Byrnesville, Pennsylvania

The clearing that was once Byrnesville

Byrnesville was a town located in Conyngham Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was located about halfway between Centralia and Ashland. In 1985, the population of Byrnesville was approximately 75.

Byrnesville was founded in 1856.[1] Most of the residents were Irish Catholics who worked in the local anthracite coal mines. It was made up of Upper and Lower Byrnesville. The first homes were built in Lower Byrnesville around 1856 and in Upper Byrnesville around 1865. An elementary school was located in Byrnesville but was discontinued in the 1930s.[2]

Byrnesville was one of the casualties of the Centralia mine fire. The last home in Byrnesville was torn down in 1996, which spelled the end for this town. The only remaining structures there now are a religious shrine on a hillside, a storage trailer, and an unused garage.

The present-day routing of Pennsylvania Route 61 follows what was an old logging road through Byrnesville, bypassing sections of the original route of the four-lane highway which has been heavily damaged by subsidence caused by the underground fire.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Holmes, Kristin E. (October 21, 2008). "Minding a legacy of faith: In an empty town, a shrine still shines". Philly.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Byrnesville, Pennsylvania". offroaders.com. Retrieved April 30, 2017.

Coordinates: 40°47′45″N 76°20′21″W / 40.7959°N 76.3392°W / 40.7959; -76.3392


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