Built in 1936. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
“The Idabel Armory in Idabel, Oklahoma was built in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.”
Wikipedia article Idabel Armory, CC BY-SA 4.0.
One of 13 National Register listings published here for McCurtain County · listed in 1988 · category: Building · built in 1936.
Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 145 fires within 5 miles of Idabel Armory between 1992 and 2020, burning about 1,577 acres in total. 8 started naturally. 59 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 | 59 |
| Debris and open burning | 31 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 24 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 19 |
| Natural | 8 |
| Smoking | 3 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 1 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 September 2005 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | 10490 |
| 8 September 2005 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Talihina Agency | HAYBALE#2 |
| 7 September 2017 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | not named |
| 7 September 2004 | Arson/incendiarism | 15 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | 10319 |
| 5 September 1993 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 10 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | not named |
| 4 September 2000 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | not named |
| 29 September 1993 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | not named |
| 28 September 1999 | Debris and open burning | 14 acres | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | not named |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 8 workings within 5 miles of Idabel Armory: 5 past producers, 3 producers. 3 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Idabel Plant | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Quality Rocks Inc Limestone Pit | Stone, Crushed/Broken | 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 | ||
| Unknown Limestone Pit | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Limestone Pit | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Idabel, the town this property stands in, in 96 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 48 hail, 37 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood, 4 funnel cloud. 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 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | $200,000 | A violent thunderstorm moved rapidly southeast across McCurtain County, OK into Bowie County and Cass County, TX. This thunderstorm also produced a strong tornado in McCurtain County, OK which moved into northeast Texas and a second, stronger microburst, southeast of Maud, TX. Numerous trees were snapped and pushed over while several homes, mobile homes, tier homes, barns, garages and outbuildings were damaged. The microburst ranged from 3.2 miles long by 2.3 miles wide and was tear drop in shape. |
| November 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | $90,000 | THUNDERSTORM WINDS DESTROYED BARNS...OVERTURNED A TRAILER HOUSE AND DID MINOR DAMAGE TO OTHER BUILDINGS EAST OF IDABEL. |
| February 1999 | Tornado (F1) | Idabel | $60,000 | The tornado, witnessed by dozens of people, touched down on new road construction, crossed the road and slammed into the ET Dunlap Center, peeled back the roof and destroyed the interior of the school as well as mangling a satellite dish. Six parked cars were pushed sideways into each other doing little damage. The tornado then moved across the Kiamichi Technology Center damaging the building before moving across Hwy 259 destroying several signs and bending three telephone pools to a 45 degree angle. The tornado then continued into a wooded region. The tornado was described by Randy Barton, an eyewitness, as an upside down bowl which came to a point on the ground. Several eyewitness were within 15 yards of the tornado. The school administrated said there would have been numerous injuries from a collapsing roof except one instructor called in sick cancelling class for the day and other classes were scheduled for just after the event. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | $30,000 | Some homes in town suffered roof damage from fallen limbs and from shingles being blown off. Some portable buildings were severly damaged. |
| June 2005 | Hail | Idabel | $15,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed power poles onto a vehicle. |
| August 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | $15,000 | An isolated severe thunderstorm produced damaging winds eight miles south of Idabel. A greenhouse collapsed due to the strong winds, and a trailer was flipped an estimated 23 feet. U.S. Highway 259 was closed when a barn was blown onto the highway, and numerous trees and power lines were blown down. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | $10,000 | Mobile home damaged from high wind gusts. |
| April 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | $5,000 | Thunderstorms in far southeast Oklahoma on the 11th produced damaging winds during the late afternoon hours. Strong thunderstorms winds blew down numerous trees near Bethel and five miles southwest of Glover. In Idabel, strong thunderstorm winds blew down numerous trees with one falling on a house and another falling on power lines. Strong winds tore a roof off a mobile home just north of Idabel. |
| May 2015 | Flash Flood | Idabel | $2,000 | Although the truck driver was able to walk away to high ground, a truck remains stranded in high water along Lynn Lane, and the road is closed due to flooding. |
| March 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | A 63 mph wind gust was measured at the Idabel Mesonet site. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Idabel | - | Quarter size hail reported in Idabel. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Idabel | - | Nickel size hail fell in Idabel. |
| November 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | A NWS Storm Survey confirmed that severe downburst winds damaged a vehicle service building and showroom in Idabel. Three garage doors on the upwind side were blown inward, which likely allowed the wind into the building. This allowed the wind to lift and remove part of the roof to the service area, which caused the collapse of a brick facade wall on the downwind side. The wind blowing through the building also blew out a few large glass windows in the showroom. Debris was blown across the street and damaged several cars in the Choctaw Village and Choctaw Casino parking lot downwind to the north. The vehicle service building is located on a significantly elevated hill compared to the shopping center to the north, which likely exposed it to more wind. No additional structural damage was found at this point, and only one tree on the back lot from the service building was damaged, with the debris facing downwind. |
| June 2023 | Hail | Idabel | - | Quarter size hail reported just east of Idabel. |
| April 2022 | Hail | Idabel | - | Quarter size hail fell in Idabel. |
| April 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Numerous trees were blown down across McCurtain County. Trees were downed onto homes near Idabel and Broken Bow. |
| May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Trees were blown down just south of Idabel. |
| May 2020 | Funnel Cloud | Idabel | - | A KTEN TV viewer captured a picture of a funnel cloud over Idabel. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Large branches were downed in Idabel. |
| June 2019 | Hail | Idabel | - | Quarter size hail fell in Idabel. |
| May 2015 | Hail | Idabel | - | Dime to quarter size hail was reported in Idabel. |
| May 2015 | Hail | Idabel | - | Quarter size hail fell at the Sherriff's Office in Idabel. |
| May 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Several trees were reported downed across the county. |
| December 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Several trees and powerlines were downed blocking roads across the southern half of the county near the Red River. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Sheriff dispatch reported numerous trees and powerlines downed along Hwy. 37 as well as along Boss Road. |
| June 2011 | Funnel Cloud | Idabel | - | A lowering of the cloud base resulted in multiple funnel clouds reported by a storm spotter just north of Idabel along Hwy. 259. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Winds estimated by a storm spotter just north of Idabel. |
| November 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | A trained spotter estimated 70 mph wind gusts in Idabel, Oklahoma. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | A tree was downed in Idabel, Oklahoma. |
| April 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | A tree was downed in Idabel at the intersection of 8th and Enid Streets. |
| April 2009 | Hail | Idabel | - | Hail was reported on the west side of Idabel, Oklahoma. |
| May 2009 | Hail | Idabel | - | Penny sized hail reported at the courthouse in Idabel, Oklahoma. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Wind speed was measured at the McCurtain County Regional Airport. |
| October 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Trees were blown down across Hwy. 3 just east of Idabel, Oklahoma. |
| October 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | A tree was blown down a county road just south of Idabel, Oklahoma. |
| February 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Power lines were downed throughout the county resulting in numerous power outages. |
| April 2008 | Hail | Idabel | - | Hail fell just west of town. |
| May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Numerous trees downed 4 miles west of Valliant, Oklahoma. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Gust measured by the Oklahoma Mesonet and verified by the Quality Assurance Manager for the Oklahoma Mesonet. This wind speed ranks in the top 5 for one of the highest wind gusts ever recorded by an Oklahoma Mesonet site. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | High winds caused a boat on a local waterway to be fliped over and capsized near Redland. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Trees were downed in Hollybrook. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Numerous trees down. |
| March 2002 | Flash Flood | Idabel | - | County roads under water. |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Numerous trees down across power lines. |
| December 2001 | Flash Flood | Idabel | - | Hwy 37 flooded and closed. Many Farm to Market roads also closed. |
| April 2000 | Tornado (F1) | Idabel | - | Numerous trees were toppled and stripped. No homes or structures were in the path of this tornado. |
| November 2000 | Flash Flood | Idabel | - | Numerous roads flooded. |
| April 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Several large trees down. |
| May 1999 | Tornado (F2) | Idabel | - | Numerous trees blown over or snapped. A Pecan orchard was laid to waste. This tornado moved into McCurtain county from Red River county, TX. |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Numerous trees and powerlines down. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Power company reported numerous downed trees and power lines. |
| November 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Several large trees down. |
| April 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Idabel | - | Severe thunderstorms in southeast Oklahoma during the late afternoon and evening hours on the 19th produced hail mostly between quarter and golf ball size with baseball-size hail reported in Halworth. Strong thunderstorm winds downed a tree and ripped a roof off a chicken house 4 miles west of Battiest, produced minor roof damage 6 miles south of Broken Bow, blew a shed down 9 miles southeast of Clayton and downed trees and power lines 4 miles west of Idabel. |
| April 1993 | Hail | Idabel | - | Severe thunderstorms in southeast Oklahoma during the late afternoon and evening hours on the 19th produced hail mostly between quarter and golf ball size with baseball-size hail reported in Halworth. Strong thunderstorm winds downed a tree and ripped a roof off a chicken house 4 miles west of Battiest, produced minor roof damage 6 miles south of Broken Bow, blew a shed down 9 miles southeast of Clayton and downed trees and power lines 4 miles west of Idabel. |
| April 2015 | Hail | Idabel | - | no account filed |
| May 2015 | Hail | Idabel | - | no account filed |
| May 2012 | Hail | Idabel | - | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Funnel Cloud | Idabel | - | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Hail | Idabel | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Idabel | - | no account filed |
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Spaulding-Olive House | 0.1 miles | 1979 |
 | Barnes-Steverson House | 0.1 miles | 1978 |
 | Rouleau Hotel | 0.3 miles | 2002 |
 | Frisco Station | 0.5 miles | 1979 |
| Garvin Rock Church | 8.0 miles | 1980 |
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 88001409 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| McCurtain County | All 13 listed properties in this county. |
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