Probably one of the oddest and most unique places I have visited. The lore around Centralia is stuff of legends. Many a show and documentary about abandoned places will mention this town. Even so far as a video game and movie using the premise. The history part of this. Centralia started out as Native American land sold to settlers around 1749. Reading Road was being developed and came through this area causing the land to be surveyed and ultimately developed. A few land swaps later and with the discovery of anthracite coal nearby a village started to pop up. Mining started in 1856 and continued for decades, up until the 1960s. While mining declined, and the population of the town, Centralia continued on. There are differing accounts on when and how the mine caught fire, but most people agree it was during the town dump clean up prior to the Memorial Day celebrations in 1962. Long story short, the fire department set the dump on fire to clean it up and this caught a coal seam as well. Over the years the signs that there was a problem went unnoticed until about 1979. At a gas station where they found the tank holding the gasoline was extremely hot. In 1981 a 12-year-old boy fell into a sinkhole because of the fire. In 1983 the U.S. Congress offered a buyout and nearly all the residence moved out, 500 structures were demolished. By 1990 only 63 people remained. In 1992, eminent domain came into play, condemning the remaining buildings. Legal suits followed, failed, by 2010 only five homes remained. Side note: nearby Byrnesville was also abandoned due to the underground mine fire. The fire continues to this day. Those five people remained after another lawsuit. Claiming the fire had moved on from underneath the town and the air quality had improved to levels o other nearby towns. My visit here was kind of quick. In order to get here I put in the only church left, otherwise I would have bypassed this area completely. But I am persistent and I knew I would find the area. It is interesting, and what an understatement that is. Knowing what happened here, that this used to be a vibrant small town like so many others in the area. Full of shops, houses, government buildings, and schools. But when you drive through here on the broken grid that once ferried numerous vehicles it feels different, you just get this feeling of unease. Not because there is only five houses, one church, a municipal building, and a handful of cemeteries. But because all movies about abandoned places tell you to get gone. But not me, I decided why not just keep going on the grid. That is until I came upon a dead end street (no pun intended there). This dead end literally lead into the woods. See the pictures attached to this, the one where it says "Stay out of the woods, there is more there than you think." That made the hair on the back of neck stand up. While I tried to turn around on the road I felt like I was being watched. Maybe it was subconscious but I made my way back towards the main roads. With that, let's segway into the next topic. Be aware of your surroundings. Not just for your own safety, but because there are still people living here. Also, there might be other vehicles on the broken street grid. Besides the broken street grid there are several reminders that a full town existed here. The cemeteries obviously, but the remnants of sidewalks, fences and retaining walls. You can obviously see where the school once stood as it is kind of obvious with that retaining wall taking up a whole block. On the outskirts you can see where the highway ended. Like I said, if you did not know that a town once existed here, you would fly by the area in your vehicle as if nothing mattered. You might even think to yourself that this would be a nice place for a town. read more

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Abandoned town and tourist attraction are not words that usually go together but that's what has been going on for the past few decades in the town formally known as Centralia. For the people that don't know the history I'm not going to go over it because I assume if you're looking at a listing for this place you probably have some idea of the backstory and if not, there are more than enough websites, blogs and videos out there that explain what has gone on here over the past 60 years. If you go, understand that this is not a destination stop because there is not a lot to see. Maybe a brief stop on the way to/from somewhere else like Knoebels, Yuengling or the Pioneer Coal Mine for example. What are you going to see? It's basically the three cemeteries and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church (Mass is Sunday at 11am - if you attempt to worship there you will be welcomed but they also very much know who is an outsider and who is a regular) and not much else. The few houses that remain are occupied by the last of the remaining residents. IME, no, they don't want to be bothered and no they don't want to talk with the tourists. Lots of dumped garbage and overgrown weeds/foliage. On weekends there will always be other people driving/walking/dirt biking/ATVing/off-roading the same as you looking for ?? whatever people come to Centralia for. The main prior "attraction" of the Graffiti Highway has been mostly covered over with dirt mounds for a few years yet when we were walking around during our visit we ran into two other groups near Odd Fellows Cemetery that had no idea and were looking to ATV on it. Good luck with that. I've seen other sites and reviews referencing that at this point in time there is no more smoke to be seen and that's not true in the least. Before coming here we stopped at the Pioneer Coal Mine in Ashland and our guide said that's an urban legend that is told to dissuade visitors. He told us that if you come during winter or on cold days you will definitely see smoke somewhere if you spend a few minutes driving around. Sure enough as we were driving down Big Mine Run Road we saw a few plumes of smoke coming up from the hillside not terribly far from the back of Odd Fellows. There is no goon squad up there telling people they can't wander around but at the same time I think the legend obviously is greater than the reality. It's worth a visit to say that you've been and that you've seen it but I think it's best to just leave well enough alone and have your expectations in check or else you might be disappointed that whatever you think is here, isn't really here. read more

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It's not as creepy as it used to be. You can still see some smoke, emitting from down below to the surface. Yet they aren't what they used to be, and I'm not sure what the scientific reason is. Centralia used to be population 1,700 or so, and in the 1960's mining caused the whole area to be condemned. Uncle Sam stepped in, as you can't live where a burning fire is not far under the surface. Well you can but health problems. A lot of the old abandoned houses are gone. Now only a couple walls here and there. The graffiti road is covered with piles of dirt. My guess is people were partying back here, and the government said "enough." If someone knows, please advise why this happened. It's amazing to think this was once a mining community, that was fairly well off. Now it's desolate wilderness. read more

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Happy day Adventurers! I got to visit this pretty eerie spot on my recent trip for my birthday and i was so excited to. While I only got to explore the graffiti highway and closest cemetery I still had a really cool time. I had my pup with me so it was a little harder to explore because there were groups of dirt bikers & four wheelers/atv's and she was a little spooked. However, this was a cool spot to hang out at. There were so many people I wasn't surprised, its definitely a cool spot to tag with whatever nonsense you'd like. I saw a video being shot for a local sorority which was pretty cool. I recommend this spot just for the spooky factor and definitely go further into the town. read more

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Overrated. Centralia is something that we should be sad about, but people have turned it into something I would hesitate to call a tourist attraction. It's more of a garbage dump now full of people looking to cause trouble and be stupid. I'm going to skip Centralia's history, it's covered elsewhere. All that's left is a few houses/buildings, one church, and three graveyards. Graffiti Highway was returned by the state to the coal company that owned the land, making it private again, causing the company serious liability issues. The highway has been covered with dirt due to it bringing nothing but trouble to the area and stressing local resources due to the injuries created by people fooling around. I'd like to recommend some alternatives to coming here and wasting your time. The Pioneer Tunnel (Ashland) - Great tour of a former mine. D.G. Yuengling & Son (Pottsville) - Tour the brewery! Knoebels (Elysburg) - Family amusement park that's easy on the wallet. Ricketts Glen State Park (Benton) - Great hiking and waterfalls. World of Little League Museum (Williamsport) - Great baseball museum. The area has lots of great local flavor, explore that instead. There's nothing in Centralia worth seeing. read more

It is truly sad what happened to this town & the people who lived in it. I love Halloween & horror movies and anything relating to it. So I of course HAD to visit this abandoned town. And just in time for Halloween Thanks to YELP & others reviews I was able to do some research and I do highly recommend if you decide to visit you must watch "The Town that was" documentary. It was nice to get the background on this town & what it looked like & exactly how the fire was started. ( I am from Philly so it's about a 2 hour drive, we decided to visit the Yuengling Factory on the way there, since it's the oldest brewery & it broke up the drive, also it's a free tour about 25 min away ) When we arrived in Centralia ( we just put Centralia in our GPS ) I was surprised to see so many people. I did read there were going to be other tourists there but maybe since it was the weekend before Halloween everyone had the same idea. The ground is not hot to the touch like I had imagined nor was there steam coming up from the ground. It is however eerie just being there seeing the over grown trees & shrubs & paths that must have been roads or driveways. My brother has a truck & of course wanted to go off reading, the truck was fine & we had no issues with the road. Although, many people were walking around. A must see for me was Graffiti Highway. We did not bring spray paint coming back with some haha. And both my brother & husband were sad. They plan on There were families with spray paint doing murals on the ground. Everyone was super nice & the road was solid. There was the famous crack you see in pix and only one area nicely labeled "hot spot" where you can feel some hot steam coming up from the crack. This is the only one we saw/felt in the highway. Make sure to bring your camera & spray paint :) Also, I must tell you there are signs posted not to trespass, this town has not really been kept up with for 15 plus years. That didn't stop us and I hope it doesn't stop you. read more

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So I lived in Philly for four years before my mom came to visit. She planned a whole trip and found this city. I had never heard of it. But with the stories of an underground mine still burning a century later? How could I not be intrigued?! We came here with my roommate and moms best friend. First stop was the graffiti highway. If you live in PA and haven't been- go! It's absolutely incredible. It's a nice walk on a paved road, surrounded by trees. We made it to the end in about an hour. I'd recommend bringing some paint too to leva your mark. Some of the artworks there are impressive! I'd also recommended bringing your camera. We had a mini photo shoot and in autumn, it's the perfect picture. Also in the little abandoned town are other sightseeing attractions. There's an old cemetery in a hill, a gorgeous church poking through the trees- visible from everywhere, and an old mining museum with a little train and a tour of the mines. Unfortunately it was closed when we got there but it looked to have a gift shop and a cafe. 100% recommend making a day trip to Centralia. read more

Centralia - Local Flavor Near Me

I'm not even sure what star to give this... Every town has a story. This one has an interesting, but yet sad story. My husband loves to visit ghost towns. Of course, we had to go visit the town that is inspired one of his favorite movies; Silent Hill. Centralia is supposed to be spooky or creepy, but I just felt sad there. Brief history since its been repeated a dozen times and on the interwebs. In the 1960s, Centralia was a fairly small town with 1000 people. There was a fire in the mine. People died from the fire and the toxins. The fire is still alive in the mine to this day. Many residents were forced out of their homes by the Government. 7 remain living there due to winning a dispute in the courts that they can stay until they die. The post office recently took away Centralia's zip code. I find the history behind towns interesting, but this one just makes me sad. Could picture miners escaping the fire and go home to their wives to tell what happened. The heartbreak of how the families felt when they got the news of their loved one dying in the mine. How the residents felt being forced from their homes. The road to the mine is covered in graffiti. Residents say that people even chip away at their houses for a souvenir. 10 other people were there the day we went. I couldn't believe people actually visited this place. Even surprised that it was on Yelp to review. If you go, be respectful. It's not a tourist attraction, although people try to make it out to be. read more

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(If I'm allowed to briefly borrow Tom C's former shtick...) Blackest Night; Lo, light! Amaranthine Anthracite burns forevermore. Since the dead of winter is the "best" time to visit Centralia, I thought now a good point to post a review. Some perhaps are already familiar with it due to Bill Bryson's evocative description of the abandoned hamlet in "A Walk in The Woods", some perhaps have heard of it as it was an inspiration for an awful excuse for a horror movie, "Silent Hill"... The ghosts that haunt this town are naught but billows of smoke & steam issuing forth from the earth, wispy evidence of the fire that rages underneath the surface in the veins of anthracite coal that have made many a Pennsylvania borough prosperous. Tragically, the same coal that made Centralia a conservatively booming mining town became its downfall due to this inextinguishable fire which crept its way into the deposits after a unsuccessful attempt at putting out a fire in the town dump back in '60s. It shows no sign of stopping, decades after it's start, and the danger involved has chased away all but a handful of people who refuse to leave ye ole homestead. Why visit? Well, it's truly an experience to be surrounded by shrouds of smoke (much more visible in the bracing air of winter, hence my posting now)...to have your olfactory senses assaulted by an acrid sulphurous smell, gawk at the spidery cracks in the asphalted roads leading up to the town...press your bare hand to the hardened soil and feel the almost nauseating warmth...and look from a distance upon the fortified houses that still stand. I honestly haven't a clue if it bothers those few souls who remain, seeing curious people scrambling all over their once-happy town...so I try to keep a distance from the houses and be as inconspicuous as possible. You can judge from this review and the others here if a stop would be worth your while but for me, the very palpable and ineffable feeling that hangs heavy as I extend my fingers in wonder into a furl of smoke is enough to bring me back on occasion, especially if I'm passing through. read more

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PROCEED WITH EXTREME CAUTION Familiar with the "Silent Hill" video game? Consider visiting Centralia. After all, it's pure desolation, the remnants of infrastructure in coal country: house-less driveways complete with mailboxes, lonely fire hydrants, and smoke swirling about graveyards. Beer bottles and discarded condoms are proof folks still stop by, but it's dangerous. Feel that warmth? That's the town's famous mine fire, practically the fires of Hell, that has been burning for years. (It's supposed to stop burning in about 250 years.) Pondering how easy I could've died here - it's an easy feat to fall through the unstable earth or inhale toxic fumes - I'm lucky I didn't, and I have no plans to return anytime soon. read more

Eerie. Quiet. Weird. It's ghost of the town. I can hear the whispers of years past, and see shadows of buildings that are gone... It is a strange feeling - I stand on the edge of the cliff and look down there town has been, and I can almost clearly see the streets filled with people and windows shining in the autumn sunlight - and with a blink of the eye, they just shimmers away, leaving just coal slopes & new trees.... My mind trying to process the fire that been burning for decades, and that will burn for many more. ...I cannot... Fires are still burning - stick your hand into the cracks of the silent highway, covered with graffiti, and you will feel the heat... If you walk a bit around, you can see steam rising up from the cracks in the ground. You can feel the heat touching your face as you walk - or was it a ghost? It's a must see - at least once. I got chills walking on that quiet highway to nowhere. PS. Area around the town is great for off-roading. Just sayin'. read more

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Although It seemed spooky or whatever, upon arriving and going around, it basically was an abandoned town. The history behind it is somewhat unique, but it basically was streets, curbing, and lots of trees. There were three cemetaries in town, a church, a shrine, the borough hall and a few scattered homes. The underground mine fire started in 1966 and has burned to this day, it has opened large pothole and is leaking toxic gas and fumes. the government has paid for people to move and then bulldozed their homes. There are many theories and rumors as to why it happened, why the govt wants people to leave, etc. I was always curious about this area since i was a kid, hearing stories from our grandparents. (i kept thinking: why not just pour water on it?) There are only a few residents remaining, and recently, Centralia's ZIP code 17921 was revoked. read more

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I've lived in Pa my entire life and heard of Centralia, the burning, deserted town and the graffiti highway. A recent discussion with two friends about trips on our bucket list lead us here when our schedules aligned. Unfortunately that day was a cold, rainy day in November. While we didn't make the most of our experience, here's what we learned from the experience to make the most of yours. 1. Educate yourself on the town's history before you go to really connect with the experience, I wish I would have done this beforehand but sadly didn't do my research till after. 2. Research the areas you want to go and the exact locations. We had nothing to go by. My friend used Google maps to get us to Centralia. It lead us to a road with abandoned houses (and a few that were occupied) however my car GPS said we were in the town of Ashland. The houses looked to be recently vacated ; like months not years of decay. Sad never the less. I do regret that we didn't do our research and at least see the church and the municipal building. 3. If you plan on going to the graffiti highway park at St Ignatius Cemetery. We had no idea where exactly the highway was but saw several cars parked there and took a chance. The actual highway is about a half block walk thru a trail but of unlevel terrain, exposed tree roots, muddy slopes, etc 4. Because of the above the walk is not stroller, toddler, or handicap friendly. I had my three year old granddaughter with me and struggled to keep my balance while holding onto her. Once you get to the highway it's flat but the walk to get there is tricky. I wouldn't recommend for anyone under the age of 6. 5. Check the weather and plan accordingly. The highway is slippy and the trail muddy. Some areas where the spray paint was done in a high gloss made for a very slick surface. 6. Plan on doing something else nearby. If you drive from a distance just for Centralia (we drove about 2 hours each way) you'll be disappointed. If you weren't looking for the remnants of the town you'd never know it existed so there's not alot to see. Knoebel's and Cabela's are both within an hour's driving distance or less and good options. 7. Don't expect to see smoke. While my friend insists the fire is out everything I've read says otherwise. But depending on location, temperature and other factors most likely you won't see anything out of the ordinary. 8. Bring spray paint. You won't be the only one! While in the past it was considered trespassing to be in the vicinity of the graffiti highway recent changes now allow it. People were leaving their mark without hesitation. 9. Chances are you won't be exploring alone - even in less than ideal weather there were a steady stream of visitors but even with people around the feeling of sadness is heavy. 10. Be respectful; of the people that remain there, the folks that are buried there, and for those that left. read more

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Centralia is one of those legendary and bizarre Pennsylvania places that I've heard storied legacies of since the early nineties. The desolate and ruined town with a fire that will continue to burn underneath for 100 plus years. Its something that's oftentimes compared to a bleak and dystopian horror setting that you might find in a game like Silent Hill. But much like other storied legacies and video games, the bulk of what you hear about Centralia is complete and utter fiction. Yes it is an abandoned town with a mine underneath that still continues to burn making it uninhabitable. And yes do come across a number of ruined buildings and roads that have been reclaimed by nature. and it is beyond interesting to explore and walk through. But you won't see any building an d roads with smoke and fire smoldering out of them. And if anything it can be more serene and enchanting than bleak and horrifying. Its also far from desolate so long as tourists come here in droves on a regular basis (Grant it we were among them, but still). Spots like the graffiti art road were promising at first, until we got a closer look and realized how many dicks and curse words were drawn (Wanksy can't save Centralia alas - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/27/artist-penis-potholes-wanksy_n_7149810.html). And the majority of the main trails that you could take led to weird people and garbage. Despite that disappointment Centralia isn't without its charm, especially when you wander through the still in use cemetery and some of the reclaimed nature trails. despite failing to meet the lofty expectations that your imagination may have while you make the drive, it still holds up as a mysteriously odd destination. And it makes for an eclectic spot to hike and explore through. read more

Checkpoint #3 of Rental Car Rally. At 3:45am we arrived at the Wood Street Coal Mine Fire in Centralia, PA. We had to take photos of the still burning coals in the mine that was under the town. It was really weird to see such a sight. There was smoke coming from the ground, and it was hot steam! It was dark, and didn't really explore the town, but if you're in the area - MUST SEE! read more

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I have wanted to visit Centralia for years now. You probably already know about the coal mine fire that has been burning since 1962 and will likely continue to burn for years to come. I honestly thought it would be creepy and eerie but it wasn't at all. We came on a Saturday morning in October and wandered around the main street (with all the graffiti). Saw a good amount of people, mostly teenagers. Even saw a few people on ATVs pass through. Historically speaking, this is a really cool destination. It's interesting to learn about the tragic demise of an entire town and see how nature has reclaimed it. If you drive through, you can see evidence of where the streets used to be and houses once stood, now overgrown with grass and trees. All the houses have been demolished except for a couple (people that won the lawsuit to remain). On the main road, it was cool to look at all the graffiti even though most of it was names and pictures of penises. If you stick your hand into some of the cracks along the road, you can feel the heat coming up. Interesting, historical spot to check out. read more

This town has a crazy back story and rather sad for the residents who lived there all their lives. An underground fire forced many out and the ones who refused to leave, they passed away. We went to Graffiti Highway.... the place where many spray paint the highway which is now closed down. Go explore, it's truly like nothing I've ever seen, so worth The trip IMO. read more

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We walked about seven miles through cemeteries and old roads. We were speechless looking at old sidewalks and foundations from houses. The only thing we didn't like through no fault of Centralia was all the litter people leave everywhere...from pop bottles to mattresses to cigarette boxes and more. Show some respect for the town and the residents still there. There is no reason to leave garbage behind. We did find graffiti highway finally. Those looking for it, go through the four-way stop south through the old town, park near the yellow road sign with arrow pointing left, walk to the right and it's right over a small mound and a creek. You really can't miss it at that point. read more

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Nothing here. Buildings all gone, no smoke, fire still burns underground, but you'd never know it was there. Nothing is left of this town.

Historical area. Do your homework before visiting, look up the history and the stories and old pictures and then go and see how much has changed. The main road that goes through the area, used to be a thriving road, houses lining all sides, and now it's completely empty, of everything but trees. When you enter (if you're coming from Ashland), you'll pass a small cemetary on your left and come upon a road that leads into the back of the cemetary, take this road, park somewhere in the back and walk around. We found several areas where steam is coming out from the underground. When you leave there, be sure to go back towards Ashland, there's a curve with an area where you can pull over and park -- do so. Then take the 2 mile hike down the abandoned highway and around the curve to see where the highway has split and broken from the fire. Sometimes steam can be seen coming out, and it's usually hot around the area. Beware families with children, it's a long walk, and most of the graffiti is not very family friendly. read more

This place is known for the fire under the town burning. Some say it's haunted but I haven't had any experiences there yet.

Centralia is a ghost city of over 1,000 people that is no more. Being there feels like being in a movie. You have to imagine an old movie in black and white and many houses and miners going back home with the dirty faces, getting up a few steps when their wife opens a house door and leads them to a room with a hot bath while many kids peek behind the kitchen door frame. Now, get it in color and while steps and sidewalks are there - there are no houses and people. A nearby mine caught on fire (it is still on fire deep inside) and people did not have a choice but they had to evacuate. The worst fact is that Centralia lost its zip code 17927 as if all the memory has to be erased - like in some science fiction movie. There is not much to see, but your mind keeps imagining and it is very eerie to walk there. Rush of feelings is still present in my memory and other words that come to my mind are: sad and strange. read more

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I've been here, it's pretty cool history. Sad too though. This is town that used to have a decent population and they would be lucky to have three people now. (I visited in 2006 and one of the houses on the main road has been torn down I've read. I guess time fixes everything.) The town is an inspiration for the crappy movie "Silent Hill". Now I'm a huge fan of the games but the movie stunk. That being said, the atmosphere in the movie with the gloominess and sadness......I can see that here. If this place was foggy and had a demonic worshipping cult..........this place could step in for Silent Hill. Now it's a bit out of the way from I-81 but totally worth it. The surrounding views are pretty nice and you'll notice lots of mining in the immediate area. You will notice it around I-81 through this patch of mountains too. Good, bad, evil, sad, happy whatever.......it's history and people should hear about this place. read more

Dystopia. Calm in the wilderness of ghosts. Absent of humanity yet thriving with the spirits of humans passed and present decaying into futures unknown. Where does a city go to die? Here. The history is well known - an eternal hell burning with a fury below the calmly vanishing streets. Abandoned dreams cast into the depths of the fissures within the lost highway - graffiti paintings of humor adorning the asphalt remains of horror. Why come here? We come because we know the legends and tales and wish to see them for ourselves. We park along overgrown streets and within mud-pits, climbing out into a world that no longer exists. We see the smoke and steam and hear the distance screams of the fleeing masses in the hisses of escaping gases. Come. See. Leave your vehicle and walk over the berm. You'll likely see nobody, but that doesn't mean that they aren't watching you. Walk their roadways and see the tributes left in bright neon paint - muse upon meaning, know that you are not alone. If you choose to come here, and you should - be prepared to park your vehicle and walk a bit. To see the highway you'll need to climb over a small hill of dirt (or at least when I went you did) - be sure you LOCK your doors, there have been numerous thefts in the past. Nothing is especially well marked, but if you poke around a while you'll find some pretty neat places. Be sure to respect the few citizens of Centralia that still remain - don't go onto their property! There are plenty of other spots - from abandoned ponds, to giant hills still littered with coal, and of course the massive open areas with steam vents still spewing forth from the fires below. The town (or few houses remaining) offers some pretty interesting architecture that's worth snapping off a few photos of - houses with five-chimneys, etc. There's also a very quiet cemetery located at the top of a hill that you should hunt down - it's eerily quiet and serves as a reminder that people once lived... and sadly, died here. read more

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On a road trip, I decided to stop here before my last leg home. I didn't realize it was so close to home! Unfortunately, it was a cold, dreary, rainy early evening. So I didn't get to hike back to the cool spots with the uneven road and the graffiti. I stuck to the main road. Lots of cemeteries in one small area. Now that I know how close it is to home, I will be coming back, and I will be coming during the day and with plenty of water so I can go on a hike and really experience the burning town. read more

I can't complain too much. I used the chance to visit "this weird little ghost town I heard about" near Halloween as an excuse to visit friends. Knowing full well the endpoint would be somewhat anticlimactic, two flights (MKE-MSP-CLE) and six hours in a car later, I arrived in Centralia. If you know about Centralia, it's pretty much what you'd expect. If you don't, it's one of those eerie places that high school and college students and/or horror buffs might trek to. Other people have covered the history: an old coal town undermined by a persistent fire. Hell on Earth. Silent Hill come to life. The road (the old HWY 61) crumbles. An oppressive, smokey smell fills the sky. The night I went was particularly hazy and foggy, which only added to the spooky atmosphere. Driveways split off from the road leading to nothing. Graffiti of the "WELCOME TO HELL" variety gives off a "should I really be here?" feeling. The number of graveyards nearby cannot be an accident, though. Not even spooky, that. Spoopy. Finding the place is the funnest part of it. It's...not easy. I'm not giving any hints (they're widely available on the Internet, anyhow). There is a problem though. Like Bill M. mentioned, this has become a sort of organic tourist destination. You never get the feeling of isolation and grief because there's always some other group 100 feet away doing the same thing you're doing. If you're passing through I'd make a detour to have a look. read more

I've read about Centralia, but never knew how close it is to Knoebels. There isn't much to see of the town, since most of the buildings no longer exist...even the town no longer exists as a postal code, but is a marker on the highway leaving trail to its memory. We parked near the cemetery, along with a row of other visitors. In order to access Graffiti Highway, we had to cross a small path of no trespassing signs. The highway is eerie, with graffiti marking the entirety of its length. I wanted to record some of the art, other visitors were video taping self-made movies and using drones to view inaccessible parts of the town. There is a huge crack in the highway; damage caused by heat from the fire that has been burning for the past fifty years. I love all things Atlas Obscura and this falls into that category. I believe there are two types of people, those that stop to see the big ball of string and others who pass by these roadside attractions. I plan to always stop, maybe not always smelling the roses, but to experience the unusual. read more

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Took a drive out to yuengling brewery and went here too. Beautiful scenery and nice drive along Rt 61. I'd suggest looking at old photos of town and compare to what is there now. You can easily imagine that this was once a thriving small town with over 1000 residents. Sad to see it now and wonder about some of the residents forced to move. I can't explain why some idiots decide to leave trash and steal from the area. Common courtesy is not in some people's DNA. read more

This once thriving borough is no a collection of a few houses. Many people come to this abandoned borough to walk the closed of highway and take pictures. Since this is at an intersection of two highways it can get busy on nice days. One hidden gem about this area is all the geocaching you can do. Download the app and go for the walk. read more

Sadly for this town, the corporate interests came first. With billions of dollars worth of coal remaining below the town of Centralia, the mining interests (who once owned the town) had only one recourse. Since Centralia bought the mineral rights under a Pennsylvania law enacted in the 1940's, the only way for the mining companies to get the rights back would be to take the town by eminent domain, which could be done by declaring the are uninhabitable. If you go there today however, you would doubt that this was necessary - the mine fire has pretty much moved on, and only one small part of town remains affected by the fire. All detailed in my historical novel, Centralia PA, Devils Fire (Amazon.) For the historical adventurer of abandoned towns, Centralia is worth a visit, and there are lots of other cool historical sites and mining museums in the area to visit. http://www.centraliapadevilsfire.com/ read more

After studying the town for several months I finally got to see it for myself. The first thing to know about the town of Centralia is that there really isn't a town anymore. Mother nature didn't waste any time moving in the vacant lots. The plant life completely taken over most of the town, giving it a forest type feel with streets and even a few sidewalks. It's hard to understand that this forest was one a thriving town full of life, and that's what makes it great to visit. Once in a while I saw a set of steps and the remains of what looked like a wall and even a driveway. I didn't see any smoke but I think I smelled the gasses a little bit. On a side note Graffiti Highway is ILLEGAL to walk on and we didn't even think about walking on it. Great choice because a state trooper asked my friend if we had any spray paint (we didn't as we respect those who lost their homes here) and I later saw his car beside Graffiti Highway and I assume he was giving citations to trespassers. Trespassing on Graffiti Highway is ILLEGAL but traveling by car or foot on the side streets of the town is 100% legal according to the trooper. read more

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If you're looking for an eerie daycation or happen to be traveling around the area, don't miss out on this (almost) completely abandoned ghost town. For years I've wanted to stop here, it's the location that the Silent Hill games were based off. Those games still creep me out at night. To give you a little background, it was once a small town of about 1500 people and approximately 50 years ago someone lit a fire in a local dump area (by the way this whole area is one giant coal mine) and ignited a fire that burns underground to this day and will continue to do so for about 250 more years. Eventually by the eighties, the roads started splitting and foundations cracked and the whole place had to be abandoned. At least by most, the last census I could find stated there should be around 8 people still living there. That's 8 people this girl hoped to NEVER meet during her exploration here. Electricity, phones, and even a zip code have ceased to exist here for quite a while. Tip: if you hear banjo music - start running. I wish I could have visited years earlier, many of the houses have been torn down but some row houses remain as well as some store and municipal buildings. Many of the roads have long, jagged fissures that weep steam continuously and the whole town has the ever present aroma of sulphur. Rusting mailboxes, overgrown cement, and chipped fire hydrants dot the streets. I even saw a tattered flag on a pole still fluttering sadly even to this day. The police department still has the logos on the windows and looks as if it was only abandoned recently. The unkempt cemetery and cracked headstones have been somewhat defaced which is really a disrespect and a tragedy but seeing wisps of smoke from the cemetery was truly creepy. The whole effect is something out of a Stephen King novel. Unfortunately, the amount of visitors it attracts has left many areas covered in graffiti and broken beer bottle glass, but beyond that it's a sad remnant of this bustling little coal town and it's demise. (I couldn't help but think I had stepped right into a set from The Walking Dead.) read more

We went to visit for the first time today. It is amazing to see but also sad. Especially since there are still people living there. The graffiti and trash is now reaching the areas where people live. I wish people would respect other people property. We had the chance to meet with one of the residents. At first we were hesitant to walk down the street because we saw the man standing outside of his house. We we said hello and he said hello back so we started walking towards his house. He came out and started talking to us! He was very nice and super friendly. We said to him that in sure people are always trying to talk to him and he said no, no one ever bothers to say hello. I felt so bad, so I'm so glad we stopped to talk to him. I know all the videos you watch on you tube say to leave the residents alone but it can't hurt to say hi. Also, be respectful of Centralia. That was the best part about the trip, we did feel some hot spots but it was not along graffiti highway. It was near the smaller cemetery. We also went to see the church, however it is still used and has signs all over saying no trespassing. Graffiti highway also has that but there were so many people there we had to go look at it anyway! read more

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Hopefully this puts it into perspective for any curious travelers hoping to see something amazing and eerie. Centralia is not that. I visited on 5/18/2014. The place was bustling. If you want an ominous experience, look elsewhere. We were surrounded by tourists parked cars, people on ATVs tearing through the "desolation," normal thoroughfare traffic, etc. There was no steam, no smoke, no fires, etc. Most "locals" (people from neighboring towns) that I spoke to said that the fires were no longer visible and that most of the smoke and steam stopped 2 to 3 years ago. All of the "abandoned" houses have been demolished with any signs of their existence being completely gobbled up by mother nature. There are a few houses still standing and guess what...people live in them! It is a lonely 6 house town with nothing ghostly about it. If you are down for a drive and want to head out to nowhere Pennsylvania then give it a shot, but don't expect to see anything significant. I can't say the it was worth the 7 hour roundtrip drive, the 50 plus dollars in gas and tolls, etc. read more

Wow. I can't believe this is listed as an attraction. I gave it 4 stars, but how do you rate a disaster? It's like giving a rating to ground zero or the 9th ward. And I used to live down the street, so I can be a bit of an authority, right? The fire started because residents decided to light a big pile of trash on fire. Ten feet under the town is the mammoth vein, anthracite coal that once made the region rich, then depressed. Now the earth is 4,000 F just a story below the ground. They began to see this as a problem when the ground opened up and swallowed a kid, who saved himself by grabbing onto a tree root (really). Then people started going unconcious in their homes due to carbon monoxide, and the government moved everyone out. Except for a few brave souls who decided to stay, kind of dumb when you are being offered 100K + in an area where a house can go for as little as 2K. (really, attend an auction sometime) They tried lots of ways to put out the fire, but at 4000F water just won't do it. So it will just burn, for thousands of years.... read more

Those looking for a little bit of hell on earth, look no further... I first read about the strange, sad, spooky town of Centralia in Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. Wandering off into Pennsylvania coal mining country during his progress up the Appalachian Trail, Bryson comes upon a blasted out burg that looms up out of the countryside like a little corner of Hell relocated to Earth. Sulfurous gases suffuse the town in an eerie fog, leaking out of the innumerable sinkholes and fissures which have rent roads asunder, and swallowed up unsuspecting interlopers and abandoned buildings indiscriminately. Declamatory and vaguely hysterical signs everywhere warn of imminent peril and likely death for all who proceed; an unnerving anticipatory silence hangs like a pall, an anxious stillness which portends something rather dire could happen at any second; and that whatever horror does present itself, it will most likely be unlike anything you could possibly ever imagine. The causes of Centralia's metamorphosis into a modern day ghost town are far from fantastic. In 1962, a trash fire carelessly lit in an abandoned mine shaft ignited an exposed vein of coal, which proceeded to burn unabated for years, beginning a slow, relentless march underground, spreading radially outwards, until, basically, the entire down was burning up from below. Various unsuccessful attempts were made to at least halt the fire's progress, if not extinguish it, all of which met with failure. Scientists prognosticate that the fire could very well continue to burn for at least a hundred years (!!!). During the 1980s, the town was quarantined and evacuated (well, duh), but here's the thing: even today, forty years after the fire started, and twenty after the town began to rapidly disintegrate, a handful of (fool)hardy souls still live there, refusing to leave. This is perhaps even more startling and terrifying than the ghastly visage the town presents. And here's the space for the fantastic to enter: perhaps they've been driven mad by the toxic fumes; perhaps they feel like they are atoning for some past sins; or perhaps they are trying to hold off whatever it is that seems to be trying to get out from underneath Centralia. Because whatever is down there, whatever has wrought this destruction, can't be just a simple coal fire, can it? Surely, there is something evil trying to free itself, something demoniac crawling up from the depths and using Centralia as its portal... Nb. In 2002, the US Postal Service revoked Centralia's zip code. It is now truly limbo, purgatory, hellmouth or whatever you will. Maybe a tax haven. read more

Spent quite a few hours in Centralia doing some exploring since I had never been here. The graffiti highway was pretty cool and getting to follow all the trails/access roads took us to come great look out points. If you've never been here I recommend checking it out but wear good shoes if you tend to enjoy hiking through the woods. read more

Went here in the summer (August 2012) and loved it...the history and situation is both sad and fascinating. If you are into urban exploration and/or Silent Hill it is worth the trip. read more

Such a fun, colorful, unique place to visit! Definitely a must see!!! I suggest parking at the lower end and walking up to the other end of the highway. read more

I can't believe people are reviewing Centralia as a tourist attraction. An underground mine fire has been burning for decades and has made the town unlivable and 99% of the population has relocated or died of old age. So, for sightseeing you have abandoned homes, vacant lots, steam and heat pouring out of cracks in the ground and best of all ,the entire place smells like a fart. read more