Centralia is the site of a devastating coal mine fire that started in 1962 and still burns underground to this day. The long-deserted stretch of Route 61 has been almost completely covered over by spray paint artwork left by residents and visitors alike. Centralia, Pennsylvania ... Google maps calls it “PA-61 Destroyed”, which is also pretty accurate. The fire forced the population from 1,000 residents in 1980 to five in 2017. Most of its buildings are gone, and smoke wafts down graffiti-strewn highways where a prosperous town once stood. The highway draws onlookers from around the country to see the spray painted highway that closed over 25 years ago and to the see the town that was deserted after the mine fire began. On April 8th of this year, Fox News reported that Pennsylvania’s famed Graffiti Highway was being completely covered with truckloads of dirt. Over the past 30-odd years, Centralia has become an unlikely tourist destination. For years, Centralia's Graffiti Highway has been a popular spot for hikers and off road enthusiasts. 14+ Graffiti Highway Destroyed Pics. Centralia is also home to the famous Graffiti Highway. CENTRALIA — An abandoned portion of Route 61 commonly known as Graffiti Highway will be a thing of the past in Centralia, according to a borough official and project manager. The first is Graffiti Highway. One former attraction was the abandoned stretch of Route 61. A section of PA 61 south of Centralia was closed in 1993 after the Centralia mine fire damaged the road and made it unsafe to travel on; this section was bypassed with a realignment to a parallel road through Byrnesville. Centralia’s streets are abandoned. “Welcome to the Graffiti Highway” ... a sliver of hope can be found along the hillsides above Centralia. Dubbed the "Graffiti Highway," it attracted masses of street artists who littered the pavement with a rainbow of cartoons and signatures. Work began Monday at Graffiti Highway in Centralia. This section of damaged, closed, road is now known as Graffiti Hightway. Graffiti Highway is located at PA-61 (Destroyed), Centralia, PA 17921. (cnn) — fun with a side of sad and creepy is how one tripadvisor reviewer describes the graffiti highway, a popular tourist attraction in centralia, pennsylvania about two and a half hours northwest. The one-mile stretch of Route 61 was abandoned in 1993 after an underground fire in the nearby abandoned mining town of Centralia caused the highway to buckle and collapse. If any start-up bands out there are looking for the title of their debut EP, that’d also be a badass sounding contender. The graffiti highway is one of the most popular locations to visit in centralia … Centralia's Grafitti Highway: Neat place to see - See 116 traveler reviews, 190 candid photos, and great deals for Centralia, PA, at Tripadvisor. Today couldn’t be more different. 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