Day 35: Pennsylvania Coal Country

It was finally time to leave Reading today. Touring the area with friends to show me around was a nice break from driving on unfamiliar roads. Before continuing south toward Virginia, I drove north on Highway 61 to visit the heart of the anthracite coal mining region. Anthracite is a hard, very high grade coal that is almost pure carbon. As such, it burns hotter and cleaner than lower grade coal. It only accounts for about 1% of all coal deposits, and one of the major anthracite mining areas of the world is here in southeastern Pennsylvania.

I traveled to the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine in the small town of Ashland, just north of Pottsville. I first took a ride on an old-fashioned narrow gauge steam train to view an open pit mine. Then I toured the anthracite coal mine, traveling about one-third of a mile into the horizontal tunnel. The temperature in the mine was about 47 degrees (only slightly cooler than outside), and water dripped from the low ceiling and wooden beams. The guide explained how coal was mined, and said the anthracite here is 96% carbon, some of the purest on earth.

After the tour, I journeyed just two miles further north to the near ghost town of Centralia. It is perhaps the strangest place I've ever been. In 1962, the coal mine under the town caught fire, and the coal has been slowly burning ever since (52 years and counting!). In 1980 the population of the town was just over 1,000. By 1990 it was only 63, and it is now just 7. According to Wikipedia, "All properties in the borough were claimed under eminent domain by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1992 (and all buildings therein were condemned), and Centralia's ZIP code was revoked by the Postal Service in 2002. State and local officials reached an agreement with the remaining residents on October 29, 2013 allowing them to live out their lives there, after which the rights of their properties will be taken through eminent domain." There are only about five houses still standing and occupied in the town. Other than streets, many of which are overgrown with vegetation, nothing remains to indicate that a thriving town once existed here. Sometime smoke can be seen rising from cracks in the ground (although I couldn't find any today, and neither could anyone else I spoke with). Not surprisingly, according to Wikipedia, "Centralia has been used as a model for many different ghost towns and physical manifestations of Hell." Why anyone continues to live here is a mystery, but they refuse to leave. The irony is that the coal under Centralia is one of the largest and purest deposits of ultra high grade anthracite in the world. Some estimate it may continue to burn for another 250 years!

On my way to these areas, I first made a pilgrimage to Cabela's in Hamburg. It is an enormous, roughly five story high sporting goods mecca. It not only offers virtually every type of hunting, camping, and fishing gear imaginable, but it is the largest and most attractive wildlife museum I've ever seen. Inside are aquariums with dive shows on Saturdays (where divers interact with the fish), streams, waterfalls, deer country, a safari exhibit, a restaurant, and acres of sporting goods.

I only traveled 75 miles in exploring all this today, bringing my trip total to 5,225 miles now.

Main street (Highway 61) in Ashland, PA, a former coal mining area.

In the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine.

I found it interesting to see all of these wind turbines just above Ashland, whose high grade anthracite coal powered the American Industrial Revolution.

Entering the mine.

Vacant land in Centralia, PA.

The lone car is parked in front of one of the few remaining homes in town.

Orthodox church above Centralia.