Why This Fire Has Been Burning Under Centralia, PA For Over 50 Years

May 2024 ยท 2 minute read

Before Centralia became a living horror movie, it was just an ordinary U.S. village, with the sort of textbook history you might expect. According to author David Dekok, the land was purchased for 500 pounds from local indigenous tribes in 1749, and over the next few centuries, Centralia grew to become a small hub of shops, local stories, and residential homes. 

Like any town, Centralia had a few dark periods in its time. Perhaps most notable, was the sketchy stretch during the heyday of the Molly Maguires, an Irish secret society that allegedly painted the town red for nearly 30 years, according to author Deryl B. Johnson. Their supposed crime wave lasted from 1860 to 1890, with the group being suspected in "some 260 murders," including that of Centralia's founder, Alexander Rae. However, Johnson writes, "Some believe that the Mollies were guilty, while others claim that the Mollies were framed by the owners of the mines," who were afraid of the group's possible efforts to organize labor. 

Scary stuff, but Centralia survived. It also weathered the Great Depression, two World Wars, and a recurring issue with trash disposal, according to History. Throughout it all, unfortunately, the Grim Reaper had Centralia's number ... and the bony one's scythe was pointed right at the town's most important industry, coal.

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