Sunday, January 6, 2013

Centralia, Pennsylvania

We visited Centralia, PA this weekend.  After seeing photos for years, and after recently watching the documentary The Town That Was, we were invited by a friend to tag along on an exploration of the former site of this evacuated mining town.

Click here to watch the documentary's trailer.  
It'll make the photos below a lot more poignant.









Cemetery in the woods.

Lonely pumpkin.

An intimidating abandoned mine shaft.  The photo doesn't convey its massive size.








Tiny ice columns from the escaping steam.

The ubiquitous pentagram.







13 comments:

Pixel Pixie said...

I went there several years ago with my husband. It was nearing sunset when we arrived, so we couldn't stay long. It felt like walking around in the aftermath of an apocalypse. To me, the smell was the worst part.

Colleen said...

"The ubiquitous pentagram" sprayer must not worship Satan all that often... Nothing like showing your devotion with a star that's all ass backwards... heehee Looks like an interesting place to visit Rot. Very cool!

Rot said...

We were told that there is less and less steam each year, as the fire moves deeper into the earth. Our guide was surprised to see so little from the highway crack. He's visited the town many times.

With the snow on the ground, it was difficult to imagine that there ever was a town there.

A car pulled up at one point. A man jumped out and asked us "Where's the fire?!" He wanted to show his wife and was shocked by the small amount of steam. He said he last visited 30 years ago.

Rot said...

Colleen,
Ha..yep...if the star's points aren't facing up like a ram's horns, it ain't the real deal. : )

I've even blogged about that in the past, but I totally missed that in the photo until you mentioned it.

Rot said...

Pixie
The smell was so strange.
Like an ancient sewer.

Pixel Pixie said...

I suppose that's a more accurate descripton than mine: a tire burning... WITH EVIL.

Anonymous said...

I should go there sometime, only 1 1/2 hours from my area. Would be interesting to see and feel the atmosphere.

TheMatriculat said...

After seeing that can you imagine Chernobyl

Rot said...

No way. It'd be overwhelming.

Or that crap going on right now in Fukushima. Media black-out.

Arcane said...

I have seen pictures about this area but to see it in person has got to be quite an experience.

Shani said...

That must have been such an interesting trip. We would definitely love to go at some point. You got some awesome pictures! Thanks for posting.

The Gill-Man said...

I've been fascinated by Centralia since I first heard about it. VERY cool you got to go.

K.O. said...

GREAT photos! It's so cool that you went there--I've been dying to go! Wonderful post, Rot. :)