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Centralia, WA

Frequently asked questions

Centralia, WA

Centralia is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. It is located along Interstate 5 near the midpoint between Seattle and Portland, Oregon. The city had a population of 18,183 at the 2020 census.  Centralia is twinned with Chehalis, located to the south near the confluence of the Chehalis and Newaukum rivers.

The area was first settled by the Upper Chehalis people with the first non-indigenous settlers arriving in 1845. In 1850, J. G. Cochran and his wife Anna were led there via the Oregon Trail by their adopted son, George Washington, a free African-American. The family feared Washington would be forced into slavery if they stayed in Missouri after the passage of the Compromise of 1850. Cochran filed a donation land claim near the Borst Home in 1852 and was able to sell his claim to Washington for $6,000 because, unlike the neighboring Oregon Territory, there was no restriction against passing legal ownership of land to African Americans in the newly formed Washington Territory. The new community was connected to the Columbia and Puget Sound regions via the first major road in the area in 1857. In the 1850s and 1860s, Centralia's Borst Home, at the confluence of the Chehalis and Skookumchuck Rivers, was the site of a toll ferry, and the halfway stopping point for stagecoaches operating between Kalama, Washington, and Tacoma.

Upon hearing of the imminent arrival of the Northern Pacific Railway (NP) in 1872, Washington and his wife, Mary Jane, filed a plat for the town of Centerville, naming the streets with a Biblical theme, and offering lots for $10 each with one lot free to buyers who built houses. Washington also donated land for a city park, a cemetery, and a Baptist church. Responding to new settlers' concern about a town in Klickitat County with the same name, the town was renamed Centralia by 1883, as suggested by a recent settler from Centralia, Illinois, and officially incorporated on February 3, 1886. The town's population boomed, then collapsed in the Panic of 1893, when the NP went bankrupt; entire city blocks were offered for as little as $50 with no takers. Washington (despite facing racial prejudice from some newcomers) made personal loans and forgave debt to keep the town afloat until the economy stabilized; the city then boomed again based on the coal, lumber, and dairying industries. When Washington died in 1905, all businesses in the town closed, and 5,000 mourners attended his funeral. The city bestowed an honor on Washington in 2023 by declaring August 15, his recognized birthday, as Centralia's Founder's Day.

The boom lasted until November 11, 1919, when the infamous Centralia Massacre occurred. Spurred on by local lumber barons, American Legionnaires (many of whom had returned from WWI to find their jobs filled by pro-union members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)), used the Armistice Day parade to attack the IWW hall. Marching unarmed, the Legionnaires broke from the parade and stormed the hall to bust union organizing efforts by what was seen to be a Bolshevik-inspired labor movement. IWW workers including recently returned WWI veteran Wesley Everest, stood their ground, engaged, and killed four Legionnaires. Everest was captured, jailed, and then brutally lynched. Other IWW members were also jailed. The event made international headlines, and coupled with similar actions in Everett, Washington, and other lumber towns, stifled the American labor movement until the economic devastation of the 1930s Great Depression changed opinions about labor organizations.

The town's name was originally a reference to the town's location as the midway point between Tacoma and Kalama, which were originally the NP's Washington termini. This central moniker continued to have longevity when it became the midpoint between Seattle and Portland, Oregon after the construction of Interstate 5 and its predecessor, U.S. Route 99.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.56 square miles (19.58 km2), of which, 7.42 square miles (19.22 km²) is land and 0.14 square miles (0.36 km²) is water.  

Centralia places a strong emphasis on health and wellness for its residents. Providence Centralia Hospital offers comprehensive health services, including wellness check-ups and preventive care programs. Anytime Fitness offers comprehensive fitness programs including cardio, strength training, and group exercise classes. For a relaxing experience, visit the Body Essence Massage for therapeutic treatments. The Centralia Community Pool offers aquatic exercises and swimming lessons, perfect for low-impact fitness. Outdoor enthusiasts can explore the Seminary Hill Natural Area, which provides scenic hiking trails and opportunities for nature walks. For holistic health services, the Chehalis Naturopathic Medicine in Centralia provides naturopathic treatments and wellness consultations. Harrison Hot Springs offers a rejuvenating retreat with its natural mineral hot springs. 

Top sites in Centralia, WA are McMenamins Olympic Club, King Agriculture Museum, Evergreen Playhouse, and Fort Borst Park.

Population: 18,754 (2023). ZIP code: 98531. Area code: 360. Elevation: 187 ft (57 m). Area: 7.81 sq mi (20.22 km²).

FAQs

Why is Centralia, WA called a hub city?

This handsome 15-block downtown district sports one and two-story brick buildings constructed between 1900 and 1930. Founded by the son of a slave (George Washington), Centralia (or “Hub City” for its transportation connections) is infamous as the site of the Centralia Massacre. In recent years it has revitalized itself as a “hub” for arts and antiquing day trips from Seattle and Portland.

Is Centralia, WA a good place to live? 

Centralia is in Lewis County. Living in Centralia offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Centralia, there are a lot of coffee shops and parks. Many families and retirees live in Centralia and residents tend to lean conservative.

What is Centralia, WA known for?

Washington purchased the claim from his father when the newly created Washington Territory established different ownership laws. He platted the city as Centerville in 1875; it was renamed Centralia in 1891. Lumbering is Centralia’s chief industry; the economy depends also on dairying, poultry raising, and fruit farming in the area. Centralia (community) College was established in 1925.

Sources

City of Centralia

Wikipedia

Niche

Britannica

Revisit WA

McMenamins Olympic Club

King Agriculture Museum

Evergreen Playhouse

Fort Borst Park

Providence Centralia Hospital

Anytime Fitness

Body Essence Massage

Centralia Community Pool

Seminary Hill Natural Area

Chehalis Naturopathic Medicine

Harrison Hot Springs

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