In 1913, lead turned Picher from Oklahoma farmland into a town of about 14,000; more than a century later, the town has no permanent residents, and toxic chat piles remain in Ottawa County

Picher, Oklahoma, experienced rapid growth as a mining hub following the discovery of lead and zinc in 1913. However, this prosperity came at a cost, as mining operations left a legacy of environmental poisoning. By 1967, flooded mines contained contaminated water, and a 1983 Superfund designation highlighted critical lead exposure risks affecting children.