The Abandoned Town In Pennsylvania That Most People Stay Far, Far Away From
By Beth Price-Williams|Published December 09, 2021
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Pennsylvania has its fair share of abandoned places – from long-forgotten cemeteries to the remains of buildings that are slowly being reclaimed by nature. Perhaps the most famous abandoned town in Pennsylvania, Centralia isn’t completely abandoned. However, it comes with a fascinating backstory.
Centralia was once a bustling, thriving mining town that had upwards of 1,000 residents. Coal fueled the town - both literally and figuratively.
The town council came together and, when discussing how to clean up the town for impending Memorial Day celebrations, some suggested cleaning the dump. That, at the time, meant setting it on fire.
Whether that’s what sparked the events that followed or it was something else, no one is really sure. One thing, however, is for certain. Mines underneath Centralia caught on fire back then.
That fire is still going strong. If experts prove correct, the fire could continue to burn for decades to come. The population of nearly 1,200 has dwindled to, at last count in 2019, just nine residents.
The mine fires caused homes to collapse and resulted in illnesses in residents. Congress eventually purchased the town, providing payment to residents to move. Some, however, refused and remained behind.
Then, in 1992, the Commonwealth took action. It condemned the entire town. Only a handful of residents remained with permission from the court. Once they move or pass away, the town will truly be abandoned.
For decades Centralia was a prime destination for curiosity seekers, who wanted to get a firsthand look at the smoke that billowed from below the ground.
Some of those who visited spray-painted graffiti on the roads, creating the so-called “Graffiti Highway.” Many came just to see Graffiti Highway, which has since been covered over, in an effort to curb the rush of curiosity seekers.
Have you ever been to this mostly abandoned town in Pennsylvania? Did you visit before the police began the crackdown on trespassers? Share your experience in the comments! If you’re a fan of abandoned places, you might want to check out these nine abandoned destinations in Pennsylvania.
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