One of the most infamous abandoned places on earth is in Pennsylvania, the town of Centralia.Centralia has been a popular destination for adventurers and was even the inspiration for the horror video game and movie franchise "Silent Hill." There's something about the abandoned town that inspires a morbid curiosity. Why was Centralia abandoned?Fire still burningWarnings for visitorsBoy who nearly fell to deathCentralia's Graffiti HighwayWhy was Centralia abandoned?In the early 1960s, nearly 1,100 people lived in the coal town. Today, according to the U.S. census, just nine remain.The people who abandoned Centralia had a very good reason. On May 27, 1962, someone started a fire in a trash dump on the edge of town. It wasn't known at the time, but the fire was over an open coal seam. The town of Centralia happens to sit on top of one of the largest deposits of anthracite coal in America, the Mammoth Vein. Experts have said there is enough coal there to keep the fire burning for 500 years, or even longer.Failed efforts to extinguish fireThe government spent millions of dollars on numerous unsuccessful attempts to put out the Centralia mine fire. Eventually, federal officials decided to give up and let the fire burn itself out.In 1983, Congress allocated $42 million to pay Centralia's residents for their homes. By 1990, 400 families had left. There are a few holdouts, who told the government to keep their money. However, those who remained are essentially guests in their own homes. The town has been condemned. The state of Pennsylvania now owns all the land and everything on it. The state has never made any attempts to evict those who still live in Centralia.Visitors discouragedPennsylvania agencies have erected numerous signs around Centralia trying to scare away visitors. Some of them have ominous warnings, such as: "Warning – Danger. Underground Mine Fire. Walking or driving in this area could result in serious injury or death. Dangerous Gases are Present. Ground is prone to sudden collapse."The signs represent a very real danger.Boy nearly fell to his death in CentraliaSo far, no one has died in Centralia because of the underground mine fire, but there was a very close call on Valentine's Day in 1981. Todd Domboski, 12, was playing in a yard and the ground caved in and he fell into a hole. He managed to save himself by grabbing hold of tree roots until his cousin could pull him to safety. The hole was 150 feet deep and filled with carbon monoxide. Shortly after the accident, the Domboski family left Centralia.To this day, on the south ridge of town, where the fire burns, there is a pungent smell of sulfur in the air. Clouds of steam put a gray filter on the sky. And in winter, Centralia can be a land of fire and ice. While the air can be bitterly cold, the ground can be hotter than a sauna.Graffiti HighwayIn the years since Centralia was abandoned, new curiosities have emerged. One of them was known as "Graffiti Highway."Graffiti Highway was once part of Pennsylvania Route 61. It was closed in 1993 because of damage from the fire. The cracked roadway, which sometimes vents steam, became a magnet for graffiti artists, who covered the roadway with paint. Graffiti Highway, itself, came to an end in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seeking to discourage tourists, the owner of the property covered the road in dirt. Trees and grass were to be planted on top.