Rooted in Centralia: Celebrating 150 Years

Courtesy Photo

Edna Fund

By Sigoruney Orstad
For the C/C Chamber of Commerce

As 2025 begins, the Centralia Downtown Association is gearing up for a year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of Centralia’s founding. This story is not only one of resilience, but also illustrates how one man’s passion for the community, combined with natural business instincts, created and later restored this town.

Centralia, originally called Centerville, was founded in 1875 by George Washington, a Black man who moved to the future Washington State from the East Coast. Washington relocated to what would become Centralia with his guardians, a white couple named Cochran.

Shortly after Washington’s birth, the Cochrans agreed to raise him until he turned 21, after his father—who was enslaved—was sold to another master. The Cochrans and Washington eventually made their way to the Oregon Territory, migrating north to the future site of Centralia.

During a time when Black people were prohibited from homesteading, Washington faced significant challenges in securing the land that would become Centralia. Despite these barriers, he succeeded in staking a claim to 640 acres in 1852. “He said, ‘If there is a decent place in the world, I will find it.’ And this is the place,” said Edna Fund, a local historian and volunteer with the Centralia Downtown Association.

Washington and his wife, Mary Jane, worked together to lay out the streets of a new town they would call Centerville. They filed the paperwork in Chehalis on Jan. 8, 1875. Washington sold plots of land for as little as $10 per lot and never more than $150 per lot. He carefully vetted buyers to ensure they intended to settle permanently in Centralia.

Washington established the first church, a public square, and a pole ferry to cross the nearby river (Skookumchuck or Chehalis?). In 1883, the town was officially renamed Centralia. The public square is now known as George Washington Park, and a monument can be seen there honoring him.

In 1893, a nationwide economic depression hit Centralia, severely impacting local businesses and families. Despite these hardships, Washington kept the town afloat by forgiving debts and allowing residents to work for food and clothing until the economy recovered.

Dubbed “The Hub City,” Centralia became a major transportation hub, with the railroad transporting goods and people across the Pacific Northwest. The city also thrived with industries such as timber and dairy, supported by several milk processing plants in the area.

During Prohibition, Centralia businesses remained popular, with some discreetly continuing to serve alcohol. According to Fund, there’s a rumor that a tunnel once connected the railroad to the Olympic Club, allowing for the illegal transport of alcohol into the city.

Looking to Centralia’s future, Fund expressed her hopes for the city’s businesses: “I think it would be really cool if people who are leasing knew the history of their building. I think it would just add to our town if people got to know the history and kept it alive.”

The Centralia Downtown Association has big plans for the 150th anniversary, including a tree-planting campaign to celebrate this milestone. “The Rooted in Centralia campaign is a big deal for the CDA because it ties everything we care about into one effort—celebrating our history, improving downtown, and building pride in our community,” said Executive Director MacKenzie McGee. “As Centralia turns 150, we’re not just looking back; we’re planting trees and setting the stage for a stronger, more vibrant future. It’s about connecting people to our shared story and making downtown a place we can all be proud of for generations to come.”

To learn more about the history of Centralia, here is a list of book recommendations offered by Edna Fund, who was interviewed for this article:

“Centralia’s First Century 1845-1955” by Citizens of Centralia
“Centralia: The First Fifty Years 1845-1900” by Herndon Smith
“George Washington of Centralia” by Brian Mittge and Kerry Macgregor Serl
“The Flood of 2007: Disaster and Survival on the Chehalis River” as reported by The Chronicle
“The Land Called Lewis: A History of Lewis County, Washington” by Sandra A. Crowell