Here's my ham-fisted tribute to this photo taken by Walker Evans.
Black Lake and the surrounding areas where asbestos mines have operated for over a century, have some have some of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world. Lung cancer and other forms of respiratory illnesses are also higher than average, not surprising given that many residential areas are pressed right up against the mining sites. When the mines and mills were operating at full strength, white dust would blow through the valleys and onto the residential areas below. People claim they'd have to sweep their porch every day to remove it. It was like snow.
The connection between respiratory related illnesses and asbestos have been recognized for centuries and, at the very least, well publicized for decades now. If people have stayed here over the years, it hasn't been because of ignorance, but because of money and the level of pride that must come with being one of the world's largest providers of asbestos. It's not a unique situation, but there seems to be a great deal of denial going on here. Nobody wants to admit there's a problem, especially not when the source of the problem is still allowing a lot of people to live comfortably. Nevermind that half of the mines here have been forced to close because most industrialized countries have banned asbestos. My impression is that so long as there are still a few jobs remaining and there's some money to be made for the community, then silence is golden.
