Few know the story of bustling coal mining town turned ghost town. This town didn't dry up from a lack of coal, but an abundance. Prior to 1962 Centralia was a bustling coal mining town with over 1000 residents. However in 1962 the town's volunteer fire department set the town landfill on fire as they did every year in its previous location to minimize the size of the pile. Little did they know that the burning trash, now in an abandoned strip mine, was sitting on top of a exposed coal vein. The town attempted to put the burning coal out numerous times and thought they were successful, however the fire continued to rage and moved underground into the coal deposits and abandoned mines under the town. As the fire raged under the town toxic fumes leaked into homes and a 4ft wide by 150ft deep sink hole opened up in one residents backyard almost swallowing a young child. The Pennsylvanian and US government spent $40 million unsuccessfully trying to flush out, excavate, suffocate, or contain the fire. Eventually residents were forced to relocate and were assisted through government funds and buy-outs. Today only a handful of about 9 residents refused to give up their homes and continue to live there.
I recently visited Centralia while I was traveling through Pennsylvania as I had seen a show about it on tv. It was really cool to see, however there wasn't much visible smoke due to the absence of water (snow or rain) to make steam. There was quite a bit of non-visible smoke that smelled of sulfur coming out of cracks in the abandoned section of Route 61. This gas was REALLY hot I wasn't able to even put my hand over it a few inches from the ground without burning it in less than a second. The roadway was also much hotter than normal and my shoes even became softer and sticky on the bottom as they heated up. It was also very cool to see the remnants of the town with the numerous abandoned streets that lead to now demolished homes.
Here are some pictures of the town as of 6/24/09:
This is the sign as you leave Ashland.
On the bypass for the damaged section of Route 61.
The church on the hill coming into town.
An abandoned Main Street.
Abandoned residential streets.
The hill where the fire started behind the cemetery.
Behind this sign is the now abandoned section of Route 61 that is heavily damaged by the fire raging under it.
A picture of modern day Ashland, similar to what Centalia used to look like.
The abandoned section of Route 61:
Abandoned section of route 61, now "Graffiti Highway."
The road buckling as the fire rages under it. The road has sunk about 3ft but the camera tends to flatten the image.
The extensive damage the road has sustained from the fire.
A 700ft long and 1-2ft wide crack in the middle of the lane. This is also where the smoke was coming out.
The pile of dirt separating the bypass from the old route 61.
13 Comments to “Centralia, Pa”
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go in the winter when it’s really cold and take some pictures or video pls someone.
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the site amazes me after 15 years of being there…..i have pics from way back and from way back in the hills….i enjoy seeing the changes.unfortunaley people perished for their work here
……the old hills do still live,go camp there some time…..
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miles reply on January 5th, 2010:
I would love to add your older pictures to the mix if you would like. Send me an email at savagemania@gmail.com and I can add them.
Thanks,
Miles
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I just heard about Centralia and started reading up on it. I’ve always been sorta fascinated by “ghost towns” in general . Y’know, I think the most intriguing detail of the Centralia story that I’ve heard is that a handful of people still live there. That’s a bit bizarro. WHY?? is the question that immediately springs to mind. I wonder what life is like living in such a place..
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miles reply on September 19th, 2009:
Well from my experience the “town” seems pretty normal from those few houses other than the fact that you are completely alone. However, this was during the summer when the gas being released is invisible for the most part. During the winter it is a whole different story with the steam clouds. Although the fire has begun to move away from the town and is now more towards the cemetery so it is not as bothersome as it once was. But you are right why would you want to live alone in a place with toxic gases and the potential for sink holes? The only reason I can think of is just plain old stubbornness.
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we went there yesterday and saw the old broken up highway,but we couldn’t find any of the old staircases that used to lead to houses,are they all gone now?
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miles reply on August 29th, 2009:
I think they are as I did not see any of them either.
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Matt reply on September 9th, 2009:
Just went tonight, we explored pretty much everything, and there are still some stairways and sidewalks.
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I was just there today for the first time. Kinda weird that the church on the hill doesn’t even have anything resembling a parking lot. Wonder if it’s still in use at all?
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miles reply on August 5th, 2009:
Ya the church is kinda errie. When you come into town as well.
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Crazy Awesome
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I visited in 2004. Thanks for these.
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Awesome….you never cease to amaze me with the cool stuff you come up with…..Awesome job!
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