Broken Bow, Oklahoma
17 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1902 and the latest in 1986. It stands in the Broken Bow census division. It lies in ZIP code area 74728. The Survey maps it on the Broken Bow quadrangle. 4,228 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 469 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Broken Bow
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 1 record
- Tiner Schoollisted 1980
Population over time
2 figuresBroken Bow grew from 4,120 to 4,228 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4,120 | |
| 2020 | 4,228 | +108 (+3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
10 surveys from 17 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1902 USGS Lukfata quadrangle1:125000, 3 printings
- 1950 USGS Mcalester quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1959 USGS Broken Bow quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1962 USGS Mc Alester quadrangle1:250000
- 1962 USGS McAlester quadrangle1:250000
- 1965 USGS Mc Alester quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1965 USGS McAlester quadrangle1:250000
- 1976 USGS Broken Bow SW quadrangle1:24000
- 1981 USGS Broken Bow quadrangle1:24000
- 1986 USGS De Queen quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
664 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 664 fires within 5 miles of Broken Bow between 1992 and 2020, burning about 5,096 acres in total. 13 started naturally. 308 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Arson/incendiarism | 308 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 214 |
| Debris and open burning | 78 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 31 |
| Natural | 13 |
| Smoking | 8 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 5 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 4 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 3 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 September 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 28 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | not named |
| 9 September 2005 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Talihina Agency | T BO JONES |
| 9 September 1995 | Arson/incendiarism | 2.0 acres | Talihina Agency | 0444 |
| 9 September 1995 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | not named |
| 8 September 2005 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Talihina Agency | SE492 |
| 8 September 2004 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | 10321 |
| 8 September 1995 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Talihina Agency | 0440 |
| 8 September 1995 | Debris and open burning | 3.0 acres | Talihina Agency | 0443 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
4 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of Broken Bow: 4 past producers. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 101 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Broken Bow in 101 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 42 thunderstorm wind, 41 hail, 15 flash flood, 2 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2003 | Tornado (F2) | Broken Bow | $260,000 | A supercell thunderstorm moved southeast across Broken Bow, OK. Two new frame homes under construction had roofs torn off. A total of 30 to 40 wood frame homes had roof and frame damage with windows broken. One home was destroyed. Numerous trees uprooted and snapped. Several power poles blown down. |
| March 2024 | Tornado (EF1) | Broken Bow | $50,000 | A brief EF-1 tornado began in a wooded area approximately five miles north of Broken Bow, exhibiting a convergent pattern of tree uproots and trunk snaps. The tornado then moved across a few properties and did minor to major structural damage to two homes and major damage to a few outbuildings. A single family residence had significant roof damage. The tornado then quickly exited this area and veered more northeast through a largely inaccessible wooded area. On the southside of the Hochatown community, the tornado produced considerable roof damage at a hotel on the west side of Highway 259 and lifted just in the wake of this structure. Peak wind speeds were estimated at 100 mph with the 200-yard wide tornado only on the ground for approximately a half mile, resulting in no injuries or fatalities. |
| November 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | $35,000 | Chicken house lifted off its foundation and destroyed. Several additional chicken houses lost their tin roofs. Numerous trees toppled |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | $25,000 | Roof blown off a home in town. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | $20,000 | Large trees were downed in Broken Bow. A roof was also blown off a home in town. |
| September 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | $15,000 | Two dozen trees were downed near and just east of the community of Mount Herman. Two structures also suffered moderate damage from a super cell thunderstorm that traveled across the extreme northern portion of the county. |
| August 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | $10,000 | Awning was blown off a building two miles east of Broken Bow on Hwy. 70. A large tree was also down in the same area. |
| November 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | $8,000 | Report of several trees down and damage to 3 chicken houses. |
| October 1993 | Hail | Broken Bow | $5,000 | Severe thunderstorms in eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon and evening hours on the 16th produced hail up to baseball- size. Golf ball-size hail broke car windshields 12 miles northeast of Broken Bow. McCurtain County 8 NNE Broken Bow,18,0020CST,,,0,0,?,?,Thunderstorm Winds (G52) |
| January 2025 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | Craig, Clouse, Dog Pound, Peavy, and Shiloh Roads just east of Broken Bow were all closed due to flooding. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Broken Bow | - | Nickel size hail fell in Broken Bow. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Broken Bow | - | Nickel size hail fell in Downtown Broken Bow. |
| July 2025 | Hail | Broken Bow | - | Quarter size hail fell in Broken Bow. |
| March 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | A metal roof was peeled off a cabin near Hochatown. |
| March 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Trees reported down on power lines along Highway 3 just east of Broken Bow. |
| March 2023 | Hail | Broken Bow | - | Quarter size hail reported near the intersection of US Highway 259 and State Highway 259 A. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Numerous trees and power lines downed throughout McCurtain County. |
| June 2023 | Hail | Broken Bow | - | Quarter size hail reported in Broken Bow. |
| September 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Tree downed in Broken Bow. |
| April 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Trees were downed on Highway 259 north of Broken Bow near the Hochatown community. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Several trees downed in Broken Bow. |
| May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | A tree was blown down onto Sherry Lane in Broken Bow. |
| June 2021 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | Several roads were flooded and closed due to swift moving water over the roadways. Several vehicles were stalled and abandoned in the high water. |
| May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | A large tree was blown down across Highway 259 just north of Sweet Home Road north of Broken Bow. |
| May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Trees and power lines were downed from Broken Bow to the Red River. Numerous roadways were blocked by fallen trees and power lines. |
| January 2020 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | Several roads were flooded and closed in Broken Bow. |
| March 2019 | Hail | Broken Bow | - | A picture of half-dollar size hail that fell in Broken Bow was posted to social media. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Several trees were downed in and near Broken Bow. |
| October 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Trees and power lines were downed in Broken Bow. |
| September 2019 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | Numerous roads were flooded and closed in and west of Highway 259 in Hochatown. |
| February 2018 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | A Dodge truck drove around a barricade on Currence Road near Yunabee Creek and attempted to drive through floodwaters after the creek overflowed its banks. The truck was washed away into the creek, but the two male occupants were able to escape the truck through a window uninjured and call police. |
| May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | A tree was blown down and blocking a roadway on the west side of Broken Bow. |
| April 2016 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | Joe Hough Road near the intersection of Currence Road was closed due to flooding. |
| December 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Several trees and powerlines were downed in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. |
| December 2015 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | Flooding was reported at low water bridges east of Broken Bow, Oklahoma along the Mountain Fork area. |
| November 2015 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | City streets were closed in and around Broken Bow, Oklahoma along with several other mountain roads. |
| July 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Trees and powerlines were downed across Broken Bow, Oklahoma. |
| October 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Numerous trees were downed in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. |
| March 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Several trees were downed in the Broken Bow, Oklahoma area. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | A large tree was downed on a powerline in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. |
| June 2013 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | Several streets were underwater in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. |
| February 2012 | Hail | Broken Bow | - | Hail of all sized was reported with the largest being a little smaller than a golf ball. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Several trees were downed in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | A tree was downed across a road in Beavers Bend State Park. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Powerlines were downed in the town of Broken Bow, Oklahoma as a result of strong wind gusts. Much of the city was without power. |
| April 2011 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | Critical access roads have been closed due to water flowing over roadways. |
| September 2011 | Hail | Broken Bow | - | Golfball sized hail was reported one mile north of Broken Bow, Oklahoma. |
| February 2009 | Hail | Broken Bow | - | Hail was reported southwest of the community of Hochatown, Oklahoma. |
| May 2008 | Funnel Cloud | Broken Bow | - | Funnel cloud was spotted just northeast of Broken Bow near Hwy 259. |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Trees were downed east of town. |
| July 2007 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | Reports of flooding at Beavers Bend State Park. Other reports of water over the roadways in other portions of the county. |
| July 2007 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | Bridges on Sweet Home Road and West Sherry Road are impassable due to high water. |
| September 2007 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | Campers were stranded along Glover River requiring rescue. No one was injured. |
| March 2007 | Hail | Broken Bow | - | Hail fell near US 70. |
| March 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Trees downed. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Numerous trees downed across the area with roads blocked. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Trees were downed. |
| July 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Trees and power lines downed on Hwy 3. |
| October 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Broken Bow | - | Trees blocking Hwy 259. |
| December 2001 | Flash Flood | Broken Bow | - | A car was washed off the road on U.S. Hwy 70. No reports of injuries. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel Junction | 2.1 miles | 15 | |
| Hill Chapel | 3.0 miles | 11 | |
| Crossroads | 4.2 miles | 12 | |
| Lukfata (historical) | 5.1 miles | 11 | |
| Oak Hill | 5.2 miles | 15 | |
| Holly Creek | 5.4 miles | 12 | |
| Tiner | 5.7 miles | 17 | |
| Golden | 8.3 miles | 15 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Broken Bow | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q3241346 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1090514. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.









