Picher, OK depot. It had been converted into a church and they extended the original depot building. Photograph dated 3/10/2001.
The depot is scheduled to be demolished within the next two weeks. It is part of the tornado damage, lead and zinc mining Super Fund site clean up. Bill Collins
Bill, Thank you for the post. Do you know if the pending demolition is the result of tornado damage or Superfund work? I just talked by phone to the author of book Tri-State Traction, Edward A. Conrad. He is also grateful for the update. His Heartland Publishing Company, P.O. Box 160, Blue Springs, MO 64013-0160, has published several books of interest to rail fans. This book covers "The Interurban Trolleys of Southwest Missouri, Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma". The referenced book is a great history of the tri-state mineral district and the traction railroads that serviced the region. There is extensive coverage of the area including the Northeast Oklahoma Railroad (NEO), which had a long time connection with and was eventually purchased by the Frisco. It includes many maps, photos, equipment rosters, etc. One of the most valuable chapters is "What's Left - Remnants from a Bygone Era" that includes detailed maps, photos and driving directions. The Picher depot is located at the corner of US 69 (a/k/a Connell Street) and C Street and has been used as part of the local Church of the Nazarene. The NEO "fish hook" line between Cardin and Douthat, OK passed on the south side and the original SWM line ended on the north side. If anyone is in the area, current photos would be appreciated before we loose another piece of our history. Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
Mark and the group, No tornado damage, just part of the general cleanup going on. Several houses have be demolished, with the newer ones being moved. Several have been relocated to "New Picher", which is southeast of Quapaw. Ironically, this area is also on top of old mines near the Lincolnville townsite! Very strange to say the least. Most of the tornado damage was in the south part of town, where most of the new homes were. Bill
Thanks to Bill Collins and Bob King a couple of pieces of the old depot will be saved. They got permission to remove a couple of the white roof brackets and they have been donated to the Heartlands Railroad Museum in Carona, Kansas. Not sure what we will do with them right away but we will keep them dry and safe and may use them on a future project. John Chambers
A couple might look nice in my layout room, or on the back patio. Would it be possible for others to get brackets? It would be worth a trip up there to have a few.
Not sure, the building may be gone now. They were supposed to tear it down this week. Bob and Bill had to remove them and they said it was much harder than they first thought. The brackets are fairly large. John Chambers
The depot is still there intact as of today, Friday, November 6, 2009. The man to contact is Bob Bailey at Twin Bridges Company Salvage. Their current office in Picher is at the corner of Connell and "A" Street, across from the drive-in restaurant. He is in and out all the time and hard to find. But there are some other folks who man the office usually when he is out of the office. As John stated they are heavy and a real pain to get off. They have lag bolts inside and out, at least one is concealed behind the inside wall. A hard hat is a good idea, along with some stout help. Bill C
Looks like it would have made a nice museum to hold Frisco memories, and a nice sized layout. I wonder why they would tear it down? Is it in too poor of shape to make use of, or has it fallen victim to greed and development?
Willie. The entire town is being abandoned. The Federal Government is buying it out due to extensive lead and zinc contamination of the land and water. There are also issues with the extensive mine system collapsing, causing ground subsidence and deep sink holes. They are going to do the same with Treece, Kansas which is just across the state line. Bob Wintle
Update from Picher, OK. As of May 31, 2010, indeed the old NEO depot has been demolished. I was able to find the foundation, but that is all that remains. Does anyone have a picture of this depot during the NEO/Frisco days? Mike Sypult Frisco Central Division Milepost 333
Today's New York Times has a photograph essay about Treece, KS and Picher, OK. http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/05/20/magazine/20treece_ss.html The parts that are not visibly scarred by mining look like pleasant places to live, but pervasive pollution and subsidence of abandoned mines reportedly make it quite hazardous to one's health. There is one stubborn couple apparently still living there. I guess I can admire their stubbornness, but at the same time be very glad that they do not appear to have any children. Given the nasty effects of lead pollution on young brains and bodies, coupled with polluted water and the earth collapsing at random, it is not a fit place to live.
