"Youth - Our Heritage and America's Hope" is the theme for the 2010 Fourth of July Summerfest parade. The parade will begin at 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 4, in historic downtown Centralia. Summerfest Complete List of Events
Becca Kruger, Centralia, hops along during a sack race at Summerfest in Centralia. Photo by The Chronicle.
Members of the Lewis County Shrine Club drive a trick automobile during a Summerfest parade through downtown Centralia. Held annually, Summerfest is a celebration of the Fourth of July. Photo by The Chronicle.
Originally called Centerville, the city changed its name to Centralia in 1883 after the city was frequently confused with another Centerville in the state. The city was founded by a pioneer named George Washington, the Virginia-born son of a black slave and a white woman. He homesteaded the land where the Skookumchuck and Chehalis rivers come together, but nearly lost the land due to racist territorial laws.
In 1875 Washington and his wife filed a plat for the town of Centerville. He sold lots for $10 each after carefully interviewing buyers to screen out speculators. When Washington died, the mayor declared a citywide day of mourning for the town’s founder and benefactor.
The city of Centralia is also renowned for the infamous Centralia Massacre which occurred on Nov. 11, 1919. It began during a parade celebrating the first anniversary of Armistice Day. The “massacre” arose from a dispute between the American Legion and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) labor union. Gunfire broke out between the two groups, which eventually resulted in the hanging of one man, the deaths of four veterans, multiple wounded and several prison terms. There is still debate as to who started the violence, and what happened thereafter.
Centralia has grown considerably since the early days, and had a population of about 15,000 during the last U.S. census. For additional information about the city of Centralia, visit www.centralia.com or telephone the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce at 360-748-8885.