Picher

Picher is an abandoned settlement in Ottawa County in northeastern Oklahoma that was evacuated due to mining damage and environmental contamination. The streets still run in grids between empty lots where weathered wooden houses and collapsed roofs appear here and there.

The place emerged in the early 20th century as a center for lead and zinc extraction and grew rapidly to several thousand residents. A tornado in 2008 destroyed many of the still inhabited buildings and accelerated the final evacuation by the government.

The community center with its red brick building still stands upright while houses around it disappear. The few trailers and makeshift shelters at the town edge show that some people never fully abandoned the place.

Most streets remain passable but barriers mark areas with acute collapse risk or high contamination levels. Visitors who explore the site should wear sturdy footwear and keep distance from crumbling structures.

The white waste piles of crushed limestone and dolomite can be seen from dozens of miles away. Wind still carries fine particles from these piles across the region and leaves a gray dust on everything nearby.

Location: Ottawa County

Inception: 1918

Elevation above the sea: 250 m

GPS coordinates: 36.98333,-94.83111

Latest update: December 18, 2025 19:01