picher oklahoma

Picher is a city in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. It was once a center of lead and zinc. The population in 1640 was the 2000 census. The discovery of soil contamination and the possibility of a cave in the mines beneath the city took almost the entire population to evacuate the city and the nearby town of Cardin is followed.
Abstract 
1 Geography 
2 Demographics 
3 History 
3.1 Tar Creek Superfund Site 
3-2 May 2008 tornado 
3.3 Closure of local services 
4 Documentary 
5 Before mining 
6 Among the Indians 
7 References 
8 External links 
   Geography 

Picher is located at 36 ° 58'58 "N 94 ° 49'58" W (36.982824, -94.832777) 
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.8 km ²), all of this country. 
   Demographics 

In the 2000 census, there were 1640 people, 621 households, and 417 families residing in the city. Population density is 734.0 people per square mile (283.9/km ²). There were 708 housing units at an average density of 316.9/sq my (122.6/km ²). The racial composition of the city was 77.13% White, 13.78% of the United States, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 0.12% Asian, 0.06% from other races, and 8.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.40% of the population. 
There were 621 households of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a woman without a husband present and 32 7% families were not. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who is 65 years or more. The average household size is 2.58 and the average family size was 3.20. 
In the city the population was distributed to 27.1% under the age of 18 years, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% those who are 65 years or more. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males. For every 100 women over 18 years, there were 90.0 males. 
The median income for a household in the city was $ 19.722, and the median income for a family was $ 25.950. Males had a median income of $ 22,321 against $ 15,947 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 10.938. About 21.1% of families and 25.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.4% of those under 18 years and 30.9% of persons 65 years or more. 
   History 

Picher was the home of my balls which provided the American soldiers fighting in World War I and II.Sa population peaked at 16,000 in the approach of the War mondiale.En 1970, the last mine in the region have closed. 
[edit] Tar Creek Superfund Site 
Picher has recently been emphasized by its location near the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Tar Creek Superfund site, which has a long history of underground lead and zinc mines until 1970. Chat piles left behind by mining dust containing lead, which has flown around the city. Elevated lead levels in Picher children have led to learning difficulties and other problems. Lead and zinc have also been introduced into groundwater, ponds and lakes, many of which are still used by children for swimming. Because of Picher children have been found in high levels of lead in their bodies, the EPA has declared Picher to be one of the most toxic of the United States. 
On April 24, 2006, Reuters reported that Picher had been scheduled to be closed and removed all the residents. Largely due to the removal of large quantities of subsurface material during mining, the structures of the city have been considered in imminent danger of caving in. 
The pharmacist of the town, Gary Linderman was presented at the May 28, 2007, issue of People magazine in the article Heroes among us "Requirement of kindness." He pledged to stay as long as there was someone who needed him on the left and the last of the city. 
   May 2008 tornado 
On May 10, 2008, Picher was hit by a tornado. As of May 11, there were six dead, including possibly a child, and many others wounded. The first tornado hit near the border with Kansas, Oklahoma southwest of Chetopa Oklahoma, Kansas and continued eastward. Then suddenly in Picher with disastrous results. 20 blocks from the city suffered extensive damage to homes and businesses destroyed or flattened. Picher Damage was estimated at EF4. At least 150 people were injured in Picher alone. The tornado continued east, passing just north of Quapaw and Peoria before crossing Interstate 44 in Missouri. This was the deadliest tornado in Oklahoma in South Oklahoma City F5 tornado on May 3, 1999, killing 36. The federal government has also decided that there will be no help to rebuild houses, but the acquisitions will continue as planned and people are assisted in the relocation. 
Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry sent National Guard troops and emergency personnel to help those most affected in the Picher area where a 20-block area has suffered significant damage, which destroyed several structures. Damage was reported in Peoria and Quapaw. 
Loss of power of a tornado forced the city to go in a boiled water notice. The staff of the Rural Water Association of Oklahoma came to help, because the usefulness of the test material was destroyed by the storm. With an emergency generator to provide power, water systems in rural areas are operating normally two days after the tornado struck. 
   Closure of local services 
In April 2009, residents voted 55-6 to dissolve the Picher-Cardin school district, which graduated its last class, May 11. Since 2009, district enrollment has been reduced to a total of 49 students from about 340 to three years. Other students Quapaw commerce and school districts. 
Post office in the city must close in July 2009 and the city is to stop the operations of a municipality, about September 1, 2009.