Centralia PA - 40+ year mine fire - Who wants to go?
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I'm still all in for a Centralia trip! Keep me posted!
-Paul-Michael Van Hook, Northeastern PA
'89 Merkur Scorpio "HookSport"
Paul-Aaron Zachary Van Hook is one year old! Born 11/4/2009!
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'89 Merkur Scorpio "HookSport"
Paul-Aaron Zachary Van Hook is one year old! Born 11/4/2009!
My Facebook page
- DPDISXR4Ti
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I think a weekend in April would be better. I know it would be hard for me to get that Thursday off too.
-Paul-Michael Van Hook, Northeastern PA
'89 Merkur Scorpio "HookSport"
Paul-Aaron Zachary Van Hook is one year old! Born 11/4/2009!
My Facebook page
'89 Merkur Scorpio "HookSport"
Paul-Aaron Zachary Van Hook is one year old! Born 11/4/2009!
My Facebook page
- DPDISXR4Ti
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- Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2003 11:40 pm
- Location: New York
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So did you make it to Centralia Brad? I'd love to see some pictures if you took any!
-Paul-Michael Van Hook, Northeastern PA
'89 Merkur Scorpio "HookSport"
Paul-Aaron Zachary Van Hook is one year old! Born 11/4/2009!
My Facebook page
'89 Merkur Scorpio "HookSport"
Paul-Aaron Zachary Van Hook is one year old! Born 11/4/2009!
My Facebook page
- DPDISXR4Ti
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- Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2003 11:40 pm
- Location: New York
- DPDISXR4Ti
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- Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2003 11:40 pm
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View of "The town that was", showing perhaps the most famous of the few remaining houses that stand today. Just about dead center in the distance you can see the town municipal building.
Here's a zoomed-in shot of the municipal building from a slightly different vantage point. But really, I include this shot mostly to note the bug I caught in mid-flight!
You won't find this map on Mapquest, as most of the roads are no longer indicated...
Here's the building up close, falling into disrepair...
But still housing a fire engine and ambulance, with current registration stickers....
Note the handle on the door has been removed...
Who checks the mail?
A picture of the 700 block of North Locust Ave in 1982...
And how it looked one week ago today...
Looking from the north into "downtown" Centralia...
A trip down Apple Street - you can see remnants of house foundations on either side as you go down this street ...as well as evidence of subsidence (I got on my way in a hurry after seeing that).
Former Mayor Mervine's row house, which today stands alone on Troutwine St. He's now 92 and in failing health. The grim reaper will likely get both the mayor and his house soon.
The youngest remaining Centralian, who acts somewhat as the town caretaker, paints this bench on a regular basis. I spoke with him for quite some time - sadly, he's somewhat resigned to Centralia's ultimate demise at this point.
The memory of the town captured on the tombstone of one of Centralia's multi-generational families....
Here's a zoomed-in shot of the municipal building from a slightly different vantage point. But really, I include this shot mostly to note the bug I caught in mid-flight!
You won't find this map on Mapquest, as most of the roads are no longer indicated...
Here's the building up close, falling into disrepair...
But still housing a fire engine and ambulance, with current registration stickers....
Note the handle on the door has been removed...
Who checks the mail?
A picture of the 700 block of North Locust Ave in 1982...
And how it looked one week ago today...
Looking from the north into "downtown" Centralia...
A trip down Apple Street - you can see remnants of house foundations on either side as you go down this street ...as well as evidence of subsidence (I got on my way in a hurry after seeing that).
Former Mayor Mervine's row house, which today stands alone on Troutwine St. He's now 92 and in failing health. The grim reaper will likely get both the mayor and his house soon.
The youngest remaining Centralian, who acts somewhat as the town caretaker, paints this bench on a regular basis. I spoke with him for quite some time - sadly, he's somewhat resigned to Centralia's ultimate demise at this point.
The memory of the town captured on the tombstone of one of Centralia's multi-generational families....
Brad
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Great pictures Brad. I really want to take a trip down there one of these days. I imagine by the time our child is our age, the only way to visit Centralia will be through Wikipedia or watching the History Channel. I don't think there's anywhere else in the country where you can witness the death throes of a once busy town quite like this.
-Paul-Michael Van Hook, Northeastern PA
'89 Merkur Scorpio "HookSport"
Paul-Aaron Zachary Van Hook is one year old! Born 11/4/2009!
My Facebook page
'89 Merkur Scorpio "HookSport"
Paul-Aaron Zachary Van Hook is one year old! Born 11/4/2009!
My Facebook page
- DPDISXR4Ti
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The DVD of The Town that Was becomes available in 10 days - you can pre-order on Amazon now...
http://www.amazon.com/Town-That-Was-Joh ... 273&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Town-That-Was-Joh ... 273&sr=1-1
Brad
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I seriously may have to get that! I am so intrigued by Centralia now.DPDISXR4Ti wrote:The DVD of The Town that Was becomes available in 10 days - you can pre-order on Amazon now...
http://www.amazon.com/Town-That-Was-Joh ... 273&sr=1-1
-Paul-Michael Van Hook, Northeastern PA
'89 Merkur Scorpio "HookSport"
Paul-Aaron Zachary Van Hook is one year old! Born 11/4/2009!
My Facebook page
'89 Merkur Scorpio "HookSport"
Paul-Aaron Zachary Van Hook is one year old! Born 11/4/2009!
My Facebook page
- DPDISXR4Ti
- Site Admin
- Posts: 14826
- Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2003 11:40 pm
- Location: New York
It's pretty easy to get immersed into the sad and bizarre story of Centralia. It's just so full of twists and turns over the course of the past 45 years - you couldn't have scripted it. And while the story is largely "done" at this point, it's not entirely over, as evidenced by the remaining 8-10 residents.
But even once they are gone - and it seems that will be happening relatively soon, it's not all over. What then becomes of the town that was? Does the state sell Centralia to a mining company who turns the former town into an open pit mine, as many have speculated?
But even once they are gone - and it seems that will be happening relatively soon, it's not all over. What then becomes of the town that was? Does the state sell Centralia to a mining company who turns the former town into an open pit mine, as many have speculated?
Brad
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Don't bother with Amazon - I just bought the first one sold on eBay for $3.99!DPDISXR4Ti wrote:The DVD of The Town that Was becomes available in 10 days - you can pre-order on Amazon now...
http://www.amazon.com/Town-That-Was-Joh ... 273&sr=1-1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... SA:US:1123
Brad
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