09/30/2026
To wipe away a toxic town.
Part 1:
Picher, Oklahoma.
The date is May 10, 2008. Just over 2,000 residents remain in this ever-fading town. Beginning its roots as a mining town, little did the founders know, they doomed it from the start. Massive chat piles surrounding the town contained substantial amounts of heavy metals, such as cadmium, mercury, and lead. These would over time poison the residents. By the 90's, Picher and surrounding areas were declared a Superfund site.
May 10, 2008, a EF-4 tornado blasted the southern blocks, wiping many of the frame homes away. 6 people would not make it. These homes were poorly constructed. Many were in poor condition too, with water and termite damage being prevalent.
It would go on to cause up to EF-3 damage, and more deaths, in the area of Neosho, Missouri, which I'll cover in a future post.
In the coming months, FEMA bought out the properties, and assisted the residents in relocation. As of today, it's a ghost town. Zero permanent residents. Buildings and landmarks now a decaying reminder of a once bustling town.
Sometimes, disasters end up being the start towards a better life.
