CENTRALIA FIRE COMPANY PA PENNSYLVANIA COMMEMORATIVE PATCH GHOST TOWN

Description

This collectible patch honors the Boro of Centralia, PA and the (still active) Centralia Fire Company.
The fire company has approx. 10 active members but they do not wear a patch.  This is not an official
patch worn by the fire company.  I designed and produced this patch in 2012 to recognize the 50th
year anniversary since the underground mine fire accidentally started.  This patch is 6" tall, fully-
embroidered and features gold, mylar thread.
Centralia is a borough and a near ghost town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania.  Its population has
dwindled from over 2,700 residents in 1890 to 5 in 2017.
All properties in the borough were claimed under eminent domain by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
in 1992 (and all buildings therein were condemned), and Centralia's Zip code was revoked by the Postal
Service in 2002.  A few residents continue to reside there in spite of the failure of a lawsuit to reverse the
eminent domain claim.
*****Update from October 31, 2013
A lengthy battle over eminent domain culminated this week when 8 residents of Centralia settled their
lawsuit against state officials who had been trying to evict them from their condemned homes.  This
settlement, notice of which was filed in U.S. District Court, allows the residents to stay for as long as they live.