Welcome to the PA abandoned attractions bucket list! The very first place we’re going to talk about is Centralia, Pennsylvania, located in Columbia County.
Centralia is home to the United States’ worst coal seam fire, which has been raging beneath the streets of this abandoned town since 1962. While the exact cause of the fire is unknown, it is largely theorized that the flames were ignited by the town burning its excess garbage.
Fueled by the numerous and long-abandoned mine tunnels, the fire’s smoke can still be seen rising from the cracks in the concrete streets.
The blaze has proven to be impossible put out or even control, and the consequences this fact took a serious toll on the town. As the temperature below the town reached upwards of 900 degrees Fahrenheit, houses were filled with gases, sinkholes emerged, cemeteries were swallowed up, and smoke filled the streets.
As a result of the irreparable damage done by the mine fire, residents of Centralia were paid by the government to move out of the area, and by 1992, the entire area had been condemned.
Today, Centralia is still a popular site to visit for people wanting to experience a real-life ghost town. Despite some of the buildings having been torn down, there are still plenty of interesting places to visit within the area.
Visitors exploring the town can see the Odd Fellows Cemetery, which is thought to be located near the origin of the fire. Sometimes, it is possible to see smoke rising from the cemetery.
Another, more surprising feature of this area is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, which is still operational. It is situated slightly above the town, however it is still a site worth seeing when visiting Centralia!
Centralia’s most well-known attraction, Graffiti Highway, is unfortunately no longer visible. The road that was formerly Route 61 was abandoned as a result of the fires in 1994, and since then, the concrete has cracked and split open in several parts. It is said that this highway was the best visual representation of the effects of the underground fires.
The site gets its name from the numerous times it has been vandalized with spray paint over the last few years. As a result of the vandalism and general mistreatment of the landmark, Graffiti Highway was covered in dirt in April of 2020. The following images show what the location used to look like prior to being covered up.
Despite the loss of the most popular aspect of Centralia, this burning ghost town is definitely on my list of abandoned places to check out in Pennsylvania!
Works Cited
Blakemore, Erin. “This Mine Fire Has Been Burning For Over 50 Years.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 12 June 2018, www.history.com/news/mine-fire-burning-more-50-years-ghost-town.
Uncoveringpa. “What to Do in Centralia: Pennsylvania’s Toxic Ghost Town (Updated for 2020).” UncoveringPA, 28 Nov. 2020, uncoveringpa.com/visiting-centralia.