In 1913, the discovery of lead and zinc ore transformed Picher, Oklahoma, into a booming industrial center that provided over fifty percent of the metal for bullets used in World War I. By 1926, the population peaked at over 14,000 residents who lived in the shadow of seventy million tons of toxic mining waste known as chat piles. Unaware of the danger, local children used these massive white mounds as playgrounds and parents filled sandboxes with the lead-laced dust. The environmental horror be

Exploring Picher, Oklahoma. Picher, Oklahoma was once a booming lead and zinc mining town, but today it’s one of America’s most infamous ghost towns. Much of it was left abandoned after contamination in the water and air due to mining. A tornado ripped through in 2008, destroying much of what remained. | Johnny Joo

3.8K views · 340 reactions | Picher, Oklahoma was once a thriving mining town, but decades of toxic lead and zinc waste left it dangerously polluted. The ground became unstable, homes sank, and residents suffered serious health issues. After a powerful tornado hit in 2008, most of the town was destroyed. By 2013, Picher was officially abandoned — now a haunting ghost town frozen in time. . . #geography #history #usa #Oklahoma #Canada | Urban Atlas | Facebook