Centralia
Recognized as the most sparsely populated city in Pennsylvania, the small town of Centralia has become popular around the world over the past few years. And it’s not just about the special status of a ghost town, it’s also about the unique history of the emergence and desolation of this eerie and at the same time attractive place for tourists from all over the world.
The history of the settlement on the site of the future city began in 1841, that time for the United States was a period of active development of coal mining and mining in general. The state of Pennsylvania was recognized as one of the most favorable territories for mining. The founder of the city is considered to be mining engineer Alexander Ria, but before his move there was already a settlement here, it was called Thundering Brook, and consisted of several lumberjacks' yards and the Bull's Head tavern.
Centralia
Engineer Ria, who came here to explore the area in 1856, immediately decided to turn the small village into a full-fledged mining settlement - the intelligence data on anthracite deposits was so impressive. It was possible to achieve the status of the city of Ria only 10 years later, in 1866, the same year migrants from Ireland began to actively flock here, who became the first coal miners in the developing anthracite deposits.
The “dark” pages of Centralia’s history began even then. Immigrants from Ireland founded the Molly Maguires secret society in the city and throughout the state, which became a sabotage organization fighting the arbitrariness of the mine bosses. Alexander Ria was declared the culprit of all the troubles, and in 1868 he was killed by three residents of Centralia. The consequences of this murder were terrible on the scale of a small town - the terror of the Irish continued for 10 years, dozens of people were executed by hanging on the streets every year.
Centralia
The revival of the city began in 1878, from the same period it is customary to talk about the heyday of Centralia as an American province. Coal mining was carried out here on a huge scale, the city was built up and expanded. By the middle of the 20th century, several thousand residents, seven churches of various denominations, five hotels and even two full-fledged theaters were officially registered in Centralia alone.
The beginning of problems in the city was recorded in 1962. On the eve of Memorial Day, as part of the cleanup of the city area, a group of local firefighters was ordered to eliminate one of the landfills that had formed in the pit of an abandoned 19th century mine. Following instructions, firefighters set fire to the debris to then extinguish the flames and clear the remaining rubble. Not knowing the exact depth of the hole, the firefighters removed the visible rubble and dispersed. But the ignited debris fell deep into the earth, giving a reaction to the entire coal seam.
Centralia
The problem was not noticed for some time, but after a couple of years, residents of outlying houses began to complain about smoke and the acrid smell of burning coal. Attempts to extinguish the underground area were unsuccessful - the smoldering rocks spread to other layers, the scale of which they decided not to talk about, so as not to escalate the situation. Panic in the city began in 1979, when a local gas station owner, while checking underground tanks, discovered that the fuel was heated to a temperature close to fire.
Centralia
State authorities paid attention to Centralia only in 1981, when the first incident occurred, which almost ended in death. A local teenager walking down the street fell into a hole that formed under his feet - this was the first case of a ground collapse and literally melted asphalt in the city. The teenager was pulled out of the hole by his older brother, and representatives of the state Congress witnessed the rescue.
The resonance caused by this accident was widespread. They learned about Centralia throughout the country, and attempts were immediately made to save the city’s residents as soon as possible, but the process of transporting Centralia’s citizens began only in 1984. The US government allocated $46 million for a program to resettle city residents, but not everyone agreed to leave - a group of residents remained in their homes in the hope that the city would be saved.
Centralia
The residents' hope was in vain. The authorities refused to finance the obviously failed project to extinguish underground fires. According to official intelligence alone, the amount of anthracite in the depths of Centralia is equivalent to 250 years of continuous burning, and this is only in the most optimistic forecast. The territory of the city and part of its surroundings were declared uninhabitable, and the last residents began to slowly leave.
As of the beginning of 2014, 10 people live in Centralia, including the mayor and several of his assistants. The main highway leading into the city is closed to all types of transport - cracked asphalt and smoke are reminders that underground fires continue and do not subside. Gradually, fewer and fewer buildings remain in the city - some are falling underground, and some are being dismantled by enthusiasts.
Centralia
The American government officially refused to support the dying city in any way. The last sign of the destruction of Centralia from the memory of Americans was the events of 2002. This year, the US Postal Service announced it would remove all Centralia postal codes from its registry. Documentedly, the city ceased to exist.
Urban tourism is booming in Centralia, despite numerous warning signs at entry points. The remaining residents of the city willingly make contact with journalists and travelers, conducting the most safe roads city and showing local attractions. Over the past few years alone, dozens of documentaries and films have been filmed in Centralia. Several streets of the city became the location for the filming of the first part of the film “Silent Hill”.
Centralia
When visiting Centralia, you need to remember basic safety rules. You cannot be here without respiratory masks in warm and cloudless weather - you can get carbon monoxide poisoning. At any time of the year, tourists must wear special heat-resistant shoes - the soil and asphalt in some areas of the city heat up to +80 ° C.
IOLunderground fire
In May 1962, the Centralia City Council hired five volunteer firefighters to clean up the city's garbage dump, located in an abandoned open pit near the Odd Fellows Cemetery. This was done a few days before Memorial Day. Firefighters, as they have done in the past, set the trash piles on fire, letting them burn for a while, and then extinguished them. But because the fire was not completely extinguished, deeper deposits of debris began to smolder and the fire eventually spread through an opening in the mine to other abandoned coal mines near Centralia. Attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful. Over time, people began to complain about deteriorating health caused by the release of carbon monoxide.
In 1979, local residents learned the true extent of the problem when a gas station owner inserted a dipstick into one of the underground tanks to check the fuel level. When he took out the dipstick, it turned out to be very hot - the temperature of the gasoline in the tank was about 78 °C.
Statewide, attention to the fire began to increase and reached highest point in 1981, when 12-year-old Todd Domboski fell into a 1.2-meter-wide, 45-meter-deep earthen well that suddenly opened up beneath his feet. The boy was saved thanks to his older brother, who pulled him out of the mouth of the hole. The incident quickly brought national attention to Centralia as an investigative team (including a state representative, a senator, and a mine safety official) witnessed the incident.
Residents estimate its price to be more than $1 billion, although the exact amount of coal is unknown. Commonwealth officials stated that the State of Pennsylvania had no anthracite mining rights and no reason to acquire it, and no mining industry had been established in the area.
Centralia is a small mining town in Pennsylvania. In 1981 it was home to a thousand people. In 2007, there were only 9 of them left. What made the population of this small town leave forever?
The reason for the departure of all local residents was the fire that had been raging in the mines under the city for more than half a century. Continuing our series of stories about ghost towns and abandoned metro stations, let’s add Centralia to their list. First, let's look at the history:
In 1841, Jonathan Faust opened a tavern called the Bull's Head in a small community in Pennsylvania. In 1854, Alexander W. Rea, a civil mining engineer, was sent here to design a road. The town was known as Centerville until 1865. But by then a city with that name already existed, and the post office forced them to change the name. And so Centralia was born. 
Anthracite mining was the main industry in the community. The coal industry developed in Centralia until the 1960s, after which most companies went bankrupt. Mining continued until 1982, after which it ceased completely 
It is not known for certain how the fire that turned Centralia into a ghost town started. One theory states that in May 1962, the city's City Council hired firefighters to clean out the city's garbage dump, located in an abandoned quarry next to the cemetery. This procedure was carried out in previous years, when garbage dumps were destroyed in other places in the city. Firefighters, following previous experience, set fire to the dump and allowed it to burn for some time. But due to its location deep in the quarry, the fire entered abandoned underground mines 
There is evidence to support this theory. From the story of one of the two garbage collectors, they dumped hot coals into a pit with trash. The city was legally responsible for creating a fireproof clay barrier between each layer of debris, but fell behind schedule, leaving the barrier unfinished. This allowed hot coals to penetrate layers of debris into the ground, causing an underground fire 
The fire remained burning underground, spreading throughout the coal mines near Centralia. Attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful, and it continued to burn throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Nobody paid attention to this until headaches among local residents became more frequent. Harmful combustion byproducts began to enter the air through holes in the road surface and cracks formed in the ground. 
Local residents realized the full extent of the problem when gas station owner and later mayor, John Coddington, inserted a dipstick into one of his underground tanks to check the fuel level. When he pulled the dipstick out, it was hot. Having lowered the thermometer into the storage, he discovered that the temperature of the gasoline in the tank was 80 degrees Celsius 
Statewide attention was drawn to the fire when, in 1981, 12-year-old resident Todd Domboski fell into a 150-foot-deep crack that suddenly appeared in the ground. The quick reaction of his cousin Eric Wolfgang saved Todd's life, as the hot steam from the crack carried a lethal dose of harmful gases 
In 1984, the United States Congress appropriated $42 million to relocate residents. Most residents accepted the government's proposals and moved towards neighboring communities. Today, only a few houses remain in Centralia, the city looks like a scorched field with cracked roads. The only signs of the fire raging beneath the city are wisps of smoke oozing from all the cracks, as well as a few signs warning of the dangers of underground fires and carbon monoxide. The underground fire is still burning and will continue to burn for the next 250 years 
Some residents will return to the city in 2016 to open a time capsule that was planted in 1966 near the Veterans Memorial. 
Many former residents of Centralia believe that the burning of the mines was the result of a conspiracy to gain full rights to the minerals beneath the city. Their value was once estimated in the billions of dollars, although the exact amount of coal is not known. IN currently addresses and streets of the city were removed from the state register. Centralia's zip code was eliminated in 2002. 
Centralia is traditionally included in all ratings of creepy attractions, where it always occupies a leading position.
Background [ | ]
View of Centralia from Route 61
In 1841, Jonathan Faust opened the Bull's Head Tavern in what was then called Roaring Creek Township. In 1854, Alexander W. Rea, a mining engineer for the Locust Mountain Coal and Iron Company, arrived in the area and began designing streets. This settlement was originally known as Centerville. However, the town of Centerville already existed in Schuylkill County, and the postal service could not allow the existence of two settlements with the same name, so Ria renamed the settlement Centralia in 1865. In 1866, Centralia received city status.
During the 1860s and 1870s, the Centralia area was the site of activity secret society Irish emigrants "Molly Maguires". The founder of the town, Alexander Ria, became a victim of contract murder. He was killed on October 17, 1868 outside the city. Three people were accused of this crime and were subsequently sentenced to hang in downtown Bloomsburg County, Pennsylvania. The sentence was carried out on March 25, 1878. Also during this period, several more murders and arson were committed.
The city administration was located educational institutions area, which controlled several primary and one secondary secondary school. There were also two parochial Catholic schools in the city.
The city's infrastructure was quite developed and included seven churches, five hotels, twenty-seven saloons, two theaters, a bank, a post office and fourteen department stores and grocery stores. During most of the history of this town, while the coal industry was functioning, the population was more than 2,000 inhabitants. About 500-600 more people lived in the suburbs, in the immediate vicinity of Centralia.
Industry [ | ]
In 1979, local residents learned the true extent of the problem when a gas station owner inserted a dipstick into one of the underground tanks to check the fuel level. When he took out the dipstick, it turned out to be very hot - the temperature of the gasoline in the tank was about 78 °C.
Statewide attention to the fire began to rise and culminated in 1981 when 12-year-old Todd Domboski fell into an earthen well 1.2 meters wide and 45 meters deep, which suddenly opened up under his feet. The boy was saved thanks to his older brother, who pulled him out of the mouth of the hole. The incident quickly brought Centralia national attention as the investigation team (which included a state representative, a senator, and a mine safety officer) witnessed the incident.
In 1984, Congress appropriated more than $42 million to prepare and organize the relocation of citizens. Most residents accepted this offer and moved to the neighboring communities of Mount Carmel and Ashland. Several families decided to stay, despite warnings from government officials.
In 1992, the State of Pennsylvania requested a permit for the eminent domain of all private property in the city, arguing that the buildings were unusable. A subsequent attempt by the residents through the courts to seek any solution to the problem failed. In 2002, the U.S. Postal Service eliminated the town's zip code, 17927.
Today [ | ]
There are practically no inhabited houses left in Centralia. Most of the buildings have been demolished and the area now looks like a meadow with several streets cut through it. Most of the city is covered with thickets. The only Church of the Holy Virgin Mary left in the city holds a weekly service on Saturday. There are four cemeteries in the city.
The only signs of the fire, which covers an area of approximately 1.6 km² and is spreading on four fronts, are low, round metal steam vents in the south of the town and several signs warning of underground fire, unstable ground and carbon monoxide. Smoke and steam can also be seen coming from an abandoned portion of Pennsylvania Route 61 (which was closed in the 1990s after several large cracks appeared in the road), from areas near a hillside cemetery, and from other cracks in soil located throughout the city. Route 61 was rerouted and a bypass was built that runs away from the abandoned town. However, the underground fire is still burning and will continue to do so until an unspecified point in the future. No attempt is made to extinguish the fire. There is enough coal there to keep this fire going for another 250 years.
The North American countryside, the land of good roads and cozy cottages, is very nice and equally boring. Therefore, holidays, dates, and anniversaries are celebrated here with great pleasure. And they try to maintain order and behave civilly, even if there are only 7 people living in the city, and they live in constant anxiety.
200 kilometers from the center of American culture, New York, in the central part of wooded Pennsylvania, the map shows a town with the fabulous name of Centralia. In the center of the city of Centralia lies a stone, and under it is a time capsule with a message to descendants. The letter to the future was buried in honor of the town’s centenary in 1966, and should be opened in the not too distant year 2016. And that is if the letter by that time does not consume what has been destroying everything in the area for almost half a century - a slow, insidious and unquenchable underground fire in the anthracite layers.
The Yankees learned about the high-quality coal that the local lands are rich in in the mid-19th century. The stormy life began with a tavern, which was opened by a gentleman on the site of the future suffering city. a telling surname Faust. Then the coal miners came, drew up a development plan, and by 1866 Centralia was already a full-fledged city with its own post office, schools, hotels, bars and a bank. And even then, mining engineers calculated that local anthracite reserves would last for a thousand years.
This means that the current fire could last for centuries.
No one really knows why it broke out in May 1962. There is a version that this is the work of firefighters from a voluntary brigade, which is on the balance sheet of every American town. For every holiday (and they loved to “celebrate” here), the mayor’s office sent firefighters to deal with the garbage. The next city dump was located in the pit of a mined-out mine and looked like an iceberg: most of the trash was compacted deep into the ground. Ignoring this, the firefighters showed fatal bungling and set fire to the old junk adjacent to the anthracite. It was not possible to extinguish it: the smoldering “took root” in the depths and soon the fire flared up in other abandoned mines. According to another version, someone somewhere unsuccessfully threw away a cigarette butt.
For several years, no one was afraid of anything: just think, it smokes from underground. True, the townspeople began to cough more often, and already in 1969, three families left Centralia forever due to health problems.
The real hell began 10 years later, when it was discovered that the temperature in the underground tanks of gas stations reached 80 degrees Celsius. And after some time, a fantastic nightmare unfolded in Centralia - people began to fall into hot cracks opening in the asphalt.
The government has finally begun evacuating thousands of mortally frightened citizens.
... So you get into your long American car, you want to drive out onto a wide American road, but there is no road, and instead of it a black abyss obscures your eyes with smoke and steam. Doesn't it remind you of Silent Hill from the famous game?
It seems as if the devil himself from hell is scraping the earth from the inside with his huge claws, releasing hot clouds of scorching stench from the depths.
Many photos and videos from Centralia clearly show this house with supports in the shape of chimneys. But it was demolished two years ago - it became too dangerous to be in it.
Today, the city is still ruled by the mayor and is home to several of his stubborn charges. Washington itself gave up on the fire, and brave tourists in the empty city often see ghosts and mutants. No wonder Centralia, with its creepy history, became the prototype of the town from the horror film of the same name. At the entrance to the city, instead of “Welcome!” Guests are greeted by the inscription: “Attention - danger!” And below: “The earth may disappear from under your feet.” If you stand in one place for a long time on the street in Centralia, the soles of your shoes begin to melt. And the hair turns gray from ash and... quiet horror.
One of the few places in Centralia untouched by the underground fire is the Orthodox Peter and Paul Cemetery. Like everything that survived in this slowly dying city, the Russian churchyard is decorated with the Stars and Stripes American flags...
