Pennsylvania is a beautiful state with a lot of history and culture. On the other hand, it has a darker side that most people don’t see. In the northeastern part of the state, there is a town that used to be busy and successful but is now empty and falling apart. People don’t know much about Centralia, the town that was left empty. This is its story.
How Centralia Rose and Fell
Centralia began as a coal mine town in 1866. It was named for the Centralia Mine, which was close by and one of the biggest and most active in the area. Centralia had more than 2,000 people living in it at its busiest. There were churches, schools, shops, and social clubs for everyone to enjoy.
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But Centralia’s luck started to go downhill in the 1950s when coal prices dropped and mines had to close. A lot of people left the town to find better chances elsewhere, leaving empty houses and less money coming in from taxes. Centralia had fewer than 1,000 people living there in 1962, and there was a big problem: a basement fire.
The Fire That Will Never Go Out
Some people still don’t agree on where the fire started, but the most popular idea is that trash was deliberately set on fire at a dump site that was built on top of an old coal mine. Below, a coal seam caught fire, and the fire quickly spread through the tunnels and shafts that ran under the town. Authorities from both the city and the state tried several times but failed to put out the fire. As the coal burned, it made poisonous gases, sinkholes, and cracks that let smoke and steam out.
The fire was very dangerous to the health and safety of the people who still lived in Centralia, and they had to deal with its effects every day. Some said the fumes gave them headaches, made them sick, and made it hard for them to breathe. Others had damage to their homes and property from the sinking and washing away. People even lost animals and pets to the fire because they fell into the holes or died from the smoke.
The Abandonment of Centralia
The federal government moved the people of Centralia because the fire was out of control and the town was labeled a disaster area in 1984. People who lived there were offered the chance to sell their homes by the government. They could accept the offer or stay and take the risk.
Most of the people who lived in Centralia decided to leave, and by 1992, it was no longer a town. There were only a few people left who refused to leave their homes and give up their rights to the land.
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Not many houses or structures are left in Centralia today; it’s like a ghost town. The fire is still going strong and will likely keep going for another 250 years. Most tourists don’t go to the town because it’s dangerous and against the law to do so. Still, some daring and interested people come to see the town, especially the Graffiti Highway, a closed part of what used to be Route 61 that is covered in graffiti from tourists.
What Centralia Left Behind
It’s been a long time since Centralia was living and well. The town is now dead and forgotten. The town was destroyed by a man-made fire that could not be put out. The government and society left the town, but the faithful and stubborn people who lived there did not. The town is both a wonder and a tragedy, but it is also a place where you can learn and be warned.
A lot of people don’t know about Centralia, but they should.
Conclusion
Centralia, Pennsylvania, used to be a thriving coal mine town, but in the 1950s, the economy was bad and there was a fire in the basement that started an underground coal seam that would not go out. People had to leave the town in 1984, and now it’s just an eerie ruin with a fire that won’t go out. The town is full of sinkholes and deadly gases. Centralia is a lesson in how not to do things and an important but little-known part of Pennsylvania’s past.