There’s something about the story of Centralia, Pennsylvania that inspires people to do some pretty weird things. This can be seen in a number of photos and videos posted online. We’ve featured several of them below.
In reality, one could more easily argue that Centralia is a sad, eerie place. Evidence of the mine fire that doomed the town is everywhere, as are the reminders of the people who once lived there. Perhaps these things create an uneasy feeling that is best channeled through weirdness.
Falling into a fissure on old Route 61 in Centralia. Credit: Flickr/nicksherman
Some might consider weird images and videos taken in Centralia PA to be distasteful. After all, the town’s former residents experienced significant hardships. However, another way to look at it is that the meaning of Centralia and the mine fire disaster is changing with time.
As more people and younger generations learn of the town’s story, they are layering onto it their own thoughts, feelings, and interpretations. For example, the gnarled tree that used to mark Wood Street and the way to the fire has become an oddly striking place to take a photograph at night.
Indeed, a tree used as a road sign is not a common sight in most towns.
By the Wood Street sign in Centralia Pennsylvania on Halloween. Credit: Flickr/inmysparetime
According to the dictionary, the word “weird” can also mean bizarre or strange. When considered that way, Centralia PA certainly fits the bill. Currently, the town only has a few residents, steam rises from the ground in multiple locations, and there is an entire street system without any homes along it.
Above everything else, there is a fire burning not above but below the ground. Subverting all attempts to extinguish it, that fire has been burn for over 50 years. That certainly is not an average, run-of-the-mill city!
Passed out by a steaming fissure on Route 61 in Centralia PA. Credit: Flickr/jiwasz
So is Centralia Pennsylvania a little strange, and does it make some people act a bit weird? Of course. But, it is important to also keep in mind that the town is a place full of history and the stories of those people who once lived there.
