Spiro, Oklahoma
14 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1900 and the latest in 1978. It stands in the Spiro census division. It lies in ZIP code area 74959. The Survey maps it on the Spiro quadrangle. 2,102 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 492 feet above sea level.
On record in Spiro
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 2 records
Tucker Schoollisted 1988- Choctaw Agencylisted 1972
Surveyed buildings and structures 1 record
- Spiro Mounds Site, 18154 First Street, Spirofederal building survey, 1 photograph
Population over time
2 figuresSpiro fell from 2,164 to 2,102 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 | 2,164 | |
| 2020 | 2,102 | -62 (-3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
8 surveys from 14 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.
- 1900 USGS Sallisaw quadrangle1:125000, 2 printings
- 1911 USGS Sallisaw quadrangle1:125000, 3 printings
- 1946 USGS Fort Smith quadrangle1:250000
- 1965 USGS Fort Smith quadrangle1:250000
- 1967 USGS Fort Smith quadrangle1:250000
- 1968 USGS Spiro quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1978 USGS Fort Smith quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1978 USGS Fort Smith quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
26 since 1993Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 26 fires within 5 miles of Spiro between 1993 and 2017, burning about 891 acres in total. None started naturally. 12 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 | 12 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 9 |
| Debris and open burning | 3 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 2 |
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 2011 | Arson/incendiarism | 35 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | 20429 |
| 9 September 2005 | Arson/incendiarism | 75 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | 20414 |
| 19 September 2004 | Debris and open burning | 6.0 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | 20364 |
| 9 August 2006 | Equipment and vehicle use | 40 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | 20435 |
| 28 July 2008 | Equipment and vehicle use | 10 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | 20176 |
| 8 March 1993 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 6.0 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | not named |
| 2 March 2006 | Arson/incendiarism | 5.0 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | 20130 |
| 2 March 2006 | Arson/incendiarism | 3.0 acres | Talihina Agency | EC20129 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
5 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 5 workings within 5 miles of Spiro: 5 past producers. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay. 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 Shale Pit | Clay | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Sandstone Pit | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Sandstone Pit | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Sandstone Pit | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 74 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Spiro in 74 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 34 thunderstorm wind, 34 hail, 5 flash flood, 1 tornado. The reports record 4 injuries. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | 2 hurt, $100,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind destroyed a garage, caused minor damage to about two dozen homes, snapped numerous trees, and blew down power lines. A travel trailer was blown over on its side and two occupants were injured. |
| August 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | 1 hurt, $50,000 | A microburst slammed into the rural Fort Coffee community, destroying one unanchored trailer, and causing other damage over about a 3-4 square mile area. The storm was moving to the WSW at about 20 knots. The microburst had a measured divergent spread of 140 degrees with the left (south) edge of the debris blown to 160 degrees and the right (north) edge of the debris blown to 300 degrees.The destroyed trailer faced south and was hit from the rear by outflow winds from 340 degrees. This wind direction was about 80 degrees from the path of the storm, implying that there was practically no translational speed added into this wind, therefore, it is thought that the trailer was destoyed by no more than a 60 mph wind. The trailer was flipped onto its roof, then came apart, and was spread across the road and into the field to the south. A man and his son were in the trailer at the time of the event. The man suffered a minor neck injury. A couple of barns and a carport were destroyed as well, and several residences sustained damage ranging from shingles loosened to structural damage of a garage and outside wall.The storm cluster producing this microburst had also produced a microburst over the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | 1 hurt, $30,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind gusts blew down many trees and power lines. One tree fell on a vehicle, injuring its occupant. Several homes were also damaged by the wind. |
| April 2023 | Hail | Spiro | $75,000 | Tennis ball size hail damaged homes and vehicles. |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | $40,000 | Strong winds knocked down numerous trees and power poles in Spiro. One very large tree branch fell onto a house, causing significant roof damage. Several business awnings and canopies were blown down and destroyed. A commercial garage had its roof blown off. At the Spiro ballfield, a power pole fell onto 3rd base, and the visitors' dugout back wall was blown out. An amateur radio spotter two miles south of Spiro reported winds gusting to 60 miles an hour. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | $35,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind snapped large tree limbs, blew down small trees, and blew down many power poles and power lines. |
| March 2024 | Hail | Spiro | $30,000 | Tennis ball size hail damaged vehicles and homes. |
| March 2024 | Hail | Spiro | $20,000 | Hail larger than golf ball size damaged vehicles and homes. |
| June 2009 | Hail | Spiro | $15,000 | no account filed |
| August 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | $10,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind blew down large trees and damaged homes. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | $5,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind damaged a carport. |
| May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | $5,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind snapped large tree limbs and blew shingles off the roofs of homes. |
| November 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | $5,000 | A wood-frame building was destroyed on S. Cherry Street. Tree limbs were also scattered through east Spiro. |
| November 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | $2,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind blew down a tree and snapped a power pole. |
| May 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | $2,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind snapped large tree limbs and damaged an outbuilding. |
| October 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | $2,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines. |
| April 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | $100 | Thunderstorm winds blew down a large tree. |
| April 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | $100 | Large tree limbs were blown down. |
| May 2025 | Flash Flood | Spiro | - | Locally heavy rain caused flooding between Sehorn Street and Albert Smith Lane, and also in the Lazy Daisy RV Park. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated to 70 mph, and snapped large tree limbs. |
| November 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated to 60 mph. |
| July 2019 | Flash Flood | Spiro | - | Several county roads west of Spiro were flooded. |
| August 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Strong thunderstorm wind blew down trees in Spiro. |
| June 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Strong thunderstorm wind blew down a tree. |
| April 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Thunderstorm wind gusted to 75 mph west of Spiro. |
| May 2015 | Flash Flood | Spiro | - | Highway 9 was flooded at the Haskell / Le Flore County line. |
| August 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Strong thunderstorm wind blew down several trees. |
| July 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Strong thunderstorm wind blew down trees and numerous large tree limbs. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Several trees were blown down by strong thunderstorm wind. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Thunderstorm wind gusts near 70 mph were measured by emergency management. |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Strong thunderstorm wind blew down numerous large tree limbs. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down large tree limbs. |
| July 2004 | Flash Flood | Spiro | - | Heavy thunderstorm rains caused underpasses in Spiro to be flooded to the point the roads had to be closed. |
| April 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down large tree limbs. |
| May 2001 | Tornado (F0) | Spiro | - | A F0 tornado briefly touched down two miles west of Spiro. No damage was reported. |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down large tree limbs. |
| June 1999 | Flash Flood | Spiro | - | In Spiro, the railroad underpass on OK Hwy 9 was flooded.Just north of Poteau, a section of US Hwy 59-271 was nearly impassable due to heavy rains. Poteau received about 2 1/2 inches of rain on top of already-saturated grounds.In Heavener, there was lots of street flooding. On the east side of Heavener, water from the nearby Oil Branch flooded yards and streets. |
| May 1997 | Hail | Spiro | - | A severe thunderstorm produced quarter size hail at Spiro. |
| May 1995 | Hail | Spiro | - | Severe thunderstorms moved across extreme eastern Oklahoma during the late morning of May 26th. A tornado touched down briefly 1.5 miles southwest of Colcord at 1115CST. This F0 tornado downed trees and power lines and damaged outbuildings. One house was also "rolled over" by the tornado. Strong straight-line winds downed trees and power lines and destroyed small outbuildings one mile southwest of Colcord, and trees were blown down one-half mile southwest of Colcord. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 60 miles an hour in Sallisaw, and 12 to 15 trees were uprooted by strong winds five miles west of Spiro. Dime-size hail fell at the Tenkiller Dam eight miles northwest of Vian and also at Spiro. |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Severe thunderstorms moved across extreme eastern Oklahoma during the late morning of May 26th. A tornado touched down briefly 1.5 miles southwest of Colcord at 1115CST. This F0 tornado downed trees and power lines and damaged outbuildings. One house was also "rolled over" by the tornado. Strong straight-line winds downed trees and power lines and destroyed small outbuildings one mile southwest of Colcord, and trees were blown down one-half mile southwest of Colcord. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 60 miles an hour in Sallisaw, and 12 to 15 trees were uprooted by strong winds five miles west of Spiro. Dime-size hail fell at the Tenkiller Dam eight miles northwest of Vian and also at Spiro. |
| May 1995 | Hail | Spiro | - | Severe thunderstorms developed in southeast Oklahoma during the late afternoon of May 24th. A tornado touched down just northwest of McAlester at 1640CST and remained nearly stationary until lifting at 1650CST. This F0 tornado damaged a dairy barn and was apparently a "landspout" type tornado which formed within a developing rainshower. Golf ball-size hail fell two miles south of Keota, and dime-size hail fell five miles east of Keota and at Spiro. |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Severe thunderstorms developed in southeast Oklahoma during the evening of May 17th. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 60 miles an hour in Wilburton, two miles east of McCurtain, and in Arkoma. Strong thunderstorm winds blew down several large tree limbs in Spiro, and dime-size hail fell at Haileyville. |
| September 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Spiro | - | Severe thunderstorms developed in north-central and northeast Oklahoma during the afternoon and evening hours of the 19th. The storms produced 1 tornado, large hail, strong winds and damaging lightning. An F0 tornado briefly touched down at 1800 CST 4 miles east of Beggs near the intersection of U.S. Highway 75 and State Highway 16. This tornado blew the roof off a mobile home. Strong thunderstorm winds tore the roof off a lumber storage building on the north side of Ada. The lumber inside the building was damaged by rain. Strong thunderstorm winds destroyed three horse barns and damaged 10 others at the Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw. Heavy rain resulted in widespread flash flooding from the western portions of Lawton to Cache. Heavy rains flooded some downtown buildings in Haskell. Lightning started a fire which damaged a house in south Oklahoma City. A lightning strike started a fire which destroyed a home near Locust Grove. Lightning started a fire which severely damaged a storage building 9 miles north-northeast of Tahlequah. |
| March 2024 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| March 2024 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| May 2024 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| June 2024 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| April 2023 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| May 2022 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| March 2019 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| February 2013 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| March 2013 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| February 2009 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| May 2008 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| March 2007 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| April 2004 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Hail | Spiro | - | no account filed |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skullyville | 1.5 miles | 14 | |
| Stony Point | 2.7 miles | 16 | |
| Sunset Corner | 2.8 miles | 14 | |
| Fort Coffee | 3.8 miles | 15 | |
| Murry Spur | 4.0 miles | 15 | |
| Coal Creek | 4.2 miles | 14 | |
| Tahona | 5.6 miles | 14 | |
| Ward | 5.6 miles | 14 |
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 Spiro | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1968037 | 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 1098363. 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.







