Spiro, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Spiro, Oklahoma
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Town
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Spider engraved on shell, from Spiro Mounds, near the town of Spiro.
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Location of Spiro, Oklahoma
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Le Flore |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.43 sq mi (6.30 km2) |
| • Land | 2.35 sq mi (6.08 km2) |
| • Water | 0.09 sq mi (0.22 km2) |
| Elevation | 489 ft (149 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,102 |
| • Density | 895.23/sq mi (345.62/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
74959
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| Area code(s) | 539/918 |
| FIPS code | 40-69350 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2413316 |
Spiro is a town located in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, in the United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Area. In 2020, about 2,102 people lived there.
Spiro started as a railroad stop in the late 1800s. It is famous for being very close to the Spiro Mounds. These mounds are an important ancient site from the Mississippian culture. This culture was active from about 900 to 1450 CE. It was a big part of life in Eastern Oklahoma and Western Arkansas. Today, the Spiro Mounds site covers 80 acres. It has several large earth mounds. It is Oklahoma's only State Archeological Park. It is also one of the most important archeological sites in North America. The Spiro Mounds are the westernmost site of the large Mississippian culture. This culture had other important centers along the Mississippi River and its smaller rivers.
Contents
History of Spiro
In 1895 and 1896, a railroad company built a station where Spiro is now. This railroad connected the area to Fort Smith, Arkansas. People from a nearby town called Skullyville moved to Spiro because of the railroad. Soon, Spiro became the main town in the area. By 1900, 543 people lived in Spiro.
A post office was opened in Spiro, Indian Territory, on September 21, 1898. At that time, Spiro was in Skullyville County. This was part of the Moshulatubbee District of the Choctaw Nation.
There are different stories about how Spiro got its name. One story says it was the last name of the first postmistress. Another says it was the last name of a Fort Smith banker's mother. The Oklahoma Historical Society says Spiro was named after Celia Spiro. She was the wife of an Oklahoma banker named Iser H Nakdimen. He started banks in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Muldrow, Oklahoma.
Cotton was a very important crop for money. In 1901, Spiro had three cotton yards and one cotton gin. By 1910, there were three cotton gins. The town's population grew to 1,173 people. Over time, machines did more of the work in cotton farming. This meant fewer people were needed for jobs. The Great Depression in the 1930s made the cotton market much weaker. After that, cutting and processing timber, and raising livestock became important jobs in the area. The population went down to 969 in 1930. Many farm workers moved away to find jobs. But by 1950, the population grew back to 1,365 as the economy improved.
On March 26, 1976, a very powerful tornado hit the town. It caused two deaths.
Geography of Spiro
Spiro is located about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the Arkansas River. It is about 17 miles (27 km) southwest of Fort Smith, Arkansas. The town is also about 10 miles (16 km) west of the Oklahoma-Arkansas border.
The United States Census Bureau says that Spiro covers a total area of about 2.2 square miles (5.7 km2). Most of this area, about 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2), is land. The rest, about 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), is water.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 543 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,173 | 116.0% | |
| 1920 | 1,162 | −0.9% | |
| 1930 | 969 | −16.6% | |
| 1940 | 1,041 | 7.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,365 | 31.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,450 | 6.2% | |
| 1970 | 2,057 | 41.9% | |
| 1980 | 2,221 | 8.0% | |
| 1990 | 2,146 | −3.4% | |
| 2000 | 2,227 | 3.8% | |
| 2010 | 2,164 | −2.8% | |
| 2020 | 2,102 | −2.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 2,227 people living in Spiro. These people lived in 875 households, and 587 of those were families. The town had about 1,049.5 people per square mile (405.2 people per km2).
The people in Spiro came from different backgrounds:
- About 80.47% were White.
- About 5.21% were African American.
- About 6.11% were Native American.
- About 0.18% were Asian.
- About 1.35% were from other races.
- About 6.69% were from two or more races.
- About 2.51% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The average household had 2.46 people, and the average family had 3.03 people.
The town's population was spread out by age:
- 26.9% were under 18 years old.
- 9.1% were from 18 to 24 years old.
- 26.6% were from 25 to 44 years old.
- 20.7% were from 45 to 64 years old.
- 16.7% were 65 years or older.
The average age in Spiro was 36 years.
The local government in Spiro includes city council members and a mayor. Doug Harper, who has lived in Spiro his whole life and owns a business there, is the town's mayor.
Notable People from Spiro
Spiro has been home to several well-known people:
- Bill Blankenship (born 1956) – a football coach.
- Albert E. Brumley (1905–1977) – a famous gospel songwriter and publisher.
- Henry Burris (born 1975) – a professional Canadian football player.
- Ryan Franklin (born 1973) – a Major League Baseball pitcher who grew up in Spiro.
- Dallas Frazier (born 1939) – a country music singer-songwriter.
- Rod Shoate – a professional football player for the New England Patriots.
See also
In Spanish: Spiro (Oklahoma) para niños
