October 2022
While in Columbia County PA for 2 festivals and 23 covered bridges (see all those photos here), I crossed an item off my bucket list and visited Centralia, the borough that's mostly a ghost town due to the coal fire that's been burning under it 70 years and will likely continue for a few hundred more. Only about 5 residents remain there. It's fascinating and sad at the same time to watch as nature slowly reclaims the land. We also took a tour down into a coal mine and out to a coal seam in neighboring Ashland where we learned about coal mining and more details of the Centralia fire.
Some of the few remaining homes in Centralia were duplexes where half was demoslished. The half that's left is held up by brick butresses.
This is South Street. Nature is slowly reclaiming it.
Former PA Route 61 has now been covered with dirt mounds to keep people off of it.
Ironically, Saint Ignacious Cemetery is one of the few still active parts of Centralia.
Ironically, Saint Ignacious Cemetery is one of the few still active parts of Centralia.
Nature is slowly reclaiming the streets of Centralia.
These steps used to lead to the back of the high school.
It's hard to believe there used to be homes along the streets of Centralia.
It's hard to believe there used to be homes along the streets of Centralia.
One just a handful of occupied homes that still exist in Centralia.
There are remnants everywhere of what existed before Centralia was abandoned.
Many of the roads that are left in Centralia aren't maintained in the winter.
Many vent pipes were installed for the underground coal fire. This one is in Oddfellows Cemetery.
Oddfellows Cemetery in Centralia is still maintained.
Former PA Route 61 has now been covered with dirt mounds to keep people off of it.
The Ukrainian Church is one of very few places still in business in Centralia.
Preparing to board a 100 year old steam train to go up the mountain and view a strip mine
Riding the tiniest train cars ever out to the former strip mine
Riding the tiniest train cars ever out to the former strip mine
The view from the train looking out toward Centralia
This tiny train was our ride up the mountain
This steam is from the locomotive, not the underground coal fire
This 100 year old steam engine easily got us out to the strip mine and back to the station.
That's a lot of coal!
Heading into the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine.
Heading into the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine.
This was the only way to communicate while down in the mine.
A literal canary in a literal coal mine.
Originally, mules were used in this mine.
This mine train is our ride through the mine.
This mine train was our ride through the mine.
Driving around Ashland, you get an idea of what Centralia would've looked like had it survived.
Looking down over Ashland from the Mother's Memorial
The Mother's Memorial in Ashland
The Mother's Memorial in Ashland
Driving around Ashland, you get an idea of what Centralia would've looked like had it survived.