(Legacy) Picher, OK - 74360
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 36° 59.114 W 094° 49.851
15S E 337058 N 4094800
The former post office of Picher, OK
Waymark Code: WM97ZH
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 07/11/2010
Views: 6
UPDATE: 10/10/2016 - It has been reported that the post office has been razed and this location is now just an empty lot.
The Picher post office, located at 100 S. Connell Avenue is no longer open, the town has been abandoned, and a segment of Oklahoma history has come to an end.
The post office was established here on June 2, 1916, and the town was named for W.S. Picher of the Eagle-Picher Lead Company. The town was incorporated in 1918 and became a boom town when lead and zinc mining flourished. The population was highest in 1926 when it reached 14,252.
The mining operations caused severe contamination to the area, and a risk of cave-ins, and in recent years, the town was slowly abandoned. The remaining inhabitants were then struck with an F4 tornado on May 10, 2008 which killed a couple dozen people and severely damaged the downtown area. The school district shut-down in April 2009 and the post office closed up and turned out the lights on the town in July 2009, as the area was too toxic and risky for habitation. The posted photo was taken in March 2009 just prior to its closing.
Type of structure:: Stand alone
re-enter Zip Code here:: 74360
Current Status:: Retired
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