CENTRALIA: Underground Fires Burn Below Pennsylvania Ghost Town - Except For The Church
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- čas přidán 3. 09. 2022
- I visited the ghost town of Centralia, Pennsylvania. 60 years ago the extensive network of coal mining tunnels were lit on fire, necessitating the evacuation of a once prosperous town. The one structure that was safe was the church that looks out over the city. The reason? The church was built over solid rock, thus immune to the fires below.
Travel Vlog 138
Those narrow houses are called company houses. At one time, they were probably connected to similar houses in a large group, and were owned by the mines. You see them a lot in this part of PA. Nanty-Glo, PA is full of them. They were usually for the miners. Detached houses were usually for bosses or higher ranks. As you travel around PA, you always know you're in a coal mining town when you see large groups of company houses.
I had a summer job that brought me through Centralia in the mid ‘80s as the town was being marked for demolition. When I returned a few years later, the town was essentially gone with only a fraction of homes left.
I’ve taken dozens of photos over the decades including a few showing actual flames coming out of the ground near route 61 before it was closed and rerouted around what’s now known as Graffiti Highway. We often visited at night and you would see burning red coals on the sides of the highway and smoke venting everywhere.
Too bad you can’t post photos here. Whenever I put them on Facebook, people go nuts. Great drone footage too, by the way.
That's really cool. I would have loved to see all that!
Centralia PA is probably my favorite ghost town ever.
Inacreditável isso. Destruir um patrimônio incrível desse.
Quanta extravagância, desperdício.😢😢😢😢
@bradforddillman7671 Where do you post them? Thanks. Sounds very interesting and was probably very eerie. ✌️
That is an active church. I live in the next town over and grew up in this area. They will get you for tresspassing if your start pulling door handles on that church or do anything you shouldn't do on their private property. People do still live here so be respectful when you visit. And it's not because they don't want people painting graffitti road, it's closed for liabilitiy reasons from people partying there and getting injured and being a potential lawsuit threat towards the landowners (Pagnotti Enterprises) in the event someone gets hurt and sues. As a native all the facts should be set straight when making a video. It's tragic what happened here but silent hill was only an inspiration of Centralia and not based on fact. It's just a sad chain of unfortunate events that led to this towns demise beginning in 1962. These people went through living hell as anyone can't even possibly imagine. They lost EVERYTHING!!!!!!
Those houses were built by the coal company to a single plan, and rented to the miners, as a means of keeping them in place, and in debt to the company, just as the company store was meant to keep their money,paid right back to the mine.
I hope all the mining companies go broke
@@ahlivetuhsidamaro150
Your hope will put tens of thousands out of work.
Coal mining is a big deal for many countries.
BTW: No coal is "clean coal" but the coal mined in Pennsylvania is Anthracite coal. It has very little sulfur and burns
much cleaner than Bituminous coal which burns cleaner than Sub-bituminous coal (i.e. Lignite/brown coal) ... Even
more polluting is peat (dried out swamp soil)
@@ahlivetuhsidamaro150, And your electric bill goes through the roof huh😅🎉
That house with the "4 Wheelers Keep Out" sign with what looked like multiple chimneys on the side was actually the end of a row of buildings and they tore down the whole block except that house and had to put those chimney looking pilars up to support that exterior wall
For a great documentary on this town watch Centralia-A Documentary on CZcams. It's by a young man who lived there all his life and still lived there when he made the Documentary 8 years ago. His name is A.Andreassen.
The Centralia Municipal Building is one of the last remaining structures in the town. Built in 1978 after the mine fire had already begun, the building played a major role in the history of the village. Most notably, was the location of many heated Centralia PA Borough Council meetings
Interesting. Thank you for the fill in.
The mine fire began in '62 but it was many years before it burned its way under the town so as to cause problems.
The municipal building also houses the Centralia Fire Dept. According to Columbia County's records, they still have an actively-staffed piece of apparatus.
Great video. I grew up in North Central PA during the 70s and 80s, and I remember quite vividly Centralia’s constant news coverage: footage of the “latest” house to fall into a sink hole, w/ smoke billowing out of the ground; people actually fighting to stay 😮!
As I got older and went off to college in SE PA, we would go through/past Centralia cuz we didn’t have the money for the turnpike. Saw the construction of the bi-pass, and food trucks and venders would line the highway at Graffiti Rd to serve the tourists and hikers.
Centralia and Ashland, another small town nearby, have a huge history regarding the number of young men who fought in the Civil War.
1999 was my first time through Centralia. I had never heard of it. I was coming down route 61 on my way to Chester County and came across the empty grid of streets. Smoke was coming out of the ground all over. I pulled over and got some pictures because of how odd it was. It felt like I was on some kind of movie set.
Just found your channel about a week ago and have been following your cross country trip and you do a fantastic job. Fantastic tour and what a fascinating place. Centrelia has always interested me, hopefully oneday I will see it for myself. Again fantastic job, safe travels and keep up the good work.
Thank you, Corey.
Good coverage. The road you were asking about, with the grass median on it was known as Railroad Ave. I think it was the Pennsylvania Railroad that had a spur and station in the town. It was built to haul the very same coal that was burning under the town. I think the track was removed in the late 1970s.
It's crazy that it's still underground burning and will be for over 500 years. Very informative video, the story is intriguing
Thank you, Mike. :)
It.looks like the fire in Centralia itself may have burned out. As it spreads the fire might be exhausting the fuel supply where it began. The town might become habitable again.
The fire has now burned past Centralia and headed towards another community
Maybe we should harness that heat and use it to power homes.
BTW, I personally like it much better when you give stats over playing music. Great video!
Thank you, Rockey. Others have told me the same, so that's the way it's gonna be from now on! :)
Good to see this. I grew up in Pennsylvania, but I was never in Centralia. Sad to see a town disappear for that reason. I did not realize "Silent Hill" was based on Centralia, so now I need to rewatch that movie!
I think the narrow houses may have been row houses. They make more sense when the rest of the row is there!
I think your right. It is Pennsylvania - lots of row houses in that state!
The fire began in May 1962 at an abandoned strip mine that was being used as a garbage dump. Although there is still disagreement regarding how the dump fire started.
I remember reading about this town a few years ago. I'm sure that there are many towns like this one scattered throughout the country. It is actually cool to see the bird's eye view of the town via drone. Keep up the great videos.
Thank you, Matt.
Centralia, PA is the only town burning (at this point in time) because the coal below it is Anthracite coal that burns very hot.
(Anthacite is "cleaner" coal that other varieties of coal)
I recently watched another video about Centralia. In the video it details that the fire isn’t so much under Centralia now but that the veins of coal under the town are now burning towards some other towns nearby.
The pipes coming up out of the ground don’t smoke so much anymore but in an area of the town you can still see smoke coming up .
The church standing over the town reminds me of the Stephen King story Salems Lot and the creepy Marsten House which stood above the abandoned town
That can't be good news for the other towns. BTW, that church and the town inspired the horror movie "Silent Hill". It's one of my favorite movies, and one of the reasons I wanted to visit Centralia.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip - Yes I already knew it was the inspiration for both the movie and video game
It’s a creepy place
They put dirt on the road during Covid. You should also visit Ashland Pioneer Coal tunnel and check out the Yuengling brewery in Pottsville, America’s oldest. Schuylkill county has some great people and scenery.
I saw in another video that the house you pointed out had been part of a section of row houses. The columns on the side were to support the wall.
Love the drone footage, guessing you have a 107 drone license. It’s the reason why I don’t post my drone flights on CZcams. Keep up the good work
I will bet this was a beautiful city at one time. The foliage is gorgeous.
our grandmother lived nearby and drove us through Centralia in the 70s to see the smoke coming up through the cracks in the streets. It was so creepy for a 9-year-old to see and difficult to understand. The next time I saw it was around the year 2004 when I rode a bicycle through it. I think there was only one a couple houses left. The main street was full of graffiti.
I always loved churches. This one is beautiful. Loved your drone view of the town. Thanks for posting this video!
If you ever go to Texas to the San Antonio, you can take a tour of the Texas Painted Churches.These are Catholic churches that were built 100years ago or more.They were built by Germans, Czechs, Polish people.Just search Texas Painted Churches for details Surprised that their is traffic on the main drag through town must be a highway.
@@hildahilpert5018 thank you for telling me, it sounds pretty. I live on the East Coast, in New Jersey we have some nice historic churches here as well
You are so knowledgeable and interesting and I cannot thank you enough for sharing your travels.
Bravo to you and your wife. Your wife has a wonderful demeanor.🎉
Thank you, Martha!
My Father and Grandfather were both Coal Miners in that Centraila area, they lived in nearby Brynsville which was called The Patch. I used to drive through Centaila every summer going to nearby Mt. Carmel.
This was pretty cool to see. I live 3 miles from Centralia in Ashland. Tons of traffic and off road vehicles in the area come summer time. It's a pretty area but not too fun in the winter.
Now Mr Spoda...I know you mentioned that you've been wanting to see this town based on the film silent hill...well silent hill is or I should say was a video game that was a long the same type of game as resident evil,it was made for the old Sony playstation and i think it was also on the Sega Dreamcast if I'm not mistaken...anywho...it was a game that inspired the movie and both of which came about because of this town & as Paul Harvey used to say..."now you know the rest of the story"...Good day
Excellent drone coverage 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻Very impressive trade to have, not everyone can do that. Really beautiful area!
Thanks for all the great videos.... incredibly interesting!
Thank you for the kind words, Steve!
Centrailia...a study of the ABJECT FAILURES of local,state and federal governments...nuff said.
And the coal mining business
Absolutely the most interesting CZcamsr I've watched. All your videos are entertaining thank you keep up the GREAT TEAM WORK 👍
Great video, LS. Love the drone shots... it gives a whole different perspective of what we are seeing on the ground. Looking forward to your upcoming videos!
Thank you, Jimmy. :)
Great tour & you were very informative, thank you.
Thank you!!
Really good job, LS. The drone shots really helped to understand the place as well as your good narration. Yeah, I thought there would be puffs of smoke appearing in different places. I've read that Pittston near Scranton, PA has a problem with sinkholes, etc. caused by mining that went on underneath the town. They even mined (too close) to underneath the river and had a resulting flood of all the mines there. In addition to killing a dozen miners who were never found, it brought an end to the mining there and essentially in northeastern Pennsylvania. Provided a lot of jobs, and narrow houses, back in the day. Enjoyed this one so much I don't have to go there now so thanks.
Thank you for the comment, Bill. :)
This is so interesting!!! Thank you!
The Centralia Fire Department was literally THE fire department.
YOUR videos are the best. Keep up the good work. Stay in the old neighborhoods and city centers. Like you say, they have character. THANKS
Thank you for that, Charles. :)
Sou do Brasil 🇧🇷, descobri seu canal há uns dois dias, já vi vários vídeos seus.
Os bairros e cidades Americanas são um luxo perto dos nossos bairros e cidades.
Até os bairros abandonados são interessantes.
Cheers for this . I read about this in a Bill Bryson book & was curious to see it. You've saved me the air fare.
The church I've been told also was part of the niebouring community. The reason it was built facing Centrelia was both comunities had Russian Orthodox populations. Though it look like part of there community I've been told it isn't, Other then people from Centralia attending mass there and still do, though living now north of the abandoned town. The stacks don't alwats smoke, the coal mine was a high quality smokeless coal, I didn't know there was such a thing till I google it!!! The police and Fire station still are used, though i think by the state, it is still an active road area needing policing and wooded area's so are all fire zones. Town is Abondoned, however it is owned by the state and mantained as a hazzardious site by them.
Interesting. Thank you for the extra info.
Don't mean to be an ass(sorry) but technically the church is a Ukrainian orthodox/Catholic.
Awesome video. I’ve always been intrigued by this place. Crazy to think that the laziness of people in the past lead to this.
very very interesting and informative video! thank you for doing it!
Im following your video's..im jealous of all your fun.
This has been interesting, educational and fun all wrapped into one. Stay safe and welcome to my home state.
Awesome video. Never been to Centralia even though I do live close by. Watched Silent Hill after watching your video....did not know that movie was based on Centralia. Your videos are so informative. Thank you!!
If im not mistaken thats that guys house from the video called " the town that was" and he explains about that house..it was connected to other houses at one time..but he refused to leave his house... also if he is still living hes the only guy who actually takes care of the town
Lord Spoda,
started watching your channel just over a week ago when one about Arkansas popped up, must be because I find the ASP videos interesting and it linked it. Have not got to the States yet, but never say never even at my age. I can see why so many people never get a passport as there is so much to see there. Never mind the monsoon going on outside you have me enthralled watching your trips and the non-judgemental way you create the narrative. Good up the good work old chap and best wishes from a Limey thousands of miles from home ;-)
Thank you for the kind words, Surin.
Ironic that people are still dumping trash. That's what causes the fire in the first place. The city gathered up all the trash that had been dumped and put it in and set it on fire. They didn't realize there was a small opening into a mine shaft.
there's a place in Florida in Brooksville called Centralia road.. well old town now gone was all lumber. today its home to Americas largest pigeon racing club.
I lived in Frackville Pa from December 1972 through January 1976. I attended Shenandoah High School and had a teacher from Centralia. He was featured in the National Geographic story about Centralia. I knew several people that lived there. What a disaster. Just a few blocks from our Highschool in Shenandoah the same thing was happening. There were rows of homes collapsing and falling in to the sink holes.
If you haven't seen it yet watch the documentary that was made several years back called "The Town that Was".
My sis and I and kids got to go here a few years back. The sulfur smell was strong and the heat coming up from the road got hotter the closer you get to town central. Mailboxes still on roads where houses used to be.
My CZcams suggestions let me to your Cairo video. I had to watch this one as well, because it has been a point of fascination for me for many years. on the 50th anniversary of the mine fire, I threw a theme party based on the history of the town. no one, including me, had actually visited the town. that changed last summer.
It was a long ride, so I was limited on time. I had to turn back around and come back home the same day. I plan to go back, and your video will actually be a little bit of a guide to help me appointment those in the right direction. I will try to ride with a friend. I found myself a bit apprehensive about approaching some places that seemed like they had human activity.
Anyway, I seriously appreciate the video.
Wow, thank you for the great comment.
Found this video very interesting! Had no idea that this existed! Good video!
Hey, thanks! :)
Comment #2 - when I used to drive from fire school in Williamsport, what is now that Graffiti Hwy was the functional part of Rte 61 and had steam coming up through the cracks and along the road's shoulders. About a year after I stopped, Rte 61 was diverted away and rebuilt about where you were standing.
Very near my home. Coal country. I hope you were able to see Jim Thorpe. Eckley Village. A lot of history there.
Drone shots are amazing to me.
Great way to start the day 🌞
Thank you, Ennui!
It looks so beautiful (except for the mattress); its hard to believe that there is a literal danger underneath the surface.
It was cool to see your drone footage of the town, or rather, where the town used to be. Even here on the other side of the planet, the story of Centralia is well known. I've seen photos and a few documentaries, but seeing it from the air was a unique experience - really shows how the entire town has been erased (well, almost the entire town). I don't know why there are still a few hold-outs living there. Maybe they can't afford to move, or they just don't want to because it's where they call home. I guess at least they don't get bothered by rowdy neighbors, lol.
It all looks so tranquil at present. You'd never guess there was a centuries-long fire still burning under it. Still, I don't think I'd be comfortable living there.
Wow! I've seen that movie as well, and I also love it! But that church is actually there? Wow that's amazing!
Love the movie Silent Hill 😎♥️! I did a lot of research on Centralia! Their was one elderly lady still living there from back in day! Very interesting place… Thank you!
Great video! I have always wanted to go there.
Thank you, Judith!
nice drone footage, it shows a different perspective of centralia
That first house you showed us looks to be the narrow long style sometimes called a shotgun house. Usually one or two rooms wide and the rest lined up behind.
I think you're right.
You should try checking out State College. But it is kinda crowded when the students are back.
Very interesting video. Just checked in internet, that fire started by mistake of some people, who used old mine entrance, like a trash burning place. Those people unnamed, but it is what it is. No more town. Thank you, Sir.
In my former country Soviet Union a lot of gost towns and villages, but there is no any movement of gouverniment and nobodies care about demolution and clean up. USA is different country. Wish life will return back in the future, but not yet. 250 years later. Exacly so long will fire burning under ground.
This town is interesting. It is sad that the town had to close due to the mines right underground. Looks like nature is taking the town over.
I’ve been binge watching your channel all day…. I really have stuff to do. I just went to the beginning… just finished Phoenix.
Just a few more hours and I’ll be caught up. 😳
It's gonna take you longer than that! :)
Great video 📹 👍
Thank you, Charlotte!
Very interesting video
Very sad to see towns die! Rb, Conyers, ga
Truly enjoy your channel. Suggestion LS: come to San Bernardino in SoCal. A once thriving city. Home to original Route 66, McDonald’s, origin of “West Side Story.”
Very unique narrow tall old homes.
21:51 For a sec this pic brought me back to "Slab City" CA. Literally a slab too.
I wonder where the mine entrances are? Or if they are filled in and blocked. Great video enjoy the info you give about each location
The main stopes have all been closed and dynamite or filled in, in an attempt to put the fire out by denying it oxygen, but with so many ventilation shafts having been cut into so many mines over the years, and the maps having been lost, it was pretty much a futile attempt, and once the coal burns out of one place the earth above it subsides, feeding it anew.
Thank you again for this great video!
Thank you for the video. Forget the fire. If we do not change our ways, this is what every small town in the United States will look like in the future.
Thank you Soòo MUCH 4 this video... I've seen the Movie Silent Hill & loved it.. now because of hearing bout Movie based on this town I gotta watch it agaiin!!
Thank you, Angelina!
Thats neat, had no idea about the church, that's spooky. Im a big fan of the silent hill movie, had a nightmare about the creature in the elevator once!
It is cool! I love the movie as well.
The documentary by Part Time Explorer on Centralia is very good.
Houses remaining are small because some were once duplexes as well as one there was a row house. Usually owned at least originally by members of same family. So when the govt bought out almost all the houses to tear them down a few decided to stay even though their "neighbor" in the other half of their duplex sold so the half that sold was torn down leaving the half that didnt. Thats why theres modern siding not matching the other three sides of the houses exterior
i visited this place in 05 before they closed graffiti hwy and it was crazy how it was torn open and the ground was so hot too and there were small vents where smoke would leak out from wish i had taken pictures , We even managed to take the 95 Bronco 4x4 we were in and went off road and found our selves at the hear of where the mining operations where and at night it was surreal when we drove by a cemetery and it was all foggy it was actually creepy af great memory tho
"With only one thing in common; they got the fire down below..." I think Bob Seeger wrote a song about this place,.... maybe.
There is still plenty of heat rising up through vents. If you don't see steam it just means it hasn't rained lately and the ground is dried up. All it takes is some heavy rains and the steam will return.
Certainly wayy more traffic comming thru then I'd ever imagine lol
Interesting video
Thank you, Donald.
I see this looks pretty new.... did you hit any small coal mining towns off I-81 between there and say, Binghamton NY? My family is from a tiny town (borough) in PA, Duryea, and there are many more little towns in that area, maybe try punching zipcode 18642 into your GPS. I assume you already left the area.... BTW, I posted in your Buffalo, NY video....
Just watched a documentary. Very interesting
I think that road with 2 lanes and a median was the Lehigh Railroad.
Nice video great ❤❤❤👍❤❤stay connected
Thank you. :)
Interesting, when the town was evacuated did the Mining Company tear down the houses and take the material away. Usually there left to decay? What an awesome video Spoda, so glad I found your channel.👍
Thank you, Hiker. I think the state removed everything.
Centralia was inspiration for the Silent Hill (2006) movie, which I didn't find too objectionable. It wasn't the greatest adaptation, but a masterpiece next to Netflix's recent idiotic Resident Evil adaptation.
Totally agree. I think I made it through a total of 20 minutes before I had to turn that crappy show off. Netflix sure can screw properties up.
Lord Spoda ...Ever since Netflix cancelled it, I been wanting to watch it since I could watch it risk free. However when my internet went down, I had over 200 videos waiting for me and I am just now getting down to ten. Maybe next weekend.
Lord Spoda ...I just woke up and decided to watch the first episode. I think this is what happened. Someone pitched a sci-fi zombie cyberpunk series to Netflix. A young and dumb Netflix executive thought to themselves:
"Hey, this sounds like Resident Evil! Can you SLIGHTLY add RE dressing on this show?"
Like the Cowboy Bebop show, it would be a 8/10 if they hadn't slapped the Resident Evil title.
FYI: The Silent Hill movie is an adaptation of the SIlent Hill games on Playstation. I don't know if the game developers were inspired by the story of this town but it seems likely.
great video! just watched your buffalo video, a place i lived with my partner for a year and am now planning to move to as an adult. i'm indigenous and the local native scene is STRONG, check out the upcoming strawberry moon festival. centralia has always been a fascination of mine, such a tragedy, and the local government and mine really botched handling it. strongly recommend reading The Day The Earth Caved In.
Cool videos!
Oh, had anybody tell you that you look like Rainn Wilson? 😁
No, they haven't. That's a new one! :)
Its ashame that they got rid of graffiti highway....but a few bad people ruin everything thats always good...people were goin to Centralia and vandalized what they could even houses that had people living in them its sad..bc people also dump so much garbage there
The roads in Centralia are In better shape than GARY , Indianna
I believe there are still a few people living in the town
They still hold services in that church