The U.S. Federal Court moves to Poteau

On March 1, 1895, the Federal Court at South McAlester was re-designated as the Central District and authorized to hold sessions at Atoka, Antlers, and Cameron.  During this time, Cameron was one of the fastest growing towns in eastern Indian Territory, and seemed to be the perfect location for a new federal court.  Almost overnight, a sturdy, wood-frame structure was built to house the newly arrived courts.  While this building served its purpose, the town’s development was not adequate to cover the area that was required.

On February 2, 1900, the 56th congress revised the decision to house the Federal Court in Cameron.   The previous decision was approved on March 1, 1895, and was designed to “provide for the appointment of additional judges of the United States court in the Indian Territory, and for other purposes."  It also stated, "The central district shall consist of all the Choctaw country, and the places of holding court in said district shall be at South McAlester, Atoka, Antlers, and Cameron." 

The Courthouse in Poteau while under construction

Reversal of this decision on February 2nd was based on several factors.  

First, Poteau is located at the junction of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway and the Kansas City, Pittsburg, and Gulf railway.  Because of this, people required to attend court can reach this town from four different lines of road. 

Second, Poteau had a population of around 2,000 people.  It was considered one of the fastest growing communities in the area.  

Third, Poteau has a brick block, which will be provided with an ample courtroom and all necessary office rooms, vaults, etc., for the use of the court officers.  This “brick block” refers to the city block on the corner of Dewey where the McKenna building is located.  Fourth, Poteau is closer to the center of the central division, and it is closer to the center of population as well.

The Federal Courthouse in Poteau just after construction

The process of moving the federal court to Poteau was not easy.  All of the court records and furniture had to be moved to Poteau.  Tom T. Varner, son of Robert A. Varner, was a highly esteemed lawyer living in Cameron.  When he heard that the federal court was moving to Poteau, he decided to move with it.  In addition to moving his practice, he also offered to move the entire Federal Court as well.

After loading all of the courts documents in his wagon, it took him much of the day to travel eight miles to Poteau on rough and rugged road.  Several times along the route, Varner and his team had to stop the wagon in order to build temporary bridges.  Once in Poteau, Varner and his team quickly set about establishing the courthouse in the second floor of the McKenna building.

At the same time that the Federal Court was moving to Poteau, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs was engaged in supervising and establishing the exterior limits of the towns found in the Choctaw Nation.  Work on this project was begun on March 15, 1900.  Within the year, the exterior limits of the following towns had been established, namely: Calvin, Allen, McAlester, Guthrie, Poteau, Grant, Howe, and Kiowa.

The U.S. Federal Courthouse in Poteau during the 1980s