Twyman Park (Six Bldgs) – Poteau

Address:	Vicinity of Poteau, Poteau, Oklahoma	County:	Leflore
Started:		Completed:	1937
Agencies:	WPA	NRHP:	September 8, 1988

Current Usage:

City Park

Description:

All structures and buildings within the Twyman Park were WPA constructed and include the following:
1) Caretaker’s cottage–One story and rectangular (36′ x 33′), the cottage is constructed of cut native sandstone slightly coursed but largely randomly placed. The roof is gabled; the windows on concrete sills are wood sash and placed by twos; and the front entryway is covered by a small porch. A board and batten addition has been placed on one side, covered with a catslide roof. The alteration, however, has only slightly impaired the integrity of the building.
2) Two picnic pavilions–Measuring 24 by 30 feet, the pavilions consist of an arched roof supported by six columns constructed of cut and coursed sandstone, covering stone and concret picnic tables on a concrete slab floor.
3) Swimming pool and bath house–Rectangular in shape, the pool measures 120 by 60 feet and is constructed of poured concrete. A small wading pool is situated just northwest of the larger pool. A concrete apron surrounds both pools. Immediately west of the pool is the bath house. A single story, rectangular (21′ x 60′) structure, it is constructed of untooled native sandstone randomly placed. There is a flat roof which is utilized as a sun deck; windows are small and situated high in the wall on the pool side, although there are normal size wood sash windows elsewhere. The west entry is recessed behind an archway. The structure is dominated, however, by a cylindrical tower of cut stone with a cone top that reaches above the deck roof. The tower is entwined by circular stairs. The tower and stairs required remarkable masonry skills. Just west of the bath house is a seven foot high stone retaining wall with steps down to the pool level.
4) Stone Fence–The park is enclosed on its east and south sides by a fence of native stone untooled and uncoursed that extends 1320 feet north to south and 660 feet east to west. The fence is two feet high and one foot wide, strengthened by symetrically placed pedistals and by a cap of flat stones.
5) Stone Drainage Ditch–Through the middle of the park runs a drainage ditch constructed of cut and uncut native sandstone. Blocks on the sides of the ditch are coursed, while the untooled stone on the bottom is randomly laid.

As a WPA project, the Twyman Park is notable because it produced a comprehensive recreational facility rather than just components of one. It constitutes the best example of a complete outdoor park built by the agency in Southeastern Oklahoma. Architecturally it is significant primarily because of the style and quality of workmanship employed on the bath house, especially the cylindrical tower that lends the building a Romanesque flavor. Construction of the park, moreover, provided a large number of jobs for individuals who had been on relief rolls and had suffered severely during the depth of the depression.

VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION: From its intersection with McKenna Street in south Poteau, follow West Street one-half mile to Twyman Park on the west side of the road. The park is the E 1/2, of the SE 1/4, of the NE 1/4 of Sec. 35, T 7 N, R 25 E.