Centralia (Scranton, Harrisburg, Olyphant: hazard insurance, eviction, to live)

[PAhippo]

hope he didn't fall in some place. Centralia gives a whole different aspect to smoking being hazardous to your health.

[HappyRider]

Was passing through Centralia couple of weeks ago when I noticed this sign.



If you see this tree, you know you are in Centralia,

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Oh, looks like they updated the sign. It used to go on a rant against Gov Rendell and something about "WHY U HELP THE ILLEGALS". I wish I was kidding.

[judd2401]

Don't you folks know that PA expert is pulling your leg? Lehigh Valley Native pulled his leg back and called his bluff. It's entertaining and Centralia never got so much attention! Have fun ya'll

[DowntownHarrisburg]

I've spent the past few weeks studying geological surveys, old aerial photos, old maps, and DEP / BMR documents. I've located a number of slopes for the Locust Run, Hazel Dell, Big Mine Run, Germantown, and possibly the Logan collieries.

During a recent hiking trip we were able to locate an acid drainage pond that appears to be from a flooded unidentified slope just outside of town. All but one of the remaining slopes appeared to be either backfilled beyond recognition or blocked by "no trespassing" signs. Or maybe my calculations were just off.

But the one oddity I wasn't able to pin down was the two sinkholes (for lack of a better word) directly south of the Odd Fellows cemetery, just east of the PA-61 bypass. Logic suggests that these are sealed-off remnants of a 20th-century slope, but they don't line up with any of the underground works unless allow for some SERIOUS map error. However, given their depth and location, as well as the fact that there are two of them, it seems near-impossible that they would have formed through natural causes. Anyone have any ideas?

Also, this thing:

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=40.80002,...rackville%20PA

It's present on many old aerial photos. Looks a little too big to be an air vent (and to the best of my knowledge there aren't any workings underneath there anyway), but it's on aerial photos dating back to the 1930s. We were unable to find anything at all at that location -- no structure, no seal, no indication of recent groundwork, nothing. Any ideas what this is?

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by DowntownHarrisburg

Also, this thing:

If you switch the map to terrain it's in a depression, I'd guess it's just water naturally collecting because it has no where to go. Could be they have a drainage tunnel going to it too.

[DowntownHarrisburg]

I am desperately sad that pa-expert never came back with a trip report.

I wanted to hear if he got to ride the Centralia Monorail.

[judd2401]

It amazes me that this blog always seems to stay alive, people are fascinated with Centralia. We did find the Holiday Inn and the pool is naturally heated by the fire below. The interstate that passes over the center of town is starting to crack apart, another hazard to watch out for. It's really interesting to walk up and down the deserted streets of Centralia and think about all the history that is there, the new National Park Service exhibit is really informative and worth visiting. But you better go soon because when the last of the residents leave, the town will be bull dozed into a strip mine to not only stop the fire but harvest the coal. That's when the trouble will escalate because it's an ancient Indian burial ground.

[PAhippo]

That's okay-the Asgards will help us.

[HappyRider]

I was there just yesterday. I don't know what this means. What is it we are supposed to believe? The other thing is Centralia does not officially exist but there are road signs everywhere that you are X miles from Centralia.