The Town That Was

Buy the DVD May 19th at shop.cinevolvestudios.com.

In 1962, a trash fire ignited a seam of anthracite coal beneath Centralia, Pennsylvania, a once thriving mining town of over 3,000 people. By the mid 1980's, giant plumes of smoke and deadly carbon monoxide gases billowed from fissures in the ground, the local highway cracked and collapsed, trees were bleached white and petrified, as the fire continued to rage unchecked. It wasn't until a young boy nearly died after falling into a smoldering mine subsidence that the government was pressed into action. After estimating the cost of extinguishing the fire at over a half a billion dollars, the government instead opted to raze the town and relocate its residents. Today, 11 die-hards remain. Filmed over a period of four years with interviews ranging from former residents to Congressmen, The Town that Was is an intimate portrait of John Lokitis, the youngest remaining Centralian, and his quixotic fight to keep alive a hometown that has literally disintegrated under his feet. His unbowed determination and steadfast refusal to acknowledge defeat reveal a man, a town, a region, and a way of life abandoned and forgotten.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• nothing but trouble
• silent hill
• mining disasters
• eminent domain
• mass evacuations
• ashland
• harrisburg
• allentown
• philadelphia
• lewisburg
• sunbury
• shamokin
• northumberland
• berwick
• Susquehanna
• scranton
• wilkes-barre
• hazelton

[Downes05]

This was a very sad situation. I remember when they evacuated everyone. I never heard of any hauntings there. Its not comparable to chernobyl in that retrospect. No one died. Its not a nuclear dump. If you go, just be respectful of the people who stayed. They are not a side show. And be mindful of the police that go through there. They patrol to make sure that crack heads don't make it their resting stop.

[287654321]

This was caused by bad govt, lazy govt, stupid govt. Burning Centralia is a monument to bureaucratic indifference, somnibulism, arrogance, indifference: principle contribution of INCOMPETENT BUREAUCRATS = DEAD WOOD.

[lostpork]

@Bunch341 hey, i missed it, cant seem to get it anywhere, would love it if you could link me up :)

[greyfox278]

@Bunch341 if u can give me an online link that would be greatley appreciated about a year ago me my best friend and his mom went there to check it out we live in bradford pa r whole lives and never knew about this that place was really something ud have to see for your self but it was kinda a rainy day smoke wasnt as bad but i remember when we finally got home we were all nausiated

[samuricex]

Makes me think that this is what it would be like after an apocalyptic event.

[nightofraven]

@davefs25 amazon have it movie

[Alphonsus0di0Ligouri]

@Bunch341 I'd really like to see this.

[spankinator405]

@Bunch341 yea i would like that link

[DropDeadJustinBieber]

Ive been here there like 4 houses and a cherch on the hillside not much to see just grass abouned sidewalks and roads

[Bunch341]

If anyone missed the movie, and would like to see it, message me and I will give you the link to the full 1 hour and 10 minute movie.

[JonDGul]

Just went a month ago. Not much to see but still worth the trip. Driveways leading to nowhere. An old church. Cemeteries. Really a fascinating trip even today

[sasktank]

in Canada mines cant be within 75 metres of a home