Local Educational Attractions:

• Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine and Steam Train in Ashland, eastern Pennsylvania
  In May 1963, Pioneer Tunnel, which ceased operation in 1931, was retimbered and reopened as a place where visitors could experience a real anthracite coal mine. The Tunnel affords visitors an opportunity to learn how anthracite coal is mined.

• Museum of Anthracite Mining
  Located on the same grounds as the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine in Ashland PA, this museum focuses on the history of anthracite coal mining industries and technology. It features a diverse collection of tools, machinery and photographs that depicts the mining of hard coal.  Information on Centralia's history is available at the museum.
    
  Pioneer Coal Mine & Anthracite
  Coal Museum
  19th and Oak Streets, Ashland
  Tours April through November
  (717) 875-3850

Other Information Resources and Sites Surrounding Centralia, PA

• A Look at the Centralia Coal Mine Fire
  By Johnathan F. Beltz - March 13, 1998
  http://www.pages.drexel.edu/undergrad/st954v92/centralia.html
    
• Welcome to the Pennsylvania Coal Region! - This web site is a collection of nostalgia and regionalisms from the Anthracite Coal Region of Pennsylvania. Home of the CoalSpeak dictionary, recipes from the CoalStove , famous CoalCrackers , the Coal Region Guestbook, Message Board and lots more!
  http://www.coalregion.com/
     
• "Slow Burn: A Photodocument of Centralia, Pennsylvania" by Renee Jacobs - Published by University of PA Press (1985) Book is out of print but may be available here.
  
     
     
• The Centralia Project - An nicely done documentation of one persons visit to Centralia. http://www.u-town.com/centralia/

• CentraliaPA.com website - www.centraliapa.com
  
• Modern Ruins - Karl Xydexx Jorgensen
  http://www.xydexx.com/modernruins/centralia.htm
    
• Nathan Online Digital Video - Centralia, PA - Modern Day Ghost Town
  http://www.nathanonline.com/dv_centralia.html  
  
  
• REMEMBERING BYRNESVILLE, PA. 1856 - 1996 (COLUMBIA COUNTY)
  Byrnesville was a small village just south of Centralia that is now extinct because of the Centralia fire. These links give some insight of this little community from a local resident of Byrnersville.
  http://hometown.aol.com/mpreil/index.html
  http://hometown.aol.com/mpreil/page1.html

• Appalachian Trail - A Thru-Hiker's Journal
  Andrew Weber and his friend Brent Hunter attempt to hike of the Appalachian Trail from Springer Mountain, GA to Mt. Katahdin.  This is their Journal. One stop along the way takes them through Centralia.  http://www.home.earthlink.net/~aginron

Help Contribute To Centralia's Story

If you wish to contribute to the story of Centralia, PA either through first hand experience, pictures, stories or reading information we would love to hear from you.  You may e-mail us at:

or write to:

For further information see:

David DeKok - Unseen Danger: A Tragedy of People, Government and the Centralia Mine Fire  
Philadelphia : University of Pennsylvania Press, 1986.   I've been informed by David Dekok that his book is back in print and in available online at Barnes & Noble (www.bn.com) and Amazon.com online bookstores.

J. Stephen Kroll-Smith and Stephen Robert Couch - The real disaster is above ground : a mine fire & social conflict. Lexington, Ky. : University Press of Kentucky, c1990.

Lauren Wolk - Those Who Favor the Fire - Published in 1998 by Random House. It is the story of a fictitious town called "Belle Haven." Anyone familiar with the story of Centralia will recognize the chronology and perhaps even some of the characters.

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