49 Abandoned Landmarks That Are More Beautiful Than Ever
36. Centralia, Pennsylvania, USA: The Town Above an Eternal Fire
An eerie stillness hangs over Centralia, a Pennsylvania borough largely abandoned due to an underground coal mine fire that has been smoldering since 1962. Once a typical mining town, residents were relocated as the fire spread, creating sinkholes, dangerous gases, and buckled roads (including the infamous "Graffiti Highway," now mostly covered). Today, only a handful of structures remain amidst overgrown lots and steaming fissures. Nature, alongside the persistent subterranean blaze, is slowly erasing Centralia, leaving a haunting landscape and a stark reminder of environmental consequences.
