Spooky Centralia Pennsylvania: Ghosts and Silent Hill

Is Centralia PA haunted? Judging from the above video, some people certainly believe so. On this All Hallows Eve, let’s look at some of the spooky things in Centralia that cause people to think it is inhabited by ghosts.

An Underground Mine Fire

Burning for over 50 years, Centralia Pennsylvania’s mine fire certainly seems like the fiery lair of dastardly demons and spirits. What’s more, the fire heats the groundwater to boiling temperatures, causing steam to rise from the ground. On certain days, this gives Centralia’s landscape an unsettling, misty appearance.

Abandoned Streets

With only a few buildings remaining, Centralia is clearly an abandoned place. Most of the residents left long ago, leaving only trace signs of their lives there. Broken sidewalks, old street signs, old steps leading to no where – all of these give the impression that some paranormal force has driven everyone away.

Lots of Cemeteries

Centralia PA has more people buried there than it has living residents. That fact alone is unsettling. As one drives around the town, three cemeteries can be found: Saint Ignatius, Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox, and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Desolate Landscapes

The mine fire burning under Centralia has left large patches of ground devoid of trees and life. The fire heats the surface to such a high temperature that tree roots die and the vegetation withers away. These areas are particularly visible in the burn zone, near the southwest edge of the town.

A Cracked Highway

Just south of Centralia, lies a nearly one mile stretch of Route 61 that was closed in the early 1990s. Today, the four lane highway is rippled and cracked. In some spots, huge fissures have opened up and sometimes steam pours from them. Most of the damaged asphalt surface is covered in graffiti, which at times appears to depict weird creatures.

The Movie Silent Hill

One of the main reasons people think Centralia Pennsylvania is haunted is because of the 2006 horror film, Silent Hill. While the movie’s fictional events take place in West Virginia, elements of it seem to directly reference Centralia. These include cracked roads, steam rising from the ground, and dead vegetation. The film’s writer, Roger Avary, has confirmed that he had Centralia in mind when he wrote the screenplay.

So while Centralia PA might not be haunted, there are enough bizarre and spooky elements to the town to make someone wonder.

Happy Halloween!