that were in use during this time.  Old maps from the Sanborn-Perris Map Company show that the majority of buildings contained at least one wood-burning stove.  The buildings were constructed of native wood and there was typically less than a foot of space between them.  With these conditions, a single spark could have easily set off the fire that destroyed the old downtown district of Poteau.

From January 1899 to January of 1901, old Sanborn maps of Poteau show two radically different layouts.  By 1901, the area where the elegant Flener Hotel once stood is now an empty field.  Several businesses began rebuilding on what is now the courthouse lawn, including the Lawson House, a poolroom, a barber, and a “lunch room”. 

Many old stories tell that the fire started in the living quarters of a general store.  Since all of the buildings constructed on the west side of the Frisco railroad tracks were made of wood beam and slat, the wood was already dry and served as the perfect fuel.  With most businesses, there was less than a foot separating the buildings.  With so many businesses in close proximity and the extremely dry summer, it created the perfect recipe for disaster. 

At the time, Poteau did not have a fully functioning fire department.  The fire department was made up of volunteers and used a "bucket brigade" system.  When a fire started out, the warning system in place was a gunshot, however, this was not always effective.  It would be some time before residents knew that a fire had broken out and by then it was too much to contain.

Even though the decade ended with a nearly devastating fire, that disaster did not stop the industrious residents of Poteau from moving forward.  Rather, the fire helped urge Poteau into its most prosperous period of growth.

Essentially, the old downtown area on the east side of the tracks was abandoned.  The area where the courthouse is today was cleared of rubble and turned into a city park.  With the construction starting on the McKenna building, the plans for a second city block along Dewey, and the KCS railroad depot at the other end, it only made sense for expansion to continue down Dewey.  The only problem was that Dewey was never intended to be a main road.  At this time, it was a side road that led to Harpers Plantation.  Still, the fire helped merge the business centers located at both depots together and formed a more unified Poteau.