Centralia
Sources and for more information and pictures of Centralia:
Centralia Pennsylvania Photography
PA Highways: Centralia Mine Fire
Wikipedia: Centralia, PA
Centralia Mine Fire
|
|
|
|
Centralia |
|
|
|
|
|
After following Route 61 North out of Ashland, you'll find yourself in a strange, empty place filled with smoke and scattered buildings. A few houses and a cemetery are here, and lots of empty land. Welcome to Centralia, a once booming mining town, now almost completely abandoned. This town was once similar to its neighbor Ashland, but is now an empty set of lots with streets that lead to nowhere. The mine fire that ruined this town started in the 60s when a fire was lit to burn garbage. This fire ignited an exposed vein of coal and it has continued to burn ever since. A few ineffective efforts were made to put out the fire. Eventually the government bought most of homes and the townspeople relocated. The houses were torn down and their foundations are barely visible beneath the grass. A few residents still remain, refusing to leave their beloved town. Sources and for more information and pictures of Centralia: Centralia Pennsylvania Photography PA Highways: Centralia Mine Fire Wikipedia: Centralia, PA Centralia Mine Fire |