As you plan your move to Oklahoma, chances are you probably haven’t seen any homes listed in or around the town of Cardin. Wondering why?
Back in the day, Cardin was a quiet rural community in the northern part of Oklahoma. The town was home to a couple of really busy zinc and lead mines – we’re sure you can see where we are going with this – that released harmful chemicals into the atmosphere.
In the early 1980s, Cardin was named, along with five other former mining towns in the area (including nearby Picher), to be a Superfund site. What does that mean? Basically, it means that Cardin was among several towns and communities to be earmarked in a federal buyout that cost the U.S. government over $45 million. Many families moved out of the town only after being paid off by the Fed.
By 2000, the population of Cardin had dwindled to just 150. The very last family moved away from Cardin in 2010. It was reported that the family moved only after accepting $78,000 for their doublewide mobile home and an additional shop building, but did not move willingly.
While we can understand not wanting to move from the house or town you love, we aren’t sure we would want to risk the health of our family. What would you do if you were in a similar situation? Let us know; we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Jon Huser
