Oklahoma Ghost Towns: Picher

It has quite a backstory.

Picher, OkPhoto byCreative Commons: peggydavis66

Living in Oklahoma presents the opportunity for lots of little-known backstories. The state seems to have an abnormal amount of ghost towns. Often, they come with interesting stories. Take Picher, Oklahoma for example. Not only is it a ghost town it’s one of the deadliest places in the country.

Picher is in Ottawa County, located in northeastern Oklahoma. For 100 years, it was the center of lead and zinc mining. Eventually, decades of subsurface mining began to show make themselves known. Dangers included cave-in threats, water contamination and mining residue, known as “chat” posed a danger to children.

Mitigation and remediation proved unsuccessful

During the 80s the EPA funded the Tar Creek Superfund to try to undue the damage. The attempt proved unsuccessful. In 1994 a survey found that 34% of the children in Picher suffered from lead poising, which can lead to lifelong neurological problems.

Ultimately, the EPA and state bought the land and mandated an evacuation.

Going, going, gone

As of 2000, Picher had a population of 1620. The 2010 census showed a population of 20.

The May 28, 2007, issue of People magazine in the Heroes Among Us issue covered Gary Linderman, who owned a drugstore in the town. Linderman vowed to be the last man to leave. He died of a sudden illness on June 9, 2015. Which reportedly brought the population down to zero. Though that “fact” is disputed.

A parting thought…

Picher was owned by the Quapaw tribe. US government regulations prohibited many tribal members from profiting from mining royalties. Tribal members sold mining rights to mining companies.

Wow, the tribe missed out on royalties and the land was ruined. It’s like and environmental version of, Killers of the Flower Moon meet Erin Brockovich. Not good.