Our History

Centralia, Washington

Discover a wealth of activities, resources and places to see whether you are visiting us for the first time or are among our returning friends. Please use the many features of the Centralia City Guide to plan your visit or to learn more about the city and its remarkable history.

Centralia, Washington was founded in 1875 by George Washington, the son of a Black slave, and a jack-of-all-trades who journeyed to the Pacific Northwest to create a new life.

Chehalis, Washington

A community working together to maintain a high quality of life. “We are a vital and growing, historic rural community of caring, hard working, family oriented people working together for the well being of ourselves and our future generation. We will direct our daily activities toward realizing our vision of the future of Chehalis.”

The City of Chehalis was incorporated on November 23, 1883, and operates under the laws of the State of Washington applicable to a non-charter code city with a council-manager form of government.

Lewis County Historical Museum

Seeing history today is important to visitors and residents of Lewis County. The Lewis County Historical Museum, housed in the 1912 depot in Chehalis, invites you to honor the people, ideas and events that laid the foundation for our lives today. It features a scale-model railroad exhibit showcasing the railroad history of Lewis County, a research library including books and records on local history with an extensive collection of photographs and newspapers, and interactive exhibits designed for the whole family!