George Washington, Founder of Centralia

George Washington, Founder of Centralia

George Washington overcame incredible obstacles to become the founding father of Centralia, Washington in 1875. He was born into slavery in Virginia in 1817, and his parents made the painful choice to give him up to a white family, so that he could be raised as a free citizen. When he was old enough to move out on his own, Washington moved west looking for a place to settle. Racist laws in Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, and Oregon limited his opportunities to own land or operate a business, so he kept moving.

After Washington Territory was established in 1853 without laws to prohibit African Americans from land ownership, George Washington was able to stake a claim of 640 acres at the confluence of the Skookumchuck and Chehalis Rivers. By the 1870s, he had met and married an African American woman named Mary Jane. Settling in this wild, rugged area gave the couple the opportunity to shape a new city from the ground up. Together, they officially established the new town as Centerville. It was renamed Centralia in 1883.

During the economic panic of 1893, Washington made important decisions that supported struggling residents and kept Centralia afloat during trying times. He created charity programs that supplied free food staples to residents who found themselves suddenly impoverished. He waived foreclosures on his properties, enabling tenants to keep their homes and businesses. He bought vacant buildings to help keep the town alive. George Washington’s support was vital during this time of hardship. Because of his leadership, Centralia weathered the storm before a Gold Rush revived the town’s economy. When he died in 1905, businesses closed for a day of mourning and the entire town came out for his funeral; Washington had been well loved, as well as a prominent leader.

May George Washington’s influence on the history of Centralia and the state of Washington continue to inspire future generations of trailblazers and a diversity of courageous, compassionate leaders.