Funeral Homes in Picher, OK

Facts about the city

Picher is a ghost town and former city in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. Much of the land was originally owned by the Quapaw after Indian Removal. In the early 20th century, mining took place initially under federal leases of these lands but the Quapaw did not receive a fair share of royalties and were generally excluded from the thousands of mining jobs in the region. In 2000 they comprised a significant minority of the population in the city. This was a major national center of lead and zinc mining at the heart of the Tri-State Mining District. More than a century of unrestricted subsurface excavation dangerously undermined most of Picher's town buildings and left giant piles of toxic metal-contaminated mine tailings (known as chat) heaped throughout the area. The discovery of the cave-in risks, groundwater contamination, and health effects associated with the chat piles and subsurface shafts resulted in the site being included in 1980 in the Tar Creek Superfund Site by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The state collaborated on mitigation and remediation measures, but a 1996 study found that 34% of the children in Picher suffered from lead poisoning due to these environmental effects, which could result in lifelong neurological problems. Eventually EPA and the state of Oklahoma agreed to a mandatory evacuation and buyout of the entire township. The similarly contaminated satellite towns of Treece, Kansas and Cardin, Oklahoma were included in the Tar Creek Superfund site.A 2006 Army Corps of Engineers study showed 86% of Picher's buildings (including the town school) were badly undermined and subject to collapse at any time. The destruction of 150 homes by an F4 tornado in May 2008 accelerated the exodus. On September 1, 2009, the state of Oklahoma officially dis-incorporated the city of Picher.The town ceased official operations on September 1, 2009 and the population plummeted from 1,640 at the 2000 census to 20 at the 2010 census. As of January 2011, only six homes and one business remain, their owners having refused to leave at any price. The rest of the town's buildings, except designated historical structures, were scheduled to be demolished by the end of the year.Picher is among a small number of locations in the world (such as Gilman, Colorado, Centralia, Pennsylvania, and Wittenoom, Western Australia) to be evacuated and declared uninhabitable due to environmental and health damage caused by the mines the town once serviced.The closest towns to Picher, other than nearby Cardin, Treece and Douthat, are Commerce, Quapaw (the headquarters of the nation by that name) and Miami, Oklahoma

Picher Obituaries

It was disclosed by Topeka Capital-Journal on March 20th, 2020 that Maxine Nona Taylor (Foster) passed away in Topeka, Kansas.  Ms. Taylor was 95 years old and was born in Picher, OK.  Send flowers to express your sympathy and honor Maxine Nona's life.

It was reported on September 3rd, 2019 that Mildred Wanetta Wissinger (Wood) died in West Milton, Ohio.  Ms. Wissinger was 99 years old and was born in Picher, OK.  Send flowers to share your condolences and honor Mildred Wanetta's life.

It was noted by Foster's Daily Democrat on August 29th, 2019 that Floyd N Turner perished in Rochester, New Hampshire.  Turner was 78 years old and was born in Picher, OK.  Send flowers to share your condolences and honor Floyd N's life.

It was reported by Register Guard on July 30th, 2019 that Garold "Dean" Workman died in Eugene, Oregon.  Workman was 86 years old and was born in Picher, OK.  Send flowers to share your condolences and honor Garold "Dean"'s life.

It was noted by Des Moines Register on December 23rd, 2018 that Billy Dean Wood perished in Des Moines, Iowa.  Wood was 83 years old and was born in Picher, OK.  Send flowers to share your condolences and honor Billy Dean's life.

It was noted by Hutchinson News on October 1st, 2018 that Sharon Gean Rowden (Rowden) perished in Hutchinson, Kansas.  Ms. Rowden was 65 years old and was born in Picher, OK.  Send flowers to share your condolences and honor Sharon Gean's life.

It was disclosed by Topeka Capital-Journal on September 25th, 2018 that Wanda L Philips (Foster) perished in Topeka, Kansas.  Ms. Philips was 91 years old and was born in Picher, OK.  Send flowers to express your sympathy and honor Wanda L's life.

It was disclosed by Topeka Capital-Journal on July 3rd, 2018 that Rex E Gary died in Berryton, Kansas.  Gary was 88 years old and was born in Picher, OK.  Send flowers to express your sorrow and honor Rex E's life.

It was written by The Desert Sun on October 4th, 2017 that Wesley Gilstrap passed away in California.  Gilstrap was 83 years old and was born in Picher, OK.  Send flowers to express your sympathy and honor Wesley's life.

It was revealed by Enumclaw Courier-Herald on December 28th, 2016 that Clifford Leon Creek perished in Enumclaw, Washington.  Creek was 83 years old and was born in Picher, OK.  Send flowers to express your sympathy and honor Clifford Leon's life.

History

The population was 1,640 at the United States Census, 2000 census. Picher is a town in Ottawa County, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States. It was formerly a center of lead and zinc mining. Discoveries of ground contamination and the possibility of a cave in under the town site have prompted nearly all of its population to evacuate Picher, and the nearby town of Cardin, Oklahoma is following suit. .