Centralia

I had never been to Centralia, but my Dad had told me about it years ago but wouldn't take me there since gases seeping out of the ground would not qualify him for the Father of the Year award that he wins each year.  Since I've been an adult for ten years now, I finally decided I was going to go on Saturday.  Armed with my copy of "Fire Underground- The Ongoing Tragedy of the Centralia Mine Fire" by David DeKok ( a birthday gift from my hubby- isn't he romantic??), my hubby, my best friend and his best friend we made the trip. 

A brief background on the fire itself is necessary for someone who may not know about it.  The fire started in May of 1962 when the town officials decided to burn the trash in a dump to clean it up for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday.  Because the whole area is built over mine veins filled with anthracite, this particular dump was over a strip mine.... and the trash that burned went down an open "shaft" and into the mines below.  Many controversial topics related to the town, the people in it and the PA government factor in to why the problem wasn't stopped before it became so big that a whole town was simply written off- but the main points are the town was covering up their mistake (thinking nobody would help them when they set the fire) and nobody was notified until the fire had already been burning for two months. Over the next fifteen years, several plans were voted on and set in motion but they always ran out of money before anything was completed.  Finally, by the 1980's, people were given the choice to relocate- the United States spent $42 million dollars for the families who moved to neighboring towns to get away from the carbon monoxide seeping into their homes.  Another interesting point about these homes is that many of them were involved in bootleg mining from their basements in previous decades-making it all too easy for the carbon monoxide to enter their homes. 

After visiting Centralia for a few hours and feeling the effects of stinging eyes, headache and not being able to breathe as clearly, it's hard for me to understand why some families fought so long to stay.  7 families are still in residence...which I found so creepy to pass some of these homes because something is clearly not functioning in their brains! I could barely walk at one point from lack of air (apparently being 20 weeks pregnant makes me more susceptible to the gases...oops.)  and people live their day in and day out for over 40 years since the fire has been burning?  Amazing. 

I got really excited when I saw this tree, the same picture is in my book! This is a sign that says Fire with an arrow towards an area filled with steam that a neighbor hung because he was tired of people knocking on his door and asking him :)

Gases seeping from the ground- smelled awful!

Took our flipflops off and stood barefoot here...the ground was so hot it was like being at the beach standing in the sand!

The old highway, this was my favorite.  Loved seeing all the messages from people, some were vulgar but most were neat little quotes and pictures. 

Why the highway had to be closed down and traffic rerouted around this portion.  People like to throw sticks and trash in the crack because they smolder up nicely. 

This used to be the main street through town- everything is gone.  I would have liked to see more debris but things have been gone almost my whole life so there wasn't much evidence, besides overgrown sidewalks and an occasional stone wall here or there.

It was definitely worth seeing!

For more info on Centralia:

1) Read the book I mentioned earlier...it's fabulous!

2) Go there! (Yes, I'm encouraging people to go to an area with less than perfect oxygen parts in the air)

It's up in Columbia County, and you take the same exit (901-Minersville) that would take you to Knoebels

3) http://www.offroaders.com/album/centralia/centralia.htm