i'm sure there are discussions around this but i wonder if there was any feasible way to harness the energy from the underground fires? turn a horrible situation into a semi-temporary "geothermal" generator!
The Rebirth of Pennsylvania's Infamous Burning Town
41–44 of 44 posts
Re: The Rebirth of Pennsylvania's Infamous Burning Town
#42I grew up in Pennsylvania and have visited Centralia a few times over the years. When I was younger, I remember being able to see smoke rise from the ground, but in recent years, I haven’t seen anything almost as if the fire has subsided a bit. Pennsylvania is filled with old coal mining towns, and most of them are in a state of decay. Towns like Pottsville, Pennsylvania have buildings crumbling down on their main st…
> Pennsylvania is filled with old coal mining towns,
and most of them are in a state of decay. Towns like Pottsville, Pennsylvania have buildings crumbling down on their main streets
And it's been going on long enough that Billy Joel even had a hit song about one over 40 years ago
Re: The Rebirth of Pennsylvania's Infamous Burning Town
#43Earlier quoted context omitted.
It turns out basing entire economies off of resource extraction isn't sustainable. If only we hadn't had to re-experience this over and over again decade after decade. But I'm sure the next Republican candidates will promise more coal jobs so they will continue to be voted for and nothing will substantially change.
> Pottsville, Pennsylvania It was founded in 1808. Not exactly sure how they was supposed to know.
It was incorporated in 1866. And do you think people in 1866 were stupid? Do you think there weren't plenty of examples of towns stood up around resource extraction which failed prior to that? Centralia had the benefit of tons of Gold Rush towns dying out before they were incorporated they had the opportunities to learn from.
Re: The Rebirth of Pennsylvania's Infamous Burning Town
#44I grew up in Pennsylvania and have visited Centralia a few times over the years. When I was younger, I remember being able to see smoke rise from the ground, but in recent years, I haven’t seen anything almost as if the fire has subsided a bit. Pennsylvania is filled with old coal mining towns, and most of them are in a state of decay. Towns like Pottsville, Pennsylvania have buildings crumbling down on their main st…
It turns out basing entire economies off of resource extraction isn't sustainable. If only we hadn't had to re-experience this over and over again decade after decade. But I'm sure the next Republican candidates will promise more coal jobs so they will continue to be voted for and nothing will substantially change.
Pottsville wasn't founded as a mining settlement. It was an industrial hub that built up around the nearby forge purchased by John Potts. It had a large textile industry and still has America's oldest brewery. In addition to industry it's also the local county seat, and it briefly had an NFL franchise. The industry mostly left in the late 20th century but the nearby mining continues - the coal is just sent elsewhere for use.