Times Beach, Missouri became the largest civilian environmental buyout in U.S. history. In 1983, the federal government ordered residents to leave after discovering dangerous dioxin contamination beneath their homes.
This is the full story of how a quiet Route 66 town turned into a national environmental scandal.
In this episode of Yore Town, we dive deep into the Times Beach disaster — from the origins of the contamination to the Superfund buyout, the demolition of the town, and the lasting impact on environmental regulation in America.
What began as a dust control solution on unpaved roads became a defining moment in U.S. environmental history. The contamination involved 2,3,7,8-TCDD — one of the most toxic forms of dioxin ever studied — and ultimately led to the permanent disincorporation of the town in 1992.
This is not just a story about chemicals.
It’s a story about community, trust, government response, and the turning point that erased a town from the map.
What You’ll Learn:
The true history of Times Beach, Missouri
How dioxin contamination happened
Who Russell Bliss and NEPACCO were
What the EPA discovered in 1982
Why the Meramec River flood changed everything
How the Superfund program handled the crisis
What happened to former residents
Why Route 66 State Park now sits where a town once stood
Chapters
00:00 The Contamination Revelation
02:41 The Origins of Times Beach
05:25 The Dust Control Solution
08:28 The Dioxin Discovery
11:11 The Federal Response
13:52 The Cleanup and Aftermath
16:53 The Legacy of Times Beach
If you enjoy deep dives into forgotten American towns, environmental disasters, and the turning points that changed communities forever — subscribe to Yore Town for more Small Towns. Big Stories.
New episodes every week.
Episode Quotes
"23 miles of dirt roads and dust control issues"
"The initial estimate to buy out Times Beach was $33 million"
"The town legally ceased to exist in 1992"
Resources
Route 66 State Park - https://mostateparks.com/park/route-66-state-park
Superfund Law (CERCLA) - https://www.epa.gov/superfund/cercla
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - https://www.epa.gov
Times Beach, Missouri - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Beach,_Missouri
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