Centralia, Washington

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Centralia, Washington
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Centralia, Washington


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Washington
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Lewis

government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
leader_name =
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established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 19.3
area_land_km2 = 19.2
area_water_km2 = 0.1
area_total_sq_mi = 7.5
area_land_sq_mi = 7.4
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 14742
population_density_km2 = 768.6
population_density_sq_mi = 1990.6

timezone = Pacific (PST)
utc_offset = -8
timezone_DST = PDT
utc_offset_DST = -7
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 57
elevation_ft = 187
latd = 46 |latm = 43 |lats = 14 |latNS = N
longd = 122 |longm = 57 |longs = 41 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 98531
area_code = 360
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 53-11160GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1503899GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Centralia is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 14,742 at the 2000 census.

History

In pioneer days, Centralia was the halfway stopover point for stagecoaches operating between the Columbia River and Seattle. In 1850, J. G. Cochran, coming from Missouri with a young African-American slave named George Washington, filed a donation land claim on the townsite. Later, Cochran freed his slave, adopted him as a son, and in 1852 sold him his claim for $6,000. The new owner built a home and filed a plat for the town of Centerville, offering lots for $10 each, with one lot free to buyers who built houses. Centralia was officially incorporated on February 3, 1886.

In 1891, the population, over 1,000, found its mail confused with that of another Centerville in the state, and the name of the town was changed to Centralia. ("Washington - A guide to the Evergreen State", WPA American Guide Series, Washington State Historical Society, 1941). The city was the site of the infamous Centralia Massacre in 1919.

The 1940 population of Centralia was 7,414.

Longtime NBA player Detlef Schrempf attended Centralia High School as an exchange student from the former West Germany (1980-1981), starring in basketball. Cable television and early mobile phone entrepreneur Craig McCaw is also originally from Centralia. Other notable natives of Centralia include Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay, Washington Redskins offensive lineman Calvin Armstrong, and modern dancer Merce Cunningham.

December 3, 2007 flood

Due to flooding from the December 2007 Pacific Northwest storms, a twenty-mile (32 km) stretch of Interstate 5 was closed between exits 68 and 88, which runs through Lewis County near Centralia. It was not expected to reopen for several days. [ cite web
url = http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1196736462&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1
title = Flood Damage Continues to Mount
publisher = The Chronicle
date = December 62007
accessdate = 2007-12-06] The economic cost of the Interstate 5 closure was roughly $4 million a day. To redirect water away from the freeway, WSDOT breached a dike to allow the water to drain back into the Chehalis River. As of December 6, 2007, the waters covering the portion of Interstate 5, which runs through Centralia, have slowly receded.

According to Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond, the damage done to Interstate 5 was not as bad as previously believed. Transportation workers were able to start repairs while the waters receded from the roadway. "It's possible there could be one lane open in each direction [of Interstate 5] by late Thursday," said Hammond. [ cite web
url = http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_storm_recovery_gregoire.html
title = I-5 could re-open tonight at Centralia
publisher = Seattle Post-Intelligencer
date = December 62007
accessdate = 2007-12-06]

At the height of the storm, at least 75,000 customers in Washington lost electric service. Many remained without power since the start of the storms. Near downtown Centralia, twenty square blocks had been flooded. The December 2007 Pacific Northwest storms and flood were blamed for at least eight deaths and billions of dollars of damage to the area.

Due to a log jam, the damage was very bad. Many other Washington cities were hit by flood.

Economy and employment

On Nov. 28, 2006 it was announced that TransAlta Corp., the largest employer in Centralia and operator of the Centralia Coal Mine, would eliminate 600 high-paying coal mining jobs. The nearby coal-fired electrical generating facility is not affected, except the coal to fire the plant will now come from Wyoming and Montana. Source: [http://www.theolympian.com/101/story/53046.html Daily Olympian article]

Recent reports indicate, however, that there has been no noticeable economic effect upon the City of Centralia as a result (except the addition of homes to the real estate inventory, but are being absorbed), though it was greatly speculated upon. Data indicates that Centralia is experiencing growth in all three sectors with new job growth on a regular basis; both in its light industrial areas as well as its core business district, Historic Downtown Centralia. [Boone, Rolf. [http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/109419.html "Unemployment claims dropped more than 300 from peak, report says"] . The Olympian. May 17, 2007.]

Geography

Centralia is located at coor dms|46|43|14|N|122|57|41|W|city (46.720484, -122.961429)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19.3 km²), of which, 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.67%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 14,742 people, 5,943 households, and 3,565 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,990.6 people per square mile (768.1/km²). There were 6,510 housing units at an average density of 879.0/sq mi (339.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.76% White, 0.44% African American, 1.25% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.30% Pacific Islander, 4.94% from other races, and 2.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.22% of the population.

There were 5,943 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,078, and the median income for a family was $35,684. Males had a median income of $31,595 versus $22,076 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,305. About 13.6% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Intercity rail transportation

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Centralia. Amtrak train 11, the southbound Coast Starlight, is scheduled to depart Centralia at 11:45am with service to Kelso-Longview, Portland, Sacramento, Emeryville, California (with bus connection to San Francisco), and Los Angeles. Amtrak train 14, the northbound Coast Starlight, is scheduled to depart Centralia at 5:57pm daily with service to Olympia-Lacey, Tacoma and Seattle. Amtrak Cascades trains, operating as far north as Vancouver, British Columbia and as far south as Eugene, Oregon, serve Centralia several times daily in both directions.

Government and politics

Centralia is a noncharter code city with a Council-Manager form of government. The City Council consists of seven members with positions one through three being at-large positions.

Although slightly less so than Lewis County as a whole, Centralia is conservative and fairly Republican. Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = George W. Bush
votes = 3,376
percentage = 59.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = John Kerry
votes = 2,182
percentage = 38.4
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)|Independent
candidate = Ralph Nader
votes = 59
percentage = 1.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = Michael Badnarik
votes = 32
percentage = 0.6
change = Election box total
votes = 5,676
percentage = 100.0
change =

Media outlets

Print
Centralia's leading newspaper is [http://www.chronline.com The Chronicle] and is ranked seventeenth in the state based on weekday circulation [http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/0532/050810_news_newspapers.php] and serves most of Lewis County. There are also several community-based newspapers that are published bi-weekly, such as [http://www.lewisnews.com/ The Lewis County News] and [http://www.devaulpublishing.com/eastcounty/ The East County Journal] .
* [http://www.chronline.com The Chronicle]
* [http://www.lewisnews.com/ The Lewis County News]
* [http://www.devaulpublishing.com/eastcounty/ The East County Journal]

AM Radio
* [http://www.kelaam.com/ KELA - 1470 AM]
* [http://www.live95.com/ KITI - 1420 AM]

FM Radio
* KCED - 91.3 FM
* [http://www.kmnt.com/ KMNT - 104.3 FM]
* [http://www.kacs.org/ KACS - 90.5 FM]
* [http://www.live95.com/ KITI-FM - 95.1 FM]

Points of interest

Olympic Club Hotel and other interesting shops and eateries located within the city's Historic District. The fully restored train depot, the Carnegie Library located in Washington Park, and the many historically representative murals draw visitors and shoppers from around the region and elsewhere.

There is a high concentration of antique shops on Tower St. in the Historic District, allowing the antique enthusiast many hours of pleasurable perusing.

In popular culture

Seattle-based rock band Harvey Danger uses Centralia as a metaphor in its song "Moral Centralia," found on the 2005 album "Little by Little...."

References

External links

* [http://www.centraliaguide.com/centralia/ Centralia City Hall (Unofficial Website)]
* [http://www.centraliaguide.com/ The Centralia City Guide] (unofficial website)
* [http://www.centraliadowntown.com/ Centralia Downtown Association]