Earlier this week, I decided to try something a little different—and a little surreal.
Using ChatGPT’s image tools, I created a series of pictures imagining what Centralia, Pennsylvania might look like today if the mine fire had never occurred. As many know, Centralia was once a bustling town, slowly emptied out due to an underground fire that’s still burning.
But what if that fire had never happened? What if May 27, 1962 came and went without an incident.. life went on. No news cameras.. no demolition.. Just another town in Eastern PA..?
I asked Artificial Intelligence to help with an idea..
I recently wrote about how eerie this new era of AI can feel.
Tools like ChatGPT are advancing so quickly that it’s hard to tell what’s real anymore. If you’ve been off the grid for a few days, you might’ve missed it—but online, nearly everything you see now could be artificially generated.
That can be unsettling. Some people have reacted with sadness, feeling like we’re losing touch with reality. Others are inspired, using AI to create beautiful visuals, write stories, or even just think more deeply. I feel a mix of both. Humanity has always adapted to technology—but this feels faster than the Industrial Revolution or any economic shift before. It’s reshaping our perception of reality in real time.
Still, with the help of AI, I was able to bring Centralia back to life—at least visually.
St. Ignatius Church – A Winter’s Day in the Present
We started with a snowy photo of St. Ignatius Church, probably taken in the mid-1980s, around Christmas. The roads were slick, and old cars lined Route 61. Using AI, we enhanced it—adding modern vehicles, updated streetlights, and a fresher atmosphere. Amusingly, the snow wasn’t sticking to the road anymore. Maybe AI was hinting at global warming?
Popson’s Market – A Memory Rekindled
Popson’s Store holds a personal place in my heart. I remember it vividly. In the updated image, AI kept the original signage and even the prices—which might be the easiest giveaway that this scene isn’t real. But something about seeing it come alive again, with a modern backdrop, was oddly comforting.
The Laundromat – From Dream to Disrepair
Our first attempt at recreating the town laundromat looked like the Taj Mahal of wash-and-folds—way too pristine. So we toned it down. We gave the AI a more realistic image from today’s coal region, and it responded with something more grounded. While many of us remember Centralia with warmth, chances are, had it survived, much of it might’ve looked a little worn around the edges.
Watch your Speed
The famous Speed Spot! One of the last remaining businesses in town.. in this AI world, it still exists. It doesn’t look great, but it has a new sign.
Main Street – A Glimpse Down the Hill
We also reimagined Centralia’s Main Street, using an old black-and-white photo that featured the Ukrainian church perched on the hill. The AI changed some of the church’s distinctive features—removing the onion domes and slightly altering its character. Still, the overall scene gave a strong impression of what the town might look like if the homes and life were still there—complete with modern cars passing through.
Graffiti Highway – A Clean Slate
Of course, we had to tackle the infamous Graffiti Highway. Even though it’s long gone—covered over and shut down—we gave the AI a graffiti-filled photo and asked it to restore the highway to a modern state. The result? A clean, polished road… perhaps too clean. No potholes. No cracks. No faded paint. As anyone who’s driven through the area knows, that’s probably the most unrealistic part of the entire project!
The old home..
This one is personal. The block I lived on, my house in the image. Now of course gone with everything else in the shot. Except with AI it still lives .. it would look like this.. maybe?
This AI journey through Centralia was fun—and also a little emotional. It allowed us to visualize something that isn’t possible anymore. For those who lived there, the new images might feel strange.
The clothes, the cars, the vibrancy—it all seems a bit out of place. That’s because, despite AI’s best efforts, Centralia is a memory. It didn’t survive. The real photos of the town remain frozen in time.
Still, these recreated visions let us ask: What if it had?
