A Brief History of Centralia, Ohio

Centralia stands out from the crowd of abandoned towns by still having some functional buildings, as well as its municipal building that houses two fire engines and an ambulance–one of the highest fire engine-to-house ratios globally.

Centralia’s real story lies within its people who lived there; how did they manage?

History

At first, the town was established around coal mining; lumber production and farm trade also played important roles.

Centralia first made national news in 1981 when 12-year-old Todd Dombowski managed to escape an 80-foot hole by holding onto a tree root and staying alive by grasping onto it as soon as the ground gave way beneath him.

Water was pumped into mine passages to put out the fire, but it continued. The government decided to purchase and relocate the residents of Centralia; but not everyone agreed; legal battles ensued between neighbors as fistfights broke out over tire slashings or tire burnings between neighbors; this eventually lead to fist fights among them and even tire slashings by some residents. By 1993, however, state invoked eminent domain and relocated everyone. Today only a few individuals remain living in Centralia; buildings that once housed families are slowly crumbling away; vines have taken over trailer homes or walls where walls once stood houses as natural growth has taken its hold with nature taking its course with vines growing over trailer homes or walls once abandoned houses to take their course over time and become home again to nature’s course over time and walls overtake trailer homes or walls where walls once stood homes that used to stand.

Economy

Centralia, Indiana was singled out as an example by Ohio River Valley Institute as one of many rural communities suffering due to the closure of coal mines and power plants. According to their study, Centralia added jobs twice the national rate and wages rose 50% faster. Furthermore, their economic gains were driven organically rather than from outside businesses coming in with jobs for people to do.

Centralia’s strategic location near Seattle and Portland airports as well as Grays Harbor Port makes it an attractive business “hub.” Lewis County economic development officials report that Centralia hosts numerous fabrication, manufacturing and distribution firms including arms makers, air compressor makers and even organic dog food producers.

TransAlta has also established a grant program, as well as the Coal Transition Board with representatives from Lewis County and Centralia’s business and community organizations, in order to assist Centralia with transitioning towards alternative energy industries. Furthermore, TransAlta invested in pollution control technology, making its Centralia plant one of the cleanest coal-fired electric generating plants in North America.

Community

Centralia remains home to nine of its original residents who still call this once vibrant coal town home. Their homes line streets that were once buzzing with activity.

Centralia gained national notoriety in 1981 when Todd Dombowski, 12, suddenly found himself trapped beneath crumbling ground that gave way. Luckily he grabbed hold of a tree root before the explosion of fire, ash, and fumes could have killed him instantly.

Today, most of the town’s grid of old side streets and cut wires lie mostly empty; however, some houses remain standing among a field of smoking rubble, making for an eerie but fascinating exploration experience. Trespassing continues despite occasional police crackdowns as word spreads about this once-in-a-lifetime experience; just west of its center however mining operations still occur – giant dump trucks can be seen unloading their loads onto mountain of coal mining spoils that towers over this mysterious place; watch from either highway or dirt track that runs north from its center for best views!

Environment

Centralia was built upon coal mining, so it comes as no surprise that many environmental issues related to coal are evident here. Residents have complained of toxic fumes, sinkholes and the persistent underground fire known as the Renegade Fire that continues to burn underground.

Concerned Citizens have sought the assistance of national environmental interest groups and have grown more vocal about their cause, while this approach alienated many fellow residents and undermined their efforts to compel government agencies to act.

Ghost towns have become popular tourist attractions. Visitors come here in search of something strange and mysterious; yet police crackdowns remain scarce despite trespassing rising significantly over time. Visitors should respect former residents whose property they have left due to an unsafe fire threat, by not spraying graffiti, smashing bottles or littering. Please also don’t trespass on it either; doing so would violate their property rights as former residents had to move because their lives had to be put at risk from an unpredictable blaze.