PA Ghost Towns? Has anyone Visited any? (Hanover, Nanticoke: section 8, homes)

[thecoalman]

Not sure exactly where it is because it was maybe 15 years ago but West of the Towanda area is very old abandoned town. Wasn't any buildings but you could see the foundations for some of them. What was really creepy about this place was the cemetery because it was pretty big and so long since anyone took care of it. Large trees that were clearly not there when it was being used. There was wrought iron gates grown into really large trees, stuff like that.

This wouldn't be easy to find, if I remember correctly there was a lot of dirt roads that weren't traveled much or kept up very well leading to it. I think it was logging town at one point.

[sheena12]

What about that Soucon Screamer thing?

[nepadaisy]

Pennsylvania Haunts & History: Suscon Screamer seems to be a pretty good write up. I remember my cousins scaring me with it, but I've never been there.

Our here in the national parks area along the Delaware, there's the failed tocks island dam project. The feds bought up a lot of homes and were going to flood it, but never did. It's all hiking camping etc. areas now, and you can still see some of the houses that had to be abandoned. I think someone recently did a documentary about it as well.

[MatildaLoo]

Originally Posted by PAhippo

to the best of my knowledge, you can't get into the 'town' of Centralia, just the outer boundry. I've thought of a helicopter ride over the area but never got past the 'wonder if' stage.

Not true. You can drive directly into the "town" by taking the Frackville exit off of 81 and then taking 61 N through Frackville and Ashland. The section of route 61 that was closed has been bypassed and reopened for at least a decade.

Centralia's not dangerous at all, either -- there's just not much to see. The remaining residents, about nine in all, are fighting a legal battle to stay in their homes, but there aren't many homes that remain. It's actually quite a sad story.

I've been to Centralia many times, and each time is a little bit sadder than the last.

[varmintblaster]

Originally Posted by sheena12

What about that Soucon Screamer thing?

The Suscon Screamer was described as the ghost of a young bride that was struck and killed by a passing car as she walked along Suscon Road dressed in her white wedding gown. (supposedly their car broke down and she was walking for help).

The exact location of her untimely demise was not clear, but her image allegedly appeared near the old railroad trestle that passed over Suscon Road and forced the road to one lane.

I never saw a sign of the bride. As a kid in boy scouts, we used to camp on a regular basis approx 150 yards from the trestle, and we spent many a night wandering around that old trestle.

The old trestle has long been demolished for a widened modern roadway.

Masten,Pa is an old abandoned lumber mill town located on winding dirt logging roads in Sullivan County - a few miles from World's End State Park.
It was a bit eerie walking around the old foundations and empty homes that still stand.Gorgeous country up there - lots of small native trout streams runningthrough the mountains.

Centralia is open and driveable along Rte 54.
The remaining folks that live there are fighting against a coal company that has hired "legal guns" to try to evict them once and for all in order to gain the mineral rights that the town owns. (As long as there is at least one resident remaining, then the town still exists and the mineral rights remains under the town's control. I hope the last resident of Centralia lives to be 150 years old.

[PAhippo]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Not sure exactly where it is because it was maybe 15 years ago but West of the Towanda area is very old abandoned town. Wasn't any buildings but you could see the foundations for some of them. What was really creepy about this place was the cemetery because it was pretty big and so long since anyone took care of it. Large trees that were clearly not there when it was being used. There was wrought iron gates grown into really large trees, stuff like that.

This wouldn't be easy to find, if I remember correctly there was a lot of dirt roads that weren't traveled much or kept up very well leading to it. I think it was logging town at one point.

I'm thinking that has to be Fallbrook. It's just outside of Troy (about 20 miles west of Towanda) on Armenia Mt. I can't think of any other place that might fit that description. Well, except the cemetary part. Seems to be quite a few of those.

[PAhippo]

Originally Posted by MatildaLoo

Not true. You can drive directly into the "town" by taking the Frackville exit off of 81 and then taking 61 N through Frackville and Ashland. The section of route 61 that was closed has been bypassed and reopened for at least a decade.

Centralia's not dangerous at all, either -- there's just not much to see. The remaining residents, about nine in all, are fighting a legal battle to stay in their homes, but there aren't many homes that remain. It's actually quite a sad story.

I've been to Centralia many times, and each time is a little bit sadder than the last.

are the fires still burning? what about the fumes?

[destinedtodave]

I don't know much about the surrounding region of NEPA but I visited Centralia when I was traveling from Philadelphia to Syracuse during the summer. First of all, nothing about it is closed off. It's true the main highway has about a half-mile detour avoiding Centralia but you can still get there (I just used GPS). I walked/drove all throughout the town seeing vacant lots and a few still-occupied homes. I even saw a girl riding her bicycle who I assume is a local although I didn't think it would be appropriate to stop my car and question her about it.

The most interesting part is the actual section of abandoned highway. There is graffiti all over but there are large crevices where you can feel the heat and see smoke rising from the burning anthracite coal. I passed 3 other groups of people that were also visiting the road so I'd say it is not dangerous. However, I certainly didn't stick around to breathe those fumes for very long.

[ki0eh]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

Masten,Pa is an old abandoned lumber mill town located on winding dirt logging roads in Sullivan County - a few miles from World's End State Park.
It was a bit eerie walking around the old foundations and empty homes that still stand.Gorgeous country up there - lots of small native trout streams runningthrough the mountains.

I went to a presentation once on Masten, it was pretty interesting, it became a CCC camp as the lumber mill closed and kept its post office for a bit as a result. One can get a permit to camp there on the Loyalsock State Forest in (ahem ) Lycoming County.

Originally Posted by PAhippo

I'm thinking that has to be Fallbrook. It's just outside of Troy (about 20 miles west of Towanda) on Armenia Mt. I can't think of any other place that might fit that description. Well, except the cemetary part. Seems to be quite a few of those.

I've heard of but not yet seen myself a couple of places on Barclay Mountain Game lands tour set for next Sunday - SunGazette.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Williamsport-Sun Gazette but I'd not been over to the cemetery at Fall Brook.

[PAhippo]

dang-that was last year. maybe they'll do it again this year. Or maybe I'll just do it myself.
I am so looking forward to retiring.