Centralia - a ghost town that became the prototype of an atmospheric game (15 photos + 1 video)
At first glance, this is an ordinary Pennsylvania town. But looks can be deceiving. According to statistics, in 2018, Centralia had only 11 residents left. Why? Not because of a ghost infestation, and not because aliens landed in the town. 
But what happened to this place?
History of Centralia 
In 1749, the Indians sold this territory to the first white settlers for 500 pounds. In today's money, this is about $800,000. The new owners immediately built a road through this land. A large part of this road, Reading Road, became the main highway of the city. In 1842, coal and iron were discovered here, and construction of mines began. 
It was a success! The town attracted not only miners from all over America, but also criminals. The Irish activist group Molly Maguire, which targeted Irish-American miners, arrived in Centralia.
The Curse of Success 
On October 17, 1878, they murdered the town's wheelchair-bound mayor, Alexander Ray, in cold blood. The three killers were publicly hanged, but unfortunately, that didn't stop the group. The murders and robberies continued. Legend has it that Centralia's first Catholic priest, Father Daniel Ignatius McDermott, cursed the land when he was attacked by three of the gang members. 
He swore that one day the only building left in town would be the church. He wasn't so wrong. When all the Molly Maguire leaders were hanged, the battle was finally over. However, according to legend, their descendants lived on for a long time.
Rebirth and New Fall 
In 1890, Centralia was booming! The town had a population of 2,761, 7 churches, 5 hotels, 27 saloons, 2 theatres, a bank, a post office and 14 supermarkets. Everything changed when most of the young miners were sent off to fight in World War I. The boom ended in 1929 when the stock market crashed. 
The mines closed. This gave rise to a new industry - pillar looting - removing pillars from abandoned mines for which money was being paid. Of course, some of the mines collapsed as a result. This dangerous work continued until 1982.
Underground Fire 
In 1962, a fire started right under the town. It was impossible to fight the fire because of the collapsed mines. Although the fire spread over an area of at least a mile, it was not until 1979 that people began to worry. John Coddington, the mayor and owner of the local gas station at the time, stuck a thermometer into the ground to check one of his underground fuel tanks. He was shocked when he saw the temperature was 165°F (77.8°C)! 
In 1981, a twelve-year-old boy fell into a sinkhole 4 feet wide and 150 feet deep in his yard. Panic ensued. Luckily, he was rescued. 
The steam coming out of the sinkhole contained high levels of carbon monoxide. Centralia became a ticking bomb, and many residents fled the city. Twenty people decided to stay. Apparently, they loved the city more than their health. The cause of the fire was never determined.
Centralia Today 
According to the latest data, there are currently no more than 11 people living here. After 20 years of litigation, each of them was paid $349,500 in compensation and allowed to stay, but in exchange for this they had to give up their properties. 
Now they can only use government-owned homes. In 2002, the city even lost its postcode. The roads are no longer usable due to underground heat. No repairs are being made. Scientists say the fires could continue for another 250 years… 
In place of the cozy streets there is now forest growth, clouds of smoke seep through the pavement, and the remains of houses gloomily gaze through cracked windows at a world in which hope has died… 
The atmospheric picture appealed to computer game developers, and the city was used as a prototype for the game "Silent Hill". In 2006, the creators of the film based on these games used its dark oppressive atmosphere as a reference. 
