Driving in PA: PA-61 Ashland to Centralia

This video is a trip I took in early 2007 to Centralia, PA. If you're not familiar, continue past the description...

This depicts the drive down PA-61 from Ashland, PA into Centralia... what's left of it, anyway. Note the first large yellow arrow sign -- that's where PA-61 diverted off from its original alignment onto the part which cracked and buckled from the underground mine fire. Now you're on Byrnesville Road, a road which was once the main street in a now completely non-existent town of Byrnesville. (Only thing left to notice is a small religious shrine you will see on the left.) Later you will see one more large yellow arrow sign, and now you're on original PA-61 -- in the town of Centralia itself. Of historical value, the house with brick column supports you see on the left was recently demolished in September, ever so slightly continuing to close Centralia and erase it forever...

More:
Centralia is the famous Pennsylvania ex-"Coal Town" where an underground mine fire started in 1962. Much of the town populace was relocated beginning in the 80's (1983 being the real year of reckoning... same year I was born, hmm...) and the town was mostly razed. Very few buildings and people remain, and every year more of it disappears. It is now almost gone, and I suspect within five years will no longer even be recognized with signs or anything else.

The only thing anyone will come back for after that would be the time capsule buried where once stood an American Legion building -- set to be open in 2016. It was buried in 1966, when the town was a much happier place. I wonder what people will feel when looking at whatever artifacts it holds?

Centralia has various personal feelings for me. I am a resident of Pennsylvania, so anything PA related effects me some way. I am an admirer of history, that feels pain when things are lost and buried forever. (My first such passion were Pittsburgh Streetcars, with almost the entirety of the system removed, most of it with no trace...) And finally, my own mother was raised in Mt. Carmel, a town only a few miles from Centralia. As a child she used to ride her bike into it. Her description was that the people were "nice" there; everyone was on their porches during the day, saying hello to all visitors. It was just a nice place to be.

An interesting thing I read once was that during more hectic times in the 1800's, the local pastor was assaulted, and declared a curse on the town that it would "one day be wiped from the face of the Earth"... interesting.

Look up Centralia -- a great place to start, to "see" it, would be:
http://www.offroaders.com/album/centralia/centralia.htm

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• centralia
• pennsylvania
• coal
• mine
• fire

[leapingleptons]

I've lived in Mount Carmel all my fifteen years, it's interesting to see how many people i meet from out of the area who are intrigued by Centralia, especially after the "silent hill" movie.

[sonicepochguy]

What's funny is that I actually found out about Centralia in a different manner than the classic "Silent Hill" way; I was researching decommissioned Pennsylvania state highways, and the reworking of PA-54/61 came up. It was only later that it turns out my dad got to see it in the heyday (while driving us kids to see family in Mt. Carmel) and that I was even there ... as a very, very young child. :) Right through the PA-61 smog... dad didn't like my desire to return, either.

[nochance4y0u]

i live in mt carmel :o about 15 mins away from ashland..

[sonicepochguy]

Neat. I also drove through there (since it's my mom's birthplace and I wanted to show my trip buddy.) It's a pretty nice little town, though a bit sick from the death of industry and all.

[bapyou]

There used to be a colorful homeade sign posted just across the road where the detour road tops out at Centralia which read MINE FIRE IS OUR FUTURE! I have an old photogaph of that sign somewhere.

Centralia is creepy in the winter. You see places where the ground is so warm there's green grass growing in the middle of January! And snow? Forget about it. It melts as soon as it hits the Earth.

[yerkeskid]

It's said that the fire won't burn out until 2250, Christ!

[erinandcompany]

joevb4013, I've lived in PA all my life and just learned about Centralia less than a year ago. I don't think many people did know about it until "Silent Hill" had been released. But isn't it odd that we didn't know about it? I wonder how many rich bigwigs lined the pockets of pressfolk so they WOULDN'T expose the ineptness of agencies that should have DONE something to see that these people didn't have to lose their whole town? Sorry, folks, I'll get off my soap box now & go watch vids.

[AR1264]

Delightful video. I like the music, who is it? I will be driving this road for the first time next week, on the way to Shamokin, from Philly. The story of Centralia is fascinating, sad, and frightening. The music really works for this drive. Thank you.

[ccarter517]

The Pine Creek Rafting Ass.Men drive through there each spring on our way from Philly to Wellsboro. Gotta hit the Drunken Monkey in Ashland for sure! Nice video!

[sonicepochguy]

Maybe next time :)

[TeesO8kOCom]

Couldn't spot it, but somewhere around 30-35 sec., there should be a left turn onto Snake Rd. Takes you to the SE end of Mt. Carmel.

[brokenkitty]

yeah. It used to be a wash house for the miners back when the business was still doing well.