The Timeline

Saundersville was founded after Schuyler and Elizabeth Saunders staked a 640-acre land claim of what is now downtown Chehalis

Saundersville was renamed Chehalis, a Native American word meaning “shifting and shining sand”

Lewis County, named for Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was created. Washington would not become a state until 1889 Chehalis became the Lewis County seat after the Northern Pacific Railroad was persuaded to build through Chehalis

George Washington, son of an African American slave, filed a plot establishing the town of Centerville, soon to be Centralia

Chehalis was incorporated

CentraliaChehalis Chamber office construction completes

Centralia was incorporated

Northern Pacific Railroad Depots were built in both Centralia and Chehalis

The Lewis County Courthouse was built in Chehalis at the corner of Main Street and Chehalis Avenue where it still stands today

Centralia became known as the Hub City because of its central location between Portland and Seattle Twin City Commerce established

The community joined forces to providing PPE for local First Responders in response to COVID-19

Penny Playground and Recreation Park are completed Chehalis

Jefferson

Centralia College Multipurpose Athletic Complex completed

The Chehalis Renaissance Plan was adopted by the City Council to revitalize the city. The project continues today with several successful projects completed

Centralia completed a 12 block downtown restoration and streetscape project The Borst Park Complex was developed to bring visitors to the region