text:
Shoe size
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
World's largest pair of shoes, Riverbank Center, Philippines—5.29 metres (17.4 ft) long and 2.37 metres (7.75 ft) wide, equivalent to a French shoe size of 753
A shoe size is an indication of the fitting size of a shoe for a person.
There are a number of different shoe-size systems used worldwide. While all of them use a number to indicate the length of the shoe, they differ in exactly what they measure, what unit of measurement they use, and where the size 0 (or 1) is positioned. Some systems also indicate the shoe width, sometimes also as a number, but in many cases by one or more letters. Some regions use different shoe-size systems for different types of shoes (e.g. men's, women's, children's, sport, and safety shoes). This article sets out several complexities in the definition of shoe sizes. In practice, shoes should be tried on for size and fit before they are purchased.
Contents
[hide]
1 Deriving the shoe size
1.1 Foot versus shoe and last
1.2 Length
1.3 Zero point
1.4 Width
2 Common sizing systems
2.1 Mondopoint
2.2 United Kingdom and Ireland
2.3 Australia/New Zealand
2.4 United States and Canada
2.4.1 Customary
2.4.2 Children's
2.4.3 Brannock Device
2.4.4 Foot Scanner
2.5 Europe
2.6 Asia
2.7 Mexico
2.8 USSR (Russia/CIS)
3 Difficulties in shoe size comparison
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Deriving the shoe size[edit]
Foot versus shoe and last[edit]
The length of a foot is commonly defined as (a) the distance between two parallel lines that are perpendicular to the foot and (b) in contact with the most prominent toe and the most prominent part of the heel. Foot length is measured with the subject standing barefoot and the weight of the body equally distributed between both feet.
The sizes of the left and right feet are often slightly different. In this case, both feet are measured, and purchasers of mass-produced shoes are advised to purchase a shoe size based on the larger foot, as most retailers do not sell pairs of shoes in non-matching sizes.
Each size of shoe is considered suitable for a small interval of foot lengths. The inner cavity of a shoe must typically be 15–20 mm longer than the foot, but this varies between different types of shoes.
A shoe-size system can refer to three characteristic lengths:
The median length of feet for which a shoe is suitable. For customers, this measure has the advantage of being directly related to their body measures. It applies equally to any type, form, or material of shoe. However, this measure is less popular with manufacturers,[citation needed] because it requires them to test carefully for each new shoe model, for which range of foot sizes it is recommendable. It puts on the manufacturer the burden of ensuring that the shoe will fit a foot of a given length.
The length of the inner cavity of the shoe. This measure has the advantage that it can be measured easily on the finished product. However, it will vary with manufacturing tolerances and only gives the customer very crude information about the range of foot sizes for which the shoe is suitable.
The length of the "last", the foot-shaped template over which the shoe is manufactured. This measure is the easiest one for the manufacturer to use, because it identifies only the tool used to produce the shoe. It makes no promise about manufacturing tolerances or for what size of foot the shoe is actually suitable. It leaves all responsibility and risk of choosing the correct size with the customer. Further, the last can be measured in several different ways resulting in different measurements.[1]
All these measures differ substantially from one another for the same shoe.
Length[edit]
Sizing systems also differ in what units of measurement they use. This also results in different increments between shoe sizes, because usually only "full" or "half" sizes are made.
The following length units are commonly used today to define shoe-size systems:
The Paris point equates to 2⁄3 centimetre (about 6.7 mm or 0.26 in). That is the increment between whole sizes, and about 3.3 mm or 0.13 in between half sizes. This unit is commonly used in Continental Europe.
The barleycorn is an old English unit that equates to 1⁄3 inch (8.47 mm). This is the basis for current UK and US shoe sizes, with the largest shoe size taken as twelve inches (a size 12) i.e. 30.5 cm, and then counting backwards in barleycorn units, so a size 11 is 11.67 inches or 29.6 cm.
metric measurements in centimetres (cm) or millimetres (mm) are used in the international Mondopoint system and in the Asian system.
Zero point[edit]
The sizing systems also place size 0 (or 1) at different locations:
Size 0 as a foot's length of 0. The shoe size is directly proportional to the length of the foot in the chosen unit of measurement. Sizes of children's, men's, and women's shoes, as well as sizes of different types of shoes, can be compared directly. This is used with the Mondopoint and the Asian system.
Size 0 as the length of the shoe's inner cavity of 0. The shoe size is then directly proportional to the inner length of the shoe. This is used with systems that also take the measurement from the shoe. While sizes of children's, men's and women's shoes can be compared directly, this is not necessarily true for different types of shoes that require a different amount of "wiggle room" in the toe box. This is used with the Continental European system.
Size 0 (or 1) can just be simply a shoe of a given length. Typically this will be the shortest length deemed practical; but this can be different for children's, teenagers', men's, and women's shoes - making it impossible to compare sizes. For example, a women's shoe at size 8 is a different length from a men's shoe at size 8 in the US system, but not the British.
Width[edit]
Some systems also include the width of a foot, but do so in a variety of ways:
Measured width in millimetres (mm). This is done with the Mondopoint system.
Measured width as a letter (or combination of letters), which is taken from a table (indexed to length and width) or just assigned on an ad-hoc basis: Examples are (each starting with the narrowest width):
A, B, C, D, E, EE, EEE, EEEE, F, G (typical North American system, with the unlettered norm being D for men and B for women)
4A, 3A, 2A, A, B, C, D, E, 2E, 3E, 4E, 5E, 6E (variant North American)
C, D, E, F, G, H (common UK; "medium" is usually F, but varies by manufacturer—makers Edward Green and Crockett & Jones, among others, use E instead, but one maker's E is not necessarily the same size as another's).
N (narrow), M (medium) or R (regular), W (wide)
The width for which these sizes are suitable can vary significantly between manufacturers. The A–E width indicators used by most American, Canadian, and some British shoe manufacturers are typically based on the width of the foot, and common step sizes are 3⁄16 inch (4.8 mm).
Common sizing systems[edit]
Mondopoint[edit]
The International Standard is ISO 9407:1991, "Shoe sizes—Mondopoint system of sizing and marking",[2] which recommends a shoe-size system known as Mondopoint.
It is based on the mean foot length and width for which the shoe is suitable, measured in millimetres. A shoe size of 280/110 indicates a mean foot length of 280 millimetres (11.0 in) and width of 110 millimetres (4.3 in).
Because Mondopoint also takes the foot width into account, it allows for better fitting than most other systems. It is, therefore, used by NATO and other military services. Mondopoint is also used for ski boots.
United Kingdom and Ireland[edit]
Shoe size in the United Kingdom and Ireland is based on the length of the last used to make the shoes, measured in barleycorn (1⁄3 inch) starting from the smallest size deemed practical, which is called size zero. It is not formally standardised. Note that the last is typically longer than the foot heel to toe length by about 1⁄2 to 2⁄3 inch (13 to 17 mm).
A child's size zero is equivalent to 4 inches (a hand = 12 barleycorns = 10.16 cm), and the sizes go up to size 13 1⁄2 (8 1⁄2 in, 25 1⁄2 barleycorns or 21.59 cm). Thus, the calculation for a children’s shoe size in the UK is:
child shoe size = ( 3 × last length in inches ) − 12 {\displaystyle {\mbox{child shoe size}}=(3\times {\mbox{last length in inches}})-12}
equivalent to
child shoe size ≈ ( 3 × heel to toe length in inches ) − 10 {\displaystyle {\mbox{child shoe size}}\approx (3\times {\mbox{heel to toe length in inches}})-10}
An adult size one is then the next size up (8 2⁄3 in, 26 barleycorns or 22.01 cm) and each size up continues the progression in barleycorns.[3] The calculation for an adult shoe size in the UK is thus:
adult shoe size = ( 3 × last length in inches ) − 25 {\displaystyle {\mbox{adult shoe size}}=(3\times {\mbox{last length in inches}})-25}
equivalent to
adult shoe size ≈ ( 3 × heel to toe length in inches ) − 23 {\displaystyle {\mbox{adult shoe size}}\approx (3\times {\mbox{heel to toe length in inches}})-23}
Note: some manufacturers choose to use a constant other than 25, so sizes do vary in either direction e.g. A shoe marked as a European size 40 may also be marked as a UK: 6 by Jimmy Choo, Nike; a 6 1⁄2 by Adidas, Clarks, Dr Martens, Fred Perry, Karrimor, Monsoon, New Balance, Reebok, and Slazenger; a 7 by Converse, Gap, Pavers, and Timberland; and a 7 1⁄2 by Crocs. Some retailers mark a larger size on women's European compatible which can cause confusion with the UK unisex sizes. A size 8 should be a European 42 in both male and female shoes, but this is often marked as a 9 for women.
Australia/New Zealand[edit]
For men and children's footwear the UK system is followed. Women's footwear has a slightly different sizing that is unique. It is in between the UK and US's sizings.[citation needed]
United States and Canada[edit]
In North America, there are different systems that are used concurrently. The size indications are usually similar but not exactly equivalent especially with athletic shoes at extreme sizes. The most common is the customary, described in more detail below, which for men's shoes is one barleycorn shorter than the UK equivalent. (so a men's 13 in the US or Canada is the same size as a men's 12 in the UK)
Customary[edit]
The traditional system is similar to English sizes but start counting at one rather than zero, so equivalent sizes are one greater. So the calculation for a male shoe size in the USA or Canada is:
male shoe size = 3 × last length in inches − 24 {\displaystyle {\mbox{male shoe size}}=3\times {\mbox{last length in inches}}-24}
Women's sizes are almost always determined with the "common" scale, in which women's sizes are equal to men's sizes plus 1.5 (for example, a men's 10.5 is a women's 12). In other words:
female shoe size (common) = 3 × last length in inches − 22 1 2 {\displaystyle {\mbox{female shoe size (common)}}=3\times {\mbox{last length in inches}}-22{\frac {1}{2}}}
In the less popular scale, known as the "standard" or "FIA" (Footwear Industries of America) scale, women's sizes are men's sizes plus 1 (so a men's 10.5 is a women's 11.5).
female shoe size (FIA) = 3 × last length in inches − 23 {\displaystyle {\mbox{female shoe size (FIA)}}=3\times {\mbox{last length in inches}}-23}
Children's[edit]
Children's sizes are equal to men's sizes plus 12 1⁄3. Children’s sizes do not differ by gender even though adults’ do.
Child shoe size = 3 × last length in inches − 11 2 3 {\displaystyle {\mbox{Child shoe size}}=3\times {\mbox{last length in inches}}-11{\frac {2}{3}}}
Children's shoe stores in the United States and Canada use a sizing scheme which ends at 13, after which the adult range starts at 1:
U.S. shoe sizes
Size
Last length
Children's
Women's
Men's
Inches
Millimetres
(appr.)
Common
FIA
5 55⁄9 141
6 58⁄9 150
7 62⁄9 158
8 65⁄9 167
9 68⁄9 175
10 72⁄9 183
11 75⁄9 192
1 75⁄6 199
12 78⁄9 200
1 8 203
2 81⁄6 207
13 82⁄9 209
2 1 81⁄3 212
3 81⁄2 216
3 2 82⁄3 220
4 85⁄6 224
4 3 9 229
5 91⁄6 233
5 4 91⁄3 237
6 91⁄2 241
6 5 92⁄3 246
7 95⁄6 250
7 6 10 254
8 7 101⁄3 262
Alternatively, a scale running from K4 to K13 and then 1 to 7 is in use.[4] K4 to K9 are toddler sizes, K10 to 3 are pre-school and 1 to 7 are grade school sizes.
Brannock Device[edit]
Drawing of a Brannock Device (from U.S. Patent 1,725,334)
A slightly different sizing method is based on the Brannock Device, a measuring instrument invented by Charles F. Brannock in 1925 and now found in many shoe stores. The formula used by the Brannock device assumes a foot length ⅔ inch (1.7 cm) less than the length of the last; thus, men's size 1 is equivalent to a foot's length of 7 ⅔ inches.[5] Women's sizes are one size up.
male shoe size (Brannock) = 3 × foot length in inches − 22 {\displaystyle {\mbox{male shoe size (Brannock)}}=3\times {\mbox{foot length in inches}}-22} [6]
female shoe size (Brannock) = 3 × foot length in inches − 21 {\displaystyle {\mbox{female shoe size (Brannock)}}=3\times {\mbox{foot length in inches}}-21} [6]
The method also measures the length of the distance of the heel and the widest point of the foot. For that purpose, the device has another, shorter scale at the side of the foot. If this scale indicates a larger size, it is taken in place of the foot's length.[7]
For children's sizes, additional wiggle room is added to allow for growth.[7]
The device also measures the width of the foot and assigns it designations of AAA, AA, A, B, C, D, E, EE, or EEE. The widths are 3/16 in apart and differ by shoe length.[5]
Foot Scanner[edit]
Some shoe stores use optical devices to precisely measure the length and width of both feet and recommend the appropriate shoe model and size. [1]
Europe[edit]
The Continental European system is used in Portugal, France, Germany,[8] Italy, Spain,[9] and most other continental European countries. It is also used in Middle Eastern countries (such as Iran), Brazil—which uses the same method but subtracts 2 from the final result—[citation needed] and, commonly, Hong Kong.
In this system, the shoe size is the length of the last, expressed in Paris points, for both sexes and for adults and children alike. Because a Paris point is ⅔ of a centimetre, the formula is as follows:
s h o e s i z e ( P a r i s p o i n t s ) = 3 2 × l a s t l e n g t h ( c m ) {\displaystyle \mathrm {shoe~size~({Paris~points})={\frac {3}{2}}\times {last~length}\left({cm}\right)} }
To compute the size based on actual foot length, one must first add a length of about 1.5 to 2 cm. For instance, for a shoe having an external length 1.5 cm longer than the foot:
s h o e s i z e ( P a r i s p o i n t s ) = 3 2 × [ f o o t l e n g t h ( c m ) + 1.5 ] {\displaystyle \mathrm {shoe~size~({Paris~points})={\frac {3}{2}}\times {\left[~foot~length\left({cm}\right)+1.5~\right]}} }
This gives the relationships:
European size = 1.27 × UK size + 31.75
UK size = European size / 1.27 - 25 = 0.7874 × European size - 25
Asia[edit]
The Asian system is based on metric measurements and standardised as JIS S 5037:1998, CNS 4800, S 1093, or KS M 6681. Foot length and girth are taken into account.[10]
The foot length is indicated in centimetres; an increment of 5 mm is used. This system was also used in the GDR.
The length is followed by designators for girth (A, B, C, D, E, EE, EEE, EEEE, F, G), which is taken from a table indexed to girth and length. There are different tables for men's, women's, and children's (less than 12 years of age) shoes. The tables also include the width as supplemental indications. Not all designators are used for all genders and in all countries. For example, the largest girth for women in China is EEEE, whereas in Japan, it is F.
Mexico[edit]
Shoes are sized either according to the foot length they are intended to fit, in cm, or alternatively to another variation of the barleycorn system, with sizes calculated approximately as:
adult shoe size = 3 × last length in inches − 25.5 {\displaystyle {\mbox{adult shoe size}}=3\times {\mbox{last length in inches}}-25.5}
USSR (Russia/CIS)[edit]
Historically the USSR used the European (Paris point) system but an alternative metric system (State Standard 3927–64) was devised, with shoe sizes increasing in ½ rather than the ⅔ cm intervals found in the European scheme. This system has been refined by later standards:
GOST 9133-1978 Determination of linear dimensions of footwear
GOST 24382-1980 sneakers size
GOST R 54592-2011 Footwear. Methods for determination of linear dimensions.
Where used this system is sometimes described as a Pointe (ballet shoe) or Stych size:
Pointe/Stych Shoe Sizes
Foot Length (mm)
105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 220 225 230 235 240 245 250 255 260 265 270 275 280 285 290 295 300 305 310 315
Children's
17 18 19 19½ 20 21 22 22½ 23 24 25 25½ 26 27 28 28½ 29 30 31 31½ 32 33 34 34½ 35 36 37 37½ 38 39 40
Women's
34 35 36 37 37½ 38 38½ 39 40 41 41½ 42 42½
Men's
38½ 39 40 41 41½ 42 42½ 43 44 45 46 47 47½
Difficulties in shoe size comparison[edit]
Please note that the following tables indicate theoretical sizes calculated from the standards and information given above. Differences between various shoe size tables, makers' tables or other tables found on the Web are usually due to the following factors:
The systems are not fully standardised. Differences between shoes from different makers, which are due to different methods of measuring the shoes, different manufacturing processes, or different allowances[1] are sometimes related to different countries. A "German" size may then differ from a "French" size, although both countries use the Continental European system.
Different widths may have the result that for wide feet, a shoe multiple sizes larger (and actually too long) may be required. This may also result in different size indications, especially if different typical widths are attributed to different sizing systems or countries.
Some tables for children take future growth into account. The shoe size is then larger than what would correspond to the actual length of the foot.[7]
An indication in centimetres or inches can mean the length of the foot or the length of the shoe's inner cavity. This relation is not constant but varies due to different amounts of wiggle room required for different sizes of shoes.
There are several U.S. systems, which differ substantially for sizes far above or below medium sizes.
Further, some tables available on the Web simply contain errors. For example, the wiggle room or different zero point is not taken into account, or tables based on different U.S. systems (traditional and athletic) are simply combined although they are incompatible.
See also[edit]
Fashion portal
List of shoe styles
Shoes
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b Andersson, Bendt. "Recommendations to suppliers and manufacturers of orthopedic footwear concerning sizes of shoes and lasts" (PDF) (in Swedish). Retrieved 2009-01-06.
Jump up ^ International Standard ISO 9407:1991, Shoe sizes—Mondopoint system of sizing and marking
Jump up ^ Cairns, Warwick. About the Size of It. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-230-01628-6.
Jump up ^ ASICS Oceania Pty Lyd., Asics Shoe Sizes, stating "Shoe sizes on product details pages are in US shoe size"; accessed 16 January 2017
^ Jump up to: a b Brannock Device Co. "History". Retrieved 2009-01-06.
^ Jump up to: a b Brannock Device Co. "Size Conversion Chart". Retrieved 2010-04-20.
^ Jump up to: a b c Brannock Device Co. "Instructions". Retrieved 2009-01-06.
Jump up ^ German Standard DIN 66074:1975, Shoe sizes
Jump up ^ Spanish Standard UNE 59850:1998, Shoes: Size designation
Jump up ^ (in Japanese) Rakuten.co.jp
External links[edit]
Chart of US shoe widths by size
[hide]
v
t
e
ISO standards by standard number
List of ISO standards / ISO romanizations / IEC standards
1–9999
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
16
31
-0
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
-11
-12
-13
128
216
217
226
228
233
259
269
302
306
428
518
519
639
-1
-2
-3
-5
-6
646
690
732
764
843
898
965
1000
1004
1007
1073-1
1413
1538
1745
1989
2014
2015
2022
2047
2108
2145
2146
2240
2281
2709
2711
2788
2848
2852
3029
3103
3166
-1
-2
-3
3297
3307
3602
3864
3901
3977
4031
4157
4217
4909
5218
5428
5775
5776
5800
5964
6166
6344
6346
6385
6425
6429
6438
6523
6709
7001
7002
7098
7185
7200
7498
7736
7810
7811
7812
7813
7816
8000
8178
8217
8571
8583
8601
8632
8652
8691
8807
8820-5
8859
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-8-I
-9
-10
-11
-12
-13
-14
-15
-16
8879
9000/9001
9075
9126
9293
9241
9362
9407
9506
9529
9564
9594
9660
9897
9899
9945
9984
9985
9995
10000–19999
10005
10006
10007
10116
10118-3
10160
10161
10165
10179
10206
10218
10303
-11
-21
-22
-28
-238
10383
10487
10585
10589
10646
10664
10746
10861
10957
10962
10967
11073
11170
11179
11404
11544
11783
11784
11785
11801
11898
11940 (-2)
11941
11941 (TR)
11992
12006
12182
12207
12234-2
13211
-1
-2
13216
13250
13399
13406-2
13450
13485
13490
13567
13568
13584
13616
14000
14031
14224
14289
14396
14443
14496
-2
-3
-6
-10
-11
-12
-14
-17
-20
14644
14649
14651
14698
14750
14764
14882
14971
15022
15189
15288
15291
15292
15398
15408
15444
-3
15445
15438
15504
15511
15686
15693
15706
-2
15707
15897
15919
15924
15926
15926 WIP
15930
16023
16262
16612-2
16750
16949 (TS)
17024
17025
17100
17203
17369
17442
17799
18000
18004
18014
18245
18629
18916
19005
19011
19092 (-1
-2)
19114
19115
19125
19136
19439
19500
19501
19502
19503
19505
19506
19507
19508
19509
19510
19600:2014
19752
19757
19770
19775-1
19794-5
19831
20000+
20000
20022
20121
20400
21000
21047
21500
21827:2002
22000
23270
23271
23360
24517
24613
24617
24707
25178
25964
26000
26300
26324
27000 series
27000
27001:2005
27001:2013
27002
27006
27729
28000
29110
29148
29199-2
29500
30170
31000
32000
38500
40500
42010
55000
80000
-1
-2
-3
Category
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shoe_size&oldid=812860828"
Categories:
Anthropometry
Footwear
Mechanical standards
Sizes in clothing
Hidden categories:
CS1 Swedish-language sources (sv)
Articles with Japanese-language external links
Articles needing additional references from April 2014
All articles needing additional references
All articles with unsourced statements
Articles with unsourced statements from December 2007
Articles with unsourced statements from June 2015
Articles with unsourced statements from December 2015
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
In other projects
Wikimedia Commons
Languages
Čeština
Deutsch
Español
Français
Hrvatski
Italiano
Magyar
Nederlands
日本語
Polski
Русский
Suomi
Svenska
Українська
Tiếng Việt
Yorùbá
中文
Edit links
This page was last edited on 30 November 2017, at 08:33.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view
Enable previews

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

values: jump-to-nav mw-jump

attrs: alt src width height srcset data-file-width data-file-height

value: td

attrs: class href

values: Help:Introduction to referencing with Wiki Markup/1

value: i

value: tr

values: plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Refimprove

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (December 2007)

values:
noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact
white-space:nowrap;

values: Edit section: United Kingdom and Ireland

values:
/wiki/English_unit#Length
mw-redirect
English unit

values: vertical-align: -0.838ex; width:48.443ex; height:2.843ex;

values: vertical-align: -0.838ex; width:55.197ex; height:2.843ex;

values: vertical-align: -0.838ex; width:48.831ex; height:2.843ex;

values: vertical-align: -0.838ex; width:56.166ex; height:2.843ex;

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (June 2015)

values: vertical-align: -0.838ex; width:46.469ex; height:2.676ex;

values: vertical-align: -1.838ex; width:61.238ex; height:5.176ex;

values: vertical-align: -0.838ex; width:54.777ex; height:2.843ex;

values: vertical-align: -2.005ex; width:49.268ex; height:5.343ex;

values:
/wiki/Grade_school
mw-redirect
Grade school

values:
/wiki/U.S._Patent
mw-redirect
U.S. Patent

values: vertical-align: -0.838ex; width:59.002ex; height:2.843ex;

values: vertical-align: -0.838ex; width:60.767ex; height:2.843ex;

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (December 2015)

values: vertical-align: -1.838ex; width:47.06ex; height:5.176ex;

values: vertical-align: -1.838ex; width:55.854ex; height:5.176ex;

values: Korean Industrial Standards (page does not exist)

values: vertical-align: -0.838ex; width:48.831ex; height:2.676ex;

values: Edit section: Difficulties in shoe size comparison

values: display:table-cell;padding:0.2em 0.2em 0.2em 0.3em;vertical-align:middle

values: margin:0.5em 0 0.5em 1em;border:solid #aaa 1px

values:
reflist mw-references-wrap
list-style-type: decimal;

values: International Organization for Standardization

values: List of International Organization for Standardization standards

values:
/wiki/List_of_IEC_standards
mw-redirect
List of IEC standards

values:
/wiki/British_standard_pipe_thread
mw-redirect
British standard pipe thread

values: Language Of Temporal Ordering Specification

values: Guidelines for the Definition of Managed Objects

values: Document Style Semantics and Specification Language

values: Tag Image File Format / Electronic Photography

values: Delivery Multimedia Integration Framework

values:
/wiki/MPEG-4_Part_12
mw-redirect
MPEG-4 Part 12

values: International Standard Identifier for Libraries and Related Organizations

values: International Standard Audiovisual Number

values: International Standard Musical Work Code

values:
/wiki/Simple_feature_access
mw-redirect
Simple feature access

values: Common Object Request Broker Architecture

values: Cloud Infrastructure Management Interface

attrs: alt src title width height srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values: nowraplinks hlist collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner

values: Category:CS1 Swedish-language sources (sv)

values: Category:Articles with Japanese-language external links

values: Category:Articles needing additional references from April 2014

values: Category:All articles needing additional references

values: Category:All articles with unsourced statements

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from December 2007

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from June 2015

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from December 2015

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values:
/wiki/Shoe_size
View the content page [ctrl-alt-c]
c

values: Discussion about the content page [ctrl-alt-t]

values: p-namespaces navigation vectorTabs p-namespaces-label

values:
p-variants
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-variants-label

values: Past revisions of this page [ctrl-alt-h]

values: p-views navigation vectorTabs p-views-label

values:
p-cactions
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-cactions-label

values:
mw-wiki-logo
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page

values:
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page [ctrl-alt-z]
z

values: Featured content – the best of Wikipedia

values: Find background information on current events

values: About the project, what you can do, where to find things

values: A list of recent changes in the wiki [ctrl-alt-r]

values: portal navigation p-interaction p-interaction-label

values: List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [ctrl-alt-j]

values: Recent changes in pages linked from this page [ctrl-alt-k]

values:
/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard
Upload files [ctrl-alt-u]
u

values: A list of all special pages [ctrl-alt-q]

values: Permanent link to this revision of the page

values: Link to connected data repository item [ctrl-alt-g]

values: Printable version of this page [ctrl-alt-p]

values: portal navigation p-wikibase-otherprojects p-wikibase-otherprojects-label

values:
uls-settings-trigger
Language settings
0
button
true

values: Pointures et tailles en habillement – French

values: Размеры обуви – Russian

values: Розмір взуття – Ukrainian

values: Ìwọ̀n bàtà ẹṣẹ̀ – Yoruba

values: /static/images/wikimedia-button-1.5x.png 1.5x, /static/images/wikimedia-button-2x.png 2x

values: /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_132x47.png 1.5x, /static/images/poweredby_mediawiki_176x62.png 2x

values:
suggestions
display: none; font-size: 13px;

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Shoe_size rootpage-Shoe_size skin-vector action-view


text:
Centralia, Pennsylvania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Centralia, Pennsylvania
Bull's Head
Borough
Centralia as seen from South Street, July 2010

Location of Centralia in Columbia County, Pennsylvania.

Map showing Columbia County in Pennsylvania
Centralia
Centralia
Show map of Pennsylvania Show map of the US Show all
Location of Centralia in Pennsylvania
Coordinates: 40°48′12″N 76°20′30″W / 40.80333°N 76.34167°W / 40.80333; -76.34167Coordinates: 40°48′12″N 76°20′30″W / 40.80333°N 76.34167°W / 40.80333; -76.34167
Country
United States
State
Pennsylvania
County
Columbia
Settled
1841 (as Bull's Head)
Incorporated
1866 (1866) (Borough of Centralia)
Founded by
Jonathan Faust[1]
Government[2][3]
• Mayor a
Carl Womer (d.2014)
Area[4]
• Total
0.24 sq mi (0.62 km2)
• Land
0.24 sq mi (0.62 km2)
• Water
0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0%
Elevation[5]
1,467 ft (447 m)
Population (2010)[6]
• Total
10
• Estimate (2013)[7]
7
• Density
41.84/sq mi (16.16/km2)
Time zone
Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)
EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code
17927 (discontinued 2002[8])
17921 (Ashland 2002-present)
Area code
570
FIPS code
42-12312
a Upon his death, Womer became the last official mayor of Centralia.
Centralia is a borough and near-ghost town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population has dwindled from more than 1,000 residents in 1980 to 63 by 1990, to only seven in 2013[7]—a result of the coal mine fire which has been burning beneath the borough since 1962. Centralia, which is part of the Bloomsburg–Berwick metropolitan area, is the least-populated municipality in Pennsylvania. It is completely surrounded by Conyngham Township.
All real estate in the borough was claimed under eminent domain in 1992 and therein condemned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Centralia's ZIP code was discontinued by the Postal Service in 2002.[8] State and local officials reached an agreement with the seven remaining residents on October 29, 2013, allowing them to live out their lives there, after which the rights to their houses will be taken through eminent domain.[7]
Contents
[hide]
1 History
1.1 Early history
1.2 Mining begins
1.3 Mine fire
1.3.1 Triggers
1.3.2 Immediate effects
1.4 Condemnation and abandonment
1.5 Time capsule
2 Mineral rights
3 Demographics
3.1 2000 census
3.2 2010 census
4 Public services
5 In popular culture
6 See also
7 References
8 Further reading
9 External links
History[edit]
Early history[edit]
Many of the Native American tribes in what is now Columbia County sold the land that makes up Centralia to colonial agents in 1749 for the sum of five hundred pounds. In 1770, during the construction of the Reading Road, which stretched from Reading to Fort Augusta (present-day Sunbury), settlers surveyed and explored the land. A large portion of the Reading Road was developed later as Route 61, the main highway east into and south out of Centralia.[9]
In 1793, Robert Morris, a hero of the Revolutionary War and a signatory of the Declaration of Independence, acquired a third of Centralia's valley land. When he declared bankruptcy in 1798, the land was surrendered to the Bank of the United States. A French sea captain named Stephen Girard purchased Morris' lands for $30,000, including 68 tracts east of Morris.' He had learned that there was anthracite coal in the region.[9]
The Centralia coal deposits were largely overlooked before the construction of the Mine Run Railroad in 1854. In 1832, Johnathan Faust opened the Bull's Head Tavern in what was called Roaring Creek Township; this gave the town its first name, Bull's Head. In 1842, Centralia's land was bought by the Locust Mountain Coal and Iron Company. Alexander Rae, a mining engineer, moved his family in and began planning a village, laying out streets and lots for development. Rae named the town Centreville, but in 1865 changed it to Centralia because the U.S. Post Office already had a Centreville in Schuylkill County. The Mine Run Railroad was built in 1854 to transport coal out of the valley.[1]
Mining begins[edit]
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
The first two mines in Centralia opened in 1856, the Locust Run Mine and the Coal Ridge Mine. Afterward came the Hazeldell Colliery Mine in 1860, the Centralia Mine in 1862, and the Continental Mine in 1863. The Continental was located on Stephen Girard's former estate. Branching from the Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad was constructed to Centralia in 1865; it enabled transport and expansion of Centralia's coal sales to markets in eastern Pennsylvania.[9]
Centralia was incorporated as a borough in 1866. Its principal employer was the anthracite coal industry. Alexander Rae, the town's founder, was murdered in his buggy by members of the Molly Maguires on October 17, 1868, during a trip between Centralia and Mount Carmel.[10] Three men were eventually convicted of his death and were hanged in the county seat of Bloomsburg, on March 25, 1878.
Several other murders and incidents of arson also took place during the violence, as Centralia was a hotbed of Molly Maguires activity during the 1860s to organize a mineworkers union in order to improve wages and working conditions. A legend among locals in Centralia tells that Father Daniel Ignatius McDermott, the first Roman Catholic priest to call Centralia home, cursed the land in retaliation for being assaulted by three members of the Maguires in 1869. McDermott said that there would be a day when St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church would be the only structure remaining in Centralia. Many of the Molly Maguires' leaders were hanged in 1877, ending their crimes. Legends say that a number of descendants of the Molly Maguires still lived in Centralia up until the 1980s.[9]
According to numbers of Federal census records, the town of Centralia reached its maximum population of 2,761 in the year 1890. At its peak the town had seven churches, five hotels, twenty-seven saloons, two theaters, a bank, a post office, and 14 general and grocery stores. Thirty-seven years later the production of anthracite coal had reached its peak in Pennsylvania. In the following years, production declined, as many young miners from Centralia enlisted in the military when the US entered World War I.
In 1929 the crash of the stock market resulted in the Lehigh Valley Coal Company closing five of its Centralia-local mines. Bootleg miners continued mining in several idle mines, using techniques such as what was called "pillar-robbing," where miners would extract coal from coal pillars left in mines to support their roofs. This caused the collapse of many idle mines, further complicating the prevention of the mine fire in 1962. Efforts to seal off the abandoned mines ran into the collapsed areas.
In the year 1950, Centralia Council acquired the rights to all anthracite coal beneath Centralia through a state law passed in 1949 that enabled the transaction. That year, the federal census counted 1,986 residents in Centralia.
Coal mining continued in Centralia until the 1960s, when most of the companies shut down. Bootleg mining continued until 1982, and strip and open-pit mining are still active in the area. An underground mine about three miles to the west employs about 40 people.
Centralia area showing conditions before mine fire
Rail service ended in 1966. Centralia operated its own school district, including elementary schools and a high school. There were also two Catholic parochial schools. By 1980, it had 1,012 residents. Another 500 or 600 lived nearby.[8]
Mine fire[edit]
Main article: Centralia mine fire
A small part of the Centralia mine fire as it appeared after being exposed during an excavation in 1969
Triggers[edit]
Analysts disagree about the specific cause of the Centralia fire. Writer David Dekok concluded that it started with an attempt to clean up the town landfill. In May 1962, the Centralia Borough Council hired five members of the volunteer fire company to clean up the town landfill, located in an abandoned strip-mine pit next to the Odd Fellows Cemetery just outside the borough limits. This had been done prior to Memorial Day in previous years, when the landfill was in a different location.
On May 27, 1962, the firefighters, as they had in the past, set the dump on fire and let it burn for some time. Unlike in previous years, however, the fire was not fully extinguished. An unsealed opening in the pit allowed the fire to enter the labyrinth of abandoned coal mines beneath Centralia.[11][page needed]
By contrast, Joan Quigley states in her book The Day the Earth Caved In (2007) that the fire had started the previous day, when a trash hauler dumped hot ash or coal discarded from coal burners into the open trash pit. She noted that borough council minutes from June 4, 1962 referred to two fires at the dump, and that five firefighters had submitted bills for "fighting the fire at the landfill area." The borough, by law, was responsible for installing a fire-resistant clay barrier between each layer of the landfill,[12] but fell behind schedule, leaving the barrier incomplete. This allowed the hot coals to penetrate the vein of coal underneath the pit and start the subsequent subterranean fire.[13][14]
According to a legend, the Bast Colliery coal fire of 1932 was never fully extinguished. In 1962, it reached the landfill area.[9]
Immediate effects[edit]
In 1979, locals became aware of the scale of the problem when a gas-station owner, then-mayor John Coddington, inserted a dipstick into one of his underground tanks to check the fuel level. When he withdrew it, it seemed hot. He lowered a thermometer into the tank on a string and was shocked to discover that the temperature of the gasoline in the tank was 172 °F (77.8 °C).[15]
Statewide attention to the fire began to increase, culminating in 1981 when a 12-year-old resident named Todd Domboski fell into a sinkhole, 4 feet (1.2 m) wide by 150 feet (46 m) deep, that suddenly opened beneath his feet in a backyard. His cousin, 14-year-old Eric Wolfgang, pulled Domboski out of the hole and saved his life. The plume of hot steam billowing from the hole was tested and found to contain a lethal level of carbon monoxide.[16]
Although there was physical, visible evidence of the fire, residents of Centralia were bitterly divided over the question of whether or not the fire posed a direct threat to the town. In The Real Disaster is Above Ground, Steve Kroll-Smith and Steve Couch identified at least six community groups, each organized around varying interpretations of the amount and kind of risk posed by the fire. In 1984, the Congress allocated more than $42 million for relocation efforts. Most of the residents accepted buyout offers and moved to the nearby communities of Mount Carmel and Ashland.[citation needed]
In 1992, Pennsylvania governor Bob Casey invoked eminent domain on all property in the borough, condemning all the buildings within. A subsequent legal effort by residents to overturn the action failed. In 2002, the U.S. Postal Service discontinued Centralia's ZIP code, 17927.[8][17] In 2009, Governor Ed Rendell began the formal eviction of the remaining Centralia residents.[18]
The Centralia mine fire extended beneath the village of Byrnesville, a short distance to the south, and required it also to be abandoned.[19]
Condemnation and abandonment[edit]
Toxic gas and smoke rising from the ground above the underground fire in 2006
1999 photo showing the abandoned highway and its replacement
Separated duplex houses: on the left, brick buttresses were added to support the shared wall after removal of the attached house; on the right, an unbuttressed side of a similar house on an otherwise deserted street
Few homes remain standing in Centralia. Most of the abandoned buildings have been demolished by the Columbia County Redevelopment Authority or reclaimed by nature. At a casual glance, the area now appears to be a field with many paved streets running through it. Some areas are being filled with new-growth forest. The remaining church in the borough, St. Mary's, holds weekly services on Sunday. It has not yet been directly affected by the fire. The town's four cemeteries—including one on the hilltop that has smoke rising around and out of it—are maintained in good condition.[citation needed]
The only indications of the fire, which underlies some 400 acres (1.6 km2) spreading along four fronts, are low round metal steam vents in the south of the borough. Several signs warn of underground fire, unstable ground, and dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. Additional smoke and steam can be seen coming from an abandoned portion of Pennsylvania Route 61, the area just behind the hilltop cemetery, and other cracks in the ground scattered about the area. Route 61 was repaired several times until it was closed.
The current route was formerly a detour around the damaged portion during the repairs and became a permanent route in 1993; mounds of dirt were placed at both ends of the former route, effectively blocking the road. Pedestrian traffic is still possible due to a small opening about two feet wide at the north side of the road. The underground fire is still burning and may continue to do so for 250 years.[16] The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania did not renew the relocation contract at the end of 2005.[20]
The last remaining house on Locust Avenue was demolished in September 2007. It was notable for a period for the five chimney-like support buttresses along each of two opposite sides of the house. The house had formerly been supported by a row of adjacent buildings. Another house with similar buttresses was visible from the northern side of the cemetery, just north of the burning, partially subsumed hillside.[21]
Residents John Comarnisky and John Lokitis, Jr. were evicted in May and July 2009, respectively. In May 2009, the remaining residents mounted another legal effort to reverse the 1992 eminent domain claim.[22] In 2010, only five homes remain as state officials try to vacate the remaining residents and demolish what is left of the town. In March 2011, a federal judge refused to issue an injunction that would have stopped the condemnation.[23]
The Borough Council still has regular meetings as of 2011[update]. It was reported that the town's highest bill at the meeting reported on came from PPL, a power utility, at $92 and the town's budget was "in the black."[24]
In February 2012, the Commonwealth Court ruled that a declaration of taking could not be re-opened or set aside on the basis that the purpose for the condemnation no longer exists; seven people, including the Borough Council president, had filed suit claiming the condemnation was no longer needed because the underground fire had moved and the air quality in the borough was the same as that in Lancaster.[23] In October 2013, the remaining residents settled their lawsuit, receiving $218,000 in compensation for the value of their homes, along with $131,500 to settle additional claims, and the right to stay in their homes for the rest of their lives.[7][25]
Time capsule[edit]
The town's residents and former residents decided to open a time capsule buried in 1966 a few years earlier than planned after someone had attempted to unearth and steal the capsule in May 2014. The capsule was not scheduled to be opened until 2016. Items found in the footlocker-sized capsule, which had been inundated with about 12 inches (30 cm) of water, included a miner’s helmet, a miner’s lamp, some coal, a Bible, local souvenirs, and a pair of bloomers signed by the men of Centralia in 1966.[26][27]
Mineral rights[edit]
Several current and former Centralia residents believe the state's eminent domain claim was a plot to gain the mineral rights to the anthracite coal beneath the borough. Residents have asserted its value to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars, although the exact amount of coal is not known.[23][18][28][29]
This theory is based on the municipality laws of the state. According to state law, when the municipality can no longer form a functioning municipal government, i.e., when there are no longer any residents, the borough legally ceases to exist.[citation needed] At that point, the mineral rights, which are owned by the Borough of Centralia (they are not privately held) would revert to the ownership of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.[citation needed]
Demographics[edit]
Historical population
Census
Pop.
%±
1870 1,342 —
1880 1,886 40.5%
1890 2,761 46.4%
1900 2,048 −25.8%
1910 2,429 18.6%
1920 2,336 −3.8%
1930 2,446 4.7%
1940 2,449 0.1%
1950 1,986 −18.9%
1960 1,435 −27.7%
1970 1,165 −18.8%
1980 1,017 −12.7%
1990 63 −93.8%
2000 21 −66.7%
2010 10 −52.4%
Est. 2013 7 [7] −30.0%
Sources:[30][31][32]
2000 census[edit]
As of the census[33] of 2000, there were 21 people, 10 households, and 7 families residing in the borough. The population density was 87.5 people per square mile (3.38 km²). There were 16 housing units at an average density of 66.7 people per square mile (2.57 km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 100% white.
There were 10 households, out of which 1 (10%) had children under the age of 18 living with them, 5 (50%) were married couples living together, 1 had a female householder with no husband present, and 3 (30%) were non-families. 3 of the households were made up of individuals, and 1 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10, and the average family size was 2.57.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 1 resident under the age of 18, 1 from 18 to 24, 4 from 25 to 44, 7 from 45 to 64, and 8 who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 62 years. There were 10 females and 11 males with 1 male under the age of 18.
The median income for a household in the borough was $23,750, and the median income for a family was $28,750. The per capita income for the borough was $16,083. None of the population was below the poverty line.
2010 census[edit]
As of the census of 2010[34] there were 10 people (down 52% since 2000), 5 households (down 50%), and 3 families (down 57%) residing in the borough. The population density was 42 people per square mile (16/km²) (down 52%). There were 6 housing units (down 62.5%) at an average density of 0.4 units per square mile (.015 units/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 100% white.[35]
Of the five households, none had children under the age of 18. Two (40%) were married couples living together, one (20%) had a female householder with no spouse present, and two (40%) were non-families. One of those non-family households was an individual, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.0 persons, and the average family size was 2.33 persons.[35]
There were no residents under the age of 18, one aged 25–29, one aged 50–54, one aged 55–59, four aged 60–64, two aged 70–74, and one aged 80–84. The median age was 62.5 years, and there were five females and five males in total.[35]
Public services[edit]
Fire engine inside municipal building
The borough is served by a small group of volunteer firefighters operating one fire engine that is more than 30 years old. The fire company's ambulance was given to the nearby Wilburton Fire Company in Conyngham Township in 2012.
In popular culture[edit]
Road damage and graffiti on abandoned section of PA Route 61
Centralia has been used as a model for many different ghost towns and physical manifestations of Hell. Prominent examples include Dean Koontz's Strange Highways and David Wellington's Vampire Zero.[36]
Centralia was the inspiration for the Silent Hill film adaptation.[37]
The 1982 PBS documentary Centralia Mine Fire contains interviews with residents and relates the story of the mine fire.[38]
The 1987 film Made in U.S.A. opens in Centralia and the surrounding coal region of Pennsylvania.[39]
The 2007 documentary The Town That Was is about the history of the town and its current and former residents.[40]
Centralia had a segment entitled "City on Fire" on the Travel Channel television series America Declassified which aired in 2013.[41]
The Centralia story was explored in the documentary segment "Dying Embers" from public radio station WNYC's RadioLab.[42]
See also[edit]
A berm blocks entry to the abandoned section of Route 61
Coal seam fires
Brennender Berg (Saarland, Germany)
Burning Mountain (New South Wales, Australia)
Darvaza gas crater (Derweze, Turkmenistan)
Jharia (India)
Smoking Hills (Northwest Territories, Canada)
Involuntary park
Love Canal, Niagara Falls, New York
Times Beach, Missouri
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b DeKok, David (1986). Unseen Danger; A Tragedy of People, Government, and the Centralia Mine Fire. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-595-09270-3.
Jump up ^ "Carl Womer, Centralia Pennsylvania’s Last Mayor". Centralia PA. November 25, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
Jump up ^ "Obituary of Carl T. Womer". Dean W. Kriner Funeral Home.
Jump up ^ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Aug 13, 2017.
Jump up ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Borough of Centralia
Jump up ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Centralia borough, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e Ratchford, Dan (October 30, 2013). "Agreement Reached With Remaining Centralia Residents". WNEP 16. Archived from the original on May 29, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b c d Krajick, Kevin (May 2005). "Fire in the hole". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e DeKok, David. Fire Underground: The Ongoing Tragedy of the Centralia Mine Fire.
Jump up ^ "The Murder of Alexander W. Rea".
Jump up ^ David Dekok, 'Unseen Danger and successor edition, Fire Underground: The Ongoing Tragedy of the Centralia Mine Fire
Jump up ^ "Abandoned Mines in Pennsylvania". Maiello, Brungo & Maiello. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
Jump up ^ Quigley, Joan (2007). The Day the Earth Caved In: An American Mining Tragedy. New York: Random House. ISBN 978-1-4000-6180-8.
Jump up ^ Quigley, Joan (2007). "Chapter Notes to The Day the Earth Caved In" (DOC). p. 8. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
Jump up ^ Morton, Ella. "How an Underground Fire Destroyed an Entire Town". Slate. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
^ Jump up to: a b O'Carroll, Eoin. "Centralia, Pa.: How an underground coal fire erased a town". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
Jump up ^ Currie, Tyler (April 2, 2003). "Zip Code 00000". Washington Post. Retrieved December 19, 2009.
^ Jump up to: a b Rubinkam, Michael (February 5, 2010). "Few Remain as 1962 Pa. Coal Town Fire Still Burns". ABC News (Australia). Archived from the original on November 29, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
Jump up ^ Holmes, Kristin E. (October 21, 2008). "Minding a legacy of faith: In an empty town, a shrine still shines". Philly.com.
Jump up ^ Reading Eagle, January 3, 2006
Jump up ^ "A modern day Ghost Town, Centralia Pennsylvania". Retrieved October 10, 2007.
Jump up ^ "Few remain as 1962 Pa. coal town fire still burns," Yahoo News, February 5, 2010
^ Jump up to: a b c Beauge, John (February 23, 2012). "Court denies Centralia property owners looking to keep their homes". The Patriot-News. Retrieved March 12, 2012. The same individuals have a suit pending in U.S. Middle District Court that alleges the condemnation was part of the commonwealth's plot to obtain mineral rights to the anthracite coal they claim are worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Jump up ^ Wheary, Rob (February 13, 2011). "'Regular borough council' in Centralia". Pottsville Republican. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
Jump up ^ Rubinkam, Michael (October 31, 2013). "Pa. residents living above mine fire free to stay". Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016 – via Yahoo Finance.
Jump up ^ "Centralia PA Time Capsule Opened Early". October 5, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
Jump up ^ "Centralia Time Capsule to be Opened in 2016 [see Update: The Centennial Vault time capsule was opened in 2014]". September 5, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
Jump up ^ This is stated in Joan Quigley's The Day the Earth Caved In in a section that indicated that Centralia is the only municipality within the Commonwealth that owned its mineral rights.
Jump up ^ Walter, Greg (June 22, 1981). "A Town with a Hot Problem Decides Not to Move Mountains but to Move Itself". People. Retrieved December 25, 2008. Despite the inferno below them and the gases that seep into their basements, some Centralians do not want to leave their homes and remain convinced that it's all a plot by coal companies to drive them off valuable land since the borough owns mineral rights to the coal below. (Other rumored villains have variously included anonymous Arabs and large energy cartels.)
Jump up ^ "Census of Population and Housing". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
Jump up ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008. Enter 'Centralia borough, Pennsylvania' to search under Community Facts
Jump up ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: Pennsylvania: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013". Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
Jump up ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
Jump up ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
^ Jump up to: a b c "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
Jump up ^ Eby, Margaret. "American Inferno". Paris Review. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
Jump up ^ Davidson, Paul. "Silent Hill Round Up". IGN. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
Jump up ^ "1982 Film Showing Centralia PA & Mine Fire - Centralia PA". July 4, 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Centralia PA in the 1987 Movie, Made In USA". September 4, 2014.
Jump up ^ "Watch "The Town That Was" Full Movie Online - Snagfilms".
Jump up ^ "City on Fire". Travel Channel. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
Jump up ^ "Dying Embers". RadioLab. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
Further reading[edit]
DeKok, David. Unseen Danger: A Tragedy of People, Government, and the Centralia Mine Fire, University of Pennsylvania Press, ISBN 0-595-09270-5.
Jacobs, Renee. Slow Burn: A Photodocument of Centralia, Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1986, ISBN 0-8122-1235-5.
Johnson, Deryl B. Images of America: Centralia, Arcadia Publishing, 2004, ISBN 978-0-7385-3629-3.
Kroll-Smith, J. Stephen, and Couch, Stephen. The Real Disaster Is Above Ground: A Mine Fire and Social Conflict, University Press of Kentucky, January 1990, ISBN 0-8131-1667-8, ISBN 978-0-8131-1667-9.
Pitta, Terra. Catastrophe: A Guide to World's Worst Industrial Disasters [Chapter 3: Pennsylvania Coal Mine Fire, Centralia (May 1962)], Alpha Editions, July 2015, ISBN 978-9-3855-0517-1.
Quigley, Joan. The Day the Earth Caved in: An American Mining Tragedy, Random House, 2007, ISBN 978-1-4000-6180-8.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Centralia, Pennsylvania.
Fifty years of fire in the abandoned US town of Centralia, BBC News, August 8, 2012
The Town That Was, a 70 minute SnagFilms.com video
[hide]
v
t
e
Municipalities and communities of Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States
County seat: Bloomsburg
Town
Bloomsburg
Boroughs
Ashland‡
Benton
Berwick
Briar Creek
Catawissa
Centralia
Millville
Orangeville
Stillwater
Townships
Beaver
Benton
Briar Creek
Catawissa
Cleveland
Conyngham
Fishing Creek
Franklin
Greenwood
Hemlock
Jackson
Locust
Madison
Main
Mifflin
Montour
Mount Pleasant
North Centre
Orange
Pine
Roaring Creek
Scott
South Centre
Sugarloaf
CDPs
Almedia
Aristes
Buckhorn
Espy
Eyers Grove
Fernville
Foundryville
Iola
Jamison City
Jerseytown
Jonestown
Lightstreet
Lime Ridge
Locustdale‡
Mainville
Mifflinville
Numidia
Rohrsburg
Rupert
Slabtown
Waller
Wilburton Number One
Wilburton Number Two
Unincorporated
communities
Mifflin Cross Roads
Ghost Towns
Byrnesville
Footnotes
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Centralia,_Pennsylvania&oldid=805814942"
Categories:
Bloomsburg–Berwick metropolitan area
Boroughs in Columbia County, Pennsylvania
Coal towns in Pennsylvania
Ghost towns in Pennsylvania
Environmental disasters in the United States
Environmental disaster ghost towns
Municipalities of the Anthracite Coal Region of Pennsylvania
Populated places established in 1841
1841 establishments in Pennsylvania
Persistent natural fires
Destroyed towns
Hidden categories:
Use mdy dates from October 2016
Coordinates on Wikidata
Articles needing additional references from May 2017
All articles needing additional references
Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from February 2017
All articles with unsourced statements
Articles with unsourced statements from March 2016
Articles with unsourced statements from April 2010
Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2011
All articles containing potentially dated statements
Articles with unsourced statements from September 2010
Navigation menu
Personal tools
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Namespaces
Article
Talk
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
More
Search
Navigation
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version
In other projects
Wikimedia Commons
Wikivoyage
Languages
Azərbaycanca
Bân-lâm-gú
Català
Čeština
Deutsch
Español
Euskara
فارسی
Français
한국어
Հայերեն
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
עברית
Kreyòl ayisyen
Latviešu
Malagasy
Nederlands
日本語
Oʻzbekcha/ўзбекча
Plattdüütsch
Polski
Português
Română
Русский
Српски / srpski
Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски
Suomi
Svenska
Українська
اردو
Tiếng Việt
Volapük
中文
Edit links
This page was last edited on 17 October 2017, at 20:18.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Cookie statement
Mobile view
Enable previews

key: html

type: local

value: div

attrs: id class

values: mw-page-base noprint

values: mw-head-base noprint

value: a

attrs: id class lang

values: firstHeading firstHeading en

values: siteSub noprint

values: jump-to-nav mw-jump

value: span

attrs: class style

value: th

attrs: colspan style

attrs: href title

value: img

values: Centralia as seen from South Street, July 2010

attrs: href class title

value: small

values: Map showing Columbia County in Pennsylvania

values:
/wiki/File:Usa_edcp_location_map.svg
image
Centralia is located in the US

values: display: none; width:250px;float:none;clear:both;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto width:250px;padding:0

values: Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location

values:
/wiki/North_American_Eastern_Time_Zone
mw-redirect
North American Eastern Time Zone

values:
/wiki/Ashland,_PA
mw-redirect
Ashland, PA

values:
/wiki/Area_code_570
mw-redirect
Area code 570

values: Federal Information Processing Standards

values: Conyngham Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: United States Declaration of Independence

values: Help:Introduction to referencing with Wiki Markup/1

values: plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Refimprove

attrs: alt src width height class srcset data-file-width data-file-height

values:
/wiki/Anthracite_coal
mw-redirect
Anthracite coal

values:
/wiki/Roman_Catholic
mw-redirect
Roman Catholic

values:
/wiki/Strip_mining
mw-redirect
Strip mining

values: This citation requires a reference to the specific page or range of pages in which the material appears. (February 2017)

values:
/wiki/U.S._Congress
mw-redirect
U.S. Congress

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2016)

values:
noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact
white-space:nowrap;

values:
/wiki/U.S._Postal_Service
mw-redirect
U.S. Postal Service

values: Edit section: Condemnation and abandonment

values: A semi-detached house separated from its attached neighbor with five buttresses being used to support the shared wall after the attached house was removed

values: and an unbuttressed side of a similar house on an otherwise deserted street with a single street light on a utility pole

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (April 2010)

values:
plainlinks noprint asof-tag update
display:none;

values:
/wiki/PPL_(utility)
mw-redirect
PPL (utility)

values:
/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Pennsylvania
mw-redirect
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

values: This claim needs references to reliable sources. (September 2010)

values: padding-right:3px; padding-left:3px; font-size:110%; text-align:center

values: text-align:center; border-bottom:1px solid black

values: border-top:1px solid black; font-size:85%; text-align:left

values: border-spacing: 1px; float: right; clear: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; text-align:right

values:
/wiki/White_(U.S._Census)
mw-redirect
White (U.S. Census)

values:
/wiki/Poverty_line
mw-redirect
Poverty line

values:
/wiki/Vampire_Zero_(novel)
mw-redirect
Vampire Zero (novel)

values:
nofollow
external text
http://www.thedaytheearthcavedin.com

values:
nofollow
external text
http://factfinder2.census.gov

values: -moz-column-width: 30em; -webkit-column-width: 30em; column-width: 30em; list-style-type: decimal;

values: Template talk:Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values:
navbox-image
7
width:1px;padding:0px 0px 0px 2px

values: Beaver Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Benton Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Briar Creek Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Catawissa Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Cleveland Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Fishing Creek Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Franklin Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Greenwood Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Hemlock Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Jackson Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Locust Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Madison Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Main Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Mifflin Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Montour Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Mount Pleasant Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: North Centre Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Orange Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Pine Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Roaring Creek Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Scott Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: South Centre Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Sugarloaf Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Jonestown, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: nowraplinks collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner

values: Category:Boroughs in Columbia County, Pennsylvania

values: Category:Environmental disasters in the United States

values: Category:Environmental disaster ghost towns

values: Category:Municipalities of the Anthracite Coal Region of Pennsylvania

values: Category:Populated places established in 1841

values: Category:1841 establishments in Pennsylvania

values: Category:Use mdy dates from October 2016

values: Category:Articles needing additional references from May 2017

values: Category:All articles needing additional references

values: Category:Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from February 2017

values: Category:All articles with unsourced statements

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from March 2016

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from April 2010

values: Category:Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2011

values: Category:All articles containing potentially dated statements

values: Category:Articles with unsourced statements from September 2010

values: Discussion about edits from this IP address [ctrl-alt-n]

values: A list of edits made from this IP address [ctrl-alt-y]

values: You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory

values: You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [ctrl-alt-o]

values:
/wiki/Centralia,_Pennsylvania
View the content page [ctrl-alt-c]
c

values: Discussion about the content page [ctrl-alt-t]

values: p-namespaces navigation vectorTabs p-namespaces-label

values:
p-variants
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-variants-label

values: Past revisions of this page [ctrl-alt-h]

values: p-views navigation vectorTabs p-views-label

values:
p-cactions
navigation
vectorMenu emptyPortlet
p-cactions-label

values:
mw-wiki-logo
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page

values:
/wiki/Main_Page
Visit the main page [ctrl-alt-z]
z

values: Featured content – the best of Wikipedia

values: Find background information on current events

values:
/wiki/Special:Random
Load a random article [ctrl-alt-x]
x

values: portal navigation p-navigation p-navigation-label

values: Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia

values: About the project, what you can do, where to find things

values: Sentreyliya (Pensilvaniya) – Azerbaijani

values: Centralia (Pennsylvania) – Chinese (Min Nan)

values:
https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centralia
Centralia – Czech
cs
cs
interlanguage-link-target

values:
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centralia
Centralia – Spanish
es
es
interlanguage-link-target

values: سنترالیا، پنسیلوانیا – Persian

values: 센트레일리아 (펜실베이니아 주) – Korean

values: Սենթրեյլիա (Փենսիլվանիա) – Armenian

values: סנטרליה – Hebrew

values: セントラリア (ペンシルベニア州) – Japanese

values: Сентрейлия (Пенсильвания) – Russian

values: Сентрејлија (Пенсилванија) – Serbian

values: Centralia, Pennsylvania – Serbo-Croatian

values: Централія – Ukrainian

values: سینٹریلیا، پنسلوانیا – Urdu

values: 森特勒利亞 (賓夕法尼亞州) – Chinese

values: mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Centralia_Pennsylvania rootpage-Centralia_Pennsylvania vector-experimental-print-styles vector-nav-directionality skin-vector action-view