I was raised there the first 5years of my life,I was born in Miami,My dad worked in the mines there until around 1958 or so, We then moved to New Mexico ,so my dad could work in the Uranium mines.My grandmother still lived in Picher,so we would go back on vacation every year to see her.There was a chat pile across the road from her house and my sister and I would play on those chat piles all day .Its too bad about Picher.Old memories.
@@specl4ss Cool, thanks for the note. I'm always interested in abandoned places. It's really sad what the government did to this place. I mean it's great that the jobs were there, but the way the lead and tailings were left for people to be exposed was horrible.
I CANNOT believe it! My hubby and I used to drive a regional dedicated OTR run from KC to Dallas. First time through I stupidly went off the truck route and took us through Picher. I was so fascinated with the town for some reason, and always wanted to know more and go back some day. Today I found your channel through Karma kitty, and then found this video of yours. Thank you so much for this amazing footage of this sad but very special town
Hey! Thanks for what you do driving a truck! I can't buy stuff at the store without awesome drivers making drops! Picher is a special little town with a crazy history! Thank you for the kind words about the video! And thanks for keeping up with Karma! She's a special kitty and has brought more love to our home! Drive safe!
I love the music choice for this video. Very fitting. Pitcher is a story of devastation, and so many lives effected, but it was also home to many memories
Thank you! I think the music really helped pull this one together. It really is so sad there. I've watched a couple small documentaries that showed the town before the buy out, and to see it now............. gut wrenching!
How about Treece, Kansas? Treece and Pitcher were basically one community. I remember when the EPA first bought out everything in Pitcher, Treece was under a different regional EPA office from Pitcher and the EPA office in charge of Treece was not buying it out, saying it wasn't that bad. A lot of people in Treece were trying to get their EPA office to buy them out, saying if Pitcher wasn't fit for human habitation Treece wasn't either. I guess Treece finally got bought out by their regional EPA office - last time I drove though there (years ago), Treece seemed to be a ghost town too. I remember way back, in the late 80s, when Pitcher/Treece was a cute and apparently thriving little community. To me, driving through, the huge slag piles towering over the town were kind of eerie looking. I heard a man who grew up in Pitcher saying when he was a child, he associated the slag piles with home and was comforted to see them in the distance as his family would drive home from road trips. As a kid, he had no way to know they were toxic.
I have read some about Treece but doesn't get the same attention as Picher. I'll have to do some homework and learn about what was there as well! Driving through the area and seeing those huge piles is really eerie and sobering. It's crazy to think all of this went down in what used to be a thriving area!
Wow that's interesting. There really goes to show how the government can screw small towns, but not just the government but companies. If the companies don't follow good practices and regulations, then you end up with all these poisonous piles and then everything goes downhill from there.
I was just there this morning. Its changed since the last time I was there 3 years ago. This definitely smells of a big fraud. I always had my doubt's since there is a busy highway running through the center of Picher and Cardin. There is now a tribal police department in the old post office along with a fire dept and emergency services office. There are several businesses in the area and the old high school is also some sort of business. There are several farms in the area growing crops and raising cattle and have horses. IMO this was a set up and the mayor and some others purchased land for a little bit of nothing. I think this has to be one of the largest scams ever
I mean, you might have a point but a deliberate scam? I mean, I don't think so. At least not a long-term scam. So yeah of course now they can get the land for super cheap because obviously all the poison. But the ruin of the town started decades ago, so the only people profiting are those who recently moved there.
I lived in Broken Arrow for 13 years and moved to Utah in 2003. I never heard of Picher, ok until I saw it on You Tube about a year ago. Strange, huh? Great segment, I enjoyed it. Thanks.
This town had reached urban legend status. legend has it the water or soil was contaminated and the tornado in 08 leveled the town, Federal goverment refused to clean it up and supposedly for years afterward the tornado damage was still intact
Yes because it was cheaper just to move all the remaining residents out, and of course they were not going to build new homes there because of all the cleanup still going on.
The roads are blocked off? Can you even drive down the main road, or I guess there's no access? I was reading another comment where there were a few businesses in the area, but I don't see how they can be operated with any effectiveness without steady business lol
Great video. I'm from Miami, OK just south of there. Kids would sled on those chat piles. I knew a girl that was paralyzed because she sledded into a hole around there.
It absolutely is! It really hit me while I was there doing the shoot. Even now watching my own video and others on Picher it's tough knowing how many hard working folks were negatively effected.
We used to drink beer in and around pitcher and commerce and miami Cool place up there, I was born and raised in Carl jct. Mo. , Ks okla and mo was our stomping grounds
My family’ and cardins intermarried we have lots of history in Oklahoma I myself was born there in Miami ,my grandfather was captain of highway patrol back 8n 40s ,he also was president of the Scottish rites masonicclodge and tax assessor as well he died at 58 1970 ,,us navy,,he was ,my dad was saf
I know we’re this ghost town. Is I never went in the houses but oun time we drove by that ghost tow there was a lot off people wearing black in a circle it was wired but yes we think it was the federal government
Leave a comment if you have ever seen or heard of Picher, Oklahoma! Tell us your thoughts on this!
I was raised there the first 5years of my life,I was born in Miami,My dad worked in the mines there until around 1958 or so, We then moved to New Mexico ,so my dad could work in the Uranium mines.My grandmother still lived in Picher,so we would go back on vacation every year to see her.There was a chat pile across the road from her house and my sister and I would play on those chat piles all day .Its too bad about Picher.Old memories.
@@specl4ss Cool, thanks for the note. I'm always interested in abandoned places. It's really sad what the government did to this place. I mean it's great that the jobs were there, but the way the lead and tailings were left for people to be exposed was horrible.
I CANNOT believe it! My hubby and I used to drive a regional dedicated OTR run from KC to Dallas. First time through I stupidly went off the truck route and took us through Picher. I was so fascinated with the town for some reason, and always wanted to know more and go back some day. Today I found your channel through Karma kitty, and then found this video of yours. Thank you so much for this amazing footage of this sad but very special town
Hey! Thanks for what you do driving a truck! I can't buy stuff at the store without awesome drivers making drops! Picher is a special little town with a crazy history! Thank you for the kind words about the video! And thanks for keeping up with Karma! She's a special kitty and has brought more love to our home! Drive safe!
Can you drive through there now? Probably not I suppose
I love the music choice for this video. Very fitting.
Pitcher is a story of devastation, and so many lives effected, but it was also home to many memories
Thank you! I think the music really helped pull this one together. It really is so sad there. I've watched a couple small documentaries that showed the town before the buy out, and to see it now............. gut wrenching!
I bet the ones who ruined it are living high up elsewhere with the money made from their destruction
How about Treece, Kansas? Treece and Pitcher were basically one community. I remember when the EPA first bought out everything in Pitcher, Treece was under a different regional EPA office from Pitcher and the EPA office in charge of Treece was not buying it out, saying it wasn't that bad. A lot of people in Treece were trying to get their EPA office to buy them out, saying if Pitcher wasn't fit for human habitation Treece wasn't either. I guess Treece finally got bought out by their regional EPA office - last time I drove though there (years ago), Treece seemed to be a ghost town too.
I remember way back, in the late 80s, when Pitcher/Treece was a cute and apparently thriving little community. To me, driving through, the huge slag piles towering over the town were kind of eerie looking. I heard a man who grew up in Pitcher saying when he was a child, he associated the slag piles with home and was comforted to see them in the distance as his family would drive home from road trips. As a kid, he had no way to know they were toxic.
I have read some about Treece but doesn't get the same attention as Picher. I'll have to do some homework and learn about what was there as well! Driving through the area and seeing those huge piles is really eerie and sobering. It's crazy to think all of this went down in what used to be a thriving area!
Wow that's interesting. There really goes to show how the government can screw small towns, but not just the government but companies. If the companies don't follow good practices and regulations, then you end up with all these poisonous piles and then everything goes downhill from there.
A tragic story, but fascinating views. Thanks for another excellent video!
I am glad you enjoyed the video! I appreciate you being an awesome subscriber!!
This is a fascinating video, I've never heard of Picher, but I think I will google some more info. :) Congrats on the 1,600 subs now. :D
Thank you so much! I am glad you enjoyed it! And wow what a spike in subs! I can totally thank Cory for that! :)
Great stuff love the passion for our great state
Thank you! I appreciate the kind words!
I was just there this morning. Its changed since the last time I was there 3 years ago. This definitely smells of a big fraud. I always had my doubt's since there is a busy highway running through the center of Picher and Cardin. There is now a tribal police department in the old post office along with a fire dept and emergency services office. There are several businesses in the area and the old high school is also some sort of business. There are several farms in the area growing crops and raising cattle and have horses. IMO this was a set up and the mayor and some others purchased land for a little bit of nothing. I think this has to be one of the largest scams ever
It may very well be! Besides the tornado everything else seems to be riddled with oddities!
Patricia Munsch the card is where also my ancestors 😀
I mean, you might have a point but a deliberate scam? I mean, I don't think so. At least not a long-term scam. So yeah of course now they can get the land for super cheap because obviously all the poison. But the ruin of the town started decades ago, so the only people profiting are those who recently moved there.
My great great grandfather was the very first street commissioner of pi her in 1800s the first one,,,George Marshall Hinds
I lived in Broken Arrow for 13 years and moved to Utah in 2003. I never heard of Picher, ok until I saw it on You Tube about a year ago. Strange, huh? Great segment, I enjoyed it. Thanks.
I live in Broken Arrow now. Great place to live! I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
Cool. Bud. I've been wanting to do a video there too.
Over 600 subs CONGRATS.
Thank you! It's a cool place to visit, but man is it sobering!
@@bigrayinba Yeah we've drove through there before and after the tornado.
This town had reached urban legend status. legend has it the water or soil was contaminated and the tornado in 08 leveled the town, Federal goverment refused to clean it up and supposedly for years afterward the tornado damage was still intact
Yes because it was cheaper just to move all the remaining residents out, and of course they were not going to build new homes there because of all the cleanup still going on.
Very interesting video. Such an eerie and sad scene. The music fits perfectly also. Does anyway know the song and artist?
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Information about the music can be found in the description of the video!
i was there just there today, it is empty. all the roads are blocked off
It's so sobering right!?
BiggestRayRay yes
The roads are blocked off? Can you even drive down the main road, or I guess there's no access? I was reading another comment where there were a few businesses in the area, but I don't see how they can be operated with any effectiveness without steady business lol
Great video. I'm from Miami, OK just south of there. Kids would sled on those chat piles. I knew a girl that was paralyzed because she sledded into a hole around there.
Thanks! And that's crazy! I can't beleive anybody would ever go up on those piles! Scary!
That's horrible, that people didn't know the full story. That reminds me of the movie Erin brockovich, where she had to fight PG&e.
Devastating, in many levels and ways.
It absolutely is! It really hit me while I was there doing the shoot. Even now watching my own video and others on Picher it's tough knowing how many hard working folks were negatively effected.
We used to drink beer in and around pitcher and commerce and miami Cool place up there, I was born and raised in Carl jct. Mo. , Ks okla and mo was our stomping grounds
I'm 78 years and things changed in your turf
Who is mowing all that grass?
That's a great question! I wondered that myself after being up there!
My family’ and cardins intermarried we have lots of history in Oklahoma I myself was born there in Miami ,my grandfather was captain of highway patrol back 8n 40s ,he also was president of the Scottish rites masonicclodge and tax assessor as well he died at 58 1970 ,,us navy,,he was ,my dad was saf
I know we’re this ghost town. Is I never went in the houses but oun time we drove by that ghost tow there was a lot off people wearing black in a circle it was wired but yes we think it was the federal government