A Superfund Christmas in Picher: A parade in a ghost town

PICHER — Around 2,500 people turned out for the eighth annual Picher Christmas parade on Saturday, bringing life, joy and fun to the Ottawa County ghost town.

“It’s one of the biggest parades we have had in a long time,” said Sherri Mills, parade organizer.

Around two decades ago, the one-time lead and zinc mining town had dwindled to around 1,600 residents. A federally funded buyout and an EF4 tornado in 2008 saw the population drop to 20 in the 2010 census.

Picher is the center of Tar Creek Superfund site, an area of 40 square miles of lead- and zinc-contaminated land, in northern Ottawa County. For years, the area was at the top of the EPA’s Superfund list after mining companies departed and left countless environmental and medical problems.

The community was part of a federally funded buyout after a 2006 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study showed the abandoned lead and zinc mines underneath Picher and the nearby communities of Cardin and Hockerville had a high risk of caving in.

Against a backdrop of chat pile mountains and falling-down buildings, people were bundled up in coats and gloves and lined what was Picher’s main drag — Connell Street — to watch Saturday’s “Coming Home for Christmas Parade.”

“Our parade theme never changes,” Mills said. “It’s about people coming back to Picher.”

Fresh doughnuts and hot chocolate and coffee were freely available in front of the Gary Building, formerly known as the Ole Miners Pharmacy.

The parade served as a time for old friends to greet one another and catch up on one another’s families.

Over 100 floats, horses, antique trucks, convertibles carrying Miss Merry Christmas queens, firetrucks, and Santa and Mrs. Claus participated in the 45-minute parade.

One float at the beginning of the parade carried the sign “74360 was our town,” referring to Picher’s former ZIP code. In the truck’s bed was Steve Hopkins with his trumpet, playing the school fight song.

“The Quapaw High School band plays the Picher school fight song,” Mills said. “Every time I hear the song, I get a lump in my throat.”

“Most people tell me, ‘We just love being in the Picher parade,’” she added. “We are not professional, we are not fancy — but we have a lot of fun.”

Paula Ozburn of Commerce was part of the crowd listening to some of the old stories about Picher when it was a mining boom town. Her father graduated from Picher High School, so she makes the trek across Ottawa County in remembrance of him.

“For a town that doesn’t exist, it’s crazy how many people turn out for a parade,” Ozburn said.