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Centralia, PA

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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
Ever seen Silent Hill? You know, that scary ass movie with those god damn triangle heads?

Yeah well the town in the movie has a real life counterpart...kind of.

The town is called Centralia, Pennsylvania. Eastern Pennsylvania is known for it's large amounts of coal mine towns, and Centralia is one of them. In 1962 a group of workers had set a pile of trash on fire in an abandoned mine pit; not unusual practice, but the exposed coal vein might have been something to watch out for. The fire spread to the coal, and the surface fire was soon put out, but what everyone didn't know, was that the coal beneath them had also ignited and was slowly burning. Soon enough the fire had spread to other nearby coalmines, and beneath the town. Shit's been burning ever since.

Back in the day the town had 2,761 residence. Now, there are less than 10 people living there, even thought the whole town has been condemned. It's a real life ghost town.

It's a really creepy place. I was there years ago, and am hoping to go back today or tomorrow to get some pictures. Just dropping knowledge. Here's some picxs:

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The gate surrounding the cemetery has a HUGE bend in it, which IMO is creepy as fuck.

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1981-now

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The highway going into th town is filled with graffiti like this. It's called the highway to hell.
Aug 3 2011 10:59AM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
Come in winter.
We can go freebase some crack in Centralia and then go skiing at Big Boulder.
Aug 3 2011 11:07AM
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Brian_Peppers
Posts: 534 - Karma: 54
Damn that's scary shit. I want to get over there sometime
Aug 3 2011 11:07AM
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Twinjibber77
Posts: 6239 - Karma: 2,354
Drove there with my friend last summer. It's wild. You can just walk into there around the signs and shit and it's so crazy. Highly suggest making the trip.
Aug 3 2011 11:09AM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
Buddy can't go today, so it's pushed off until Monday. Anyone who wants to jpin me and take really artsy hipster pictures, they are welcome. Along with inhaling toxic gases the whole day, we'll also be getting taco bell, because I fucking love taco bell.
Aug 3 2011 11:31AM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
Go into the open mine on the north side of town, I dare you. Don't let the signs discourage you.
Aug 3 2011 11:45AM
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.frenchy
Posts: 18221 - Karma: 12,323

Thats creepy as fuck. 

And i'm still semi scared from watching incidious last night :/

Aug 3 2011 11:51AM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
I own a plethora of gasmasks.

Also, you've been there? What are some things to make sure we see?
Aug 3 2011 11:53AM
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comeatmebro
Posts: 10720 - Karma: 66
hmmm 3 hours from pittsburgh...i could definitely make a day out of that, it's really not too bad. this place sounds sweet.
Aug 3 2011 12:22PM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
MONDAY NS PARTY!


Nobutreally. Imagine filming some urban here in the winter!
Aug 3 2011 12:31PM
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colder152000
Posts: 589 - Karma: 1,176
ive been tryna take my jeep out there forever i plan on it hopefully in the fall when im at school
Aug 3 2011 12:34PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,404
SILENT HILL IS A VIDEO GAME AND ONLY A VIDEO GAME, THE MOVIE SUCKED DICK

RAGEEEEEEEEEEEE
Aug 3 2011 12:45PM
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Funkadelic
Posts: 1967 - Karma: 391
I'd go if you pushed it off until like Thursday next week cause that's when my buddy who's a NSer gets home and we could go together. I live in Allentown. That place looks sick though.
Aug 3 2011 12:55PM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
Oh sick, I live like 10 minutes from allentown.
Aug 3 2011 1:04PM
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Jaimee.
Posts: 846 - Karma: 87
Wow, that is so cool!
I love ghost towns I live fairly close to quite a few abandoned mining towns in the Kootenays and the history behind them absolutely fascinates me.

If I ever make it near Pennsylvania I will have to check that place out.
Aug 3 2011 1:09PM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
4hours is nothing, pussy.
Drive over with some friends, and we can get a group and camp somewhere.
Aug 3 2011 1:10PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
Same

I'm just jerkin your chain man, I've never been there and don't know if there are open mine shafts. My manager at work went twice last month though and got some cool pics. He said the vibe from the locals was very unwelcoming.

Bear creek on the other hand does have some mine shafts to explore. They're not on fire though of course.

You stockpiling gasmasks for 2012 or something??
Aug 3 2011 1:14PM
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TOAST.
Posts: 7484 - Karma: 36,072
may have to make the trip sometime only a hour and a half away from where i live.
Aug 3 2011 1:15PM
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
I mean, it's called Centralia... Wonder how far it is from Altoona though? I'll forsure head out there next time I visit.
Aug 3 2011 1:16PM
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Petersaurusrex
Posts: 1380 - Karma: 80
From what I hear/assume PA is full of places like this. Just driving around central/northern PA you go through a few semi-deserted towns. Wonder how many there are off the beaten path...
Aug 3 2011 1:25PM
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
Pennsylvania in it's fucking self is a conspiracy, man.
Aug 3 2011 1:30PM
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Petersaurusrex
Posts: 1380 - Karma: 80
Hahaha as shitty as this state is it's pretty awesome
Aug 3 2011 1:34PM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
This is why I love Pennsylvania.
Aug 3 2011 1:36PM
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Petersaurusrex
Posts: 1380 - Karma: 80
We may have shitty weather and skiing, but I'll be fucked if we don't have the creepiest landmarks.
Aug 3 2011 1:39PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
North central PA is blowing up due to the shale gas going on up there, lots of small towns blowing up left and right.

I'd bet sections of western PA are more deserted than over here in eastern.
Aug 3 2011 1:44PM
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Petersaurusrex
Posts: 1380 - Karma: 80
Actually, it's hit and miss over here. Stuff is either getting huge or dying out. I do know that everyone is fucking pissed about Marcellus Shale though. My girlfriend's house is about 10 min away from some kind of well or something and just recently the water at her house has started to smell like straight sulfur.
Aug 3 2011 1:47PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
That's for sure. Pennhurst over here is a huge hit with bored teenagers.

PA does kick ass for real though, I mean philly was the first capitol of the US. Also as the keystone, without us the entire east coast crumbles and falls into the ocean. We also have the highest number of licensed hunters of any state in the US. Same for conceal and carry permits I think.

Last but not least, fuckin scrapple and cheesesteaks. Oh my god, now I have an overcoming urge as a good PA dutchboy to attempt to make a scrapple cheesesteak.
Aug 3 2011 1:59PM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
That place is scary as hell.
Aug 3 2011 2:01PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
seriously after going to college at villanova near philly, no where else makes good cheesesteaks. i don't care what you say, they are not as good as a real philly area cheesesteak
Aug 3 2011 2:04PM
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Petersaurusrex
Posts: 1380 - Karma: 80
It's kinda lame that they decided to put actors in it and turn it into a "haunted house" type of thing. If they really wanted to scare the shit out of people they would set up random ghost-trap things throughout it and sell overnight tickets.
Aug 3 2011 2:07PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
You talkin in this state or other parts of the country? Most folks in PA know how to make a legit cheesesteak.

I too heard the pennhurst haunted house was a huge bust. Eastern state penn is better. Lots of places around here run ghost tours though around october. New hope and jim thorpe just for starters, I think a lot of the battlefield areas like gettysburg do it too.
Aug 3 2011 2:10PM
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skithedirt
Posts: 1759 - Karma: 382
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=centralia%20pa&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&hl=en&biw=1440&bih=666&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=il

looks crazy on google maps
Aug 3 2011 2:17PM
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jibnut
Posts: 3038 - Karma: 304
what the heck.
Aug 3 2011 2:21PM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
Speaking of Jim Thorpe, I hear there are tons of good places to cliff jump around there. Truth?

I've been there tons, but never really though of that.
Aug 3 2011 2:22PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
other parts of the country. i'm from upstate ny and they try to sell them in restaurants here, just isn't the same
Aug 3 2011 2:23PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
truth.

Lehigh gorge state park, glen onoko falls parking area has a big train bridge about 30 to 40 feet off the lehigh river. Also you can ride bikes on the rail trail from there to find a bunch of other spots on the lehigh.



Peter, I've heard some horror stories of cheesesteaks bought on the west coast.
Aug 3 2011 2:45PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
i can not wait to go back to the glorious suburbs of philadelphia
Aug 3 2011 2:47PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
See the bike race at manayunk if you haven't, I think the party draws more people than the actual bike race. All the good action is on the wall from what I hear. That town bumps at night too.
Aug 3 2011 2:51PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
yeah i've been to mad river, that place is pretty sick. what time is the bike race, i'm going to be back in town the 21st of august
Aug 3 2011 2:53PM
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cct_222
Posts: 1526 - Karma: 141
they are indeed glorious and im happy to call them my home, but yes the bike race is the shit and its pretty much a cant-miss event of summer
Aug 3 2011 3:01PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
Over, I think its in june sometime.
Aug 3 2011 4:02PM
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blong131
Posts: 2193 - Karma: 59
i'm interested.
Aug 3 2011 4:30PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
Forget centralia and hipster photography. We should organize a NS drinking and rafting get together on one of the big releases of the lehigh in september. You guys are all of age right??? Seriously, getting sauced and piloting a rubber tank down the river is fun as shit.
Aug 3 2011 4:41PM
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T.L.
Posts: 4729 - Karma: 3,008
Quote of the day...
Aug 3 2011 6:00PM
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applejuice.
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erm...? mega scary.
Aug 3 2011 6:02PM
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UncleGerry
Posts: 1291 - Karma: 1,377
I love this type of shit. Grownig up in NJ, we had no shortage of creepy places to check out via Weird NJ. Anyways, I wonder what those few people are like who live there?! Probably "The Hills Have Eyes" type shit!
Aug 3 2011 6:25PM
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Milksteak
Posts: 9948 - Karma: 833
Oboe, I hope you get eaten by ghosts.
Aug 3 2011 6:28PM
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*simba*
Posts: 9125 - Karma: 512
Define "of age"

Also, I'm down!


Also, if we can get a lot of people, next thursday would work for Centralia.
Aug 3 2011 6:48PM
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UncleGerry
Posts: 1291 - Karma: 1,377
Also, I was just reading that there is a cemetery at the top of a hilltop in the town that has smoke coming from it. Imagine how fucked that would look in the moonlight!
Aug 3 2011 6:52PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
i'm in
Aug 3 2011 8:44PM
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e.wait
Posts: 869 - Karma: 1,954
Hahaha my friends and I explored those sunken in mine shafts the other day. I filmed the ordeal. They're quite sick. The ones off the trail, kinda behind tubing right?
Aug 3 2011 9:59PM
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