The town of Centralia, Pennsylvania looks like a scene from an apocalypse movie. This small coal-mining town has a fascinating story that makes it an interesting visit.
In 1962, a few of the residents burned a pile of garbage outside of town, but the fire quickly spread to the underground coal mine causing a raging underground fire. Within a couple of years, the town was uninhabitable and full of sinkholes, burnt trees, and high levels of carbon monoxide.
Centralia today has a cracked and abandoned highway running through the center filled with painted words and art known as “Graffiti Highway”. There are almost no houses left as only 6 residents remain out of the 1,000 that once called Centralia home.
Perhaps the biggest attraction is the Ukrainian Catholic Church which still stands tall thanks to the solid rock beneath the building. There are still services held here with returning residents, so please respect the “No Trespassing” signs.
Although the fire has calmed down in the past few decades, scientists predict that it may burn for another 250 years or so. If you are lucky you can catch a glimpse of the smoke still rising from the ground on cold days!
