A search for freedom and opportunity
After years of navigating laws and barriers that constrained Black settlement and land ownership, Washington continued west with his adoptive family.
Our Founder
George Washington.
“If there’s any decent place in this world, I’m going to find it.”
That determination carried a pioneering Black settler across the continent and helped shape the city we know today.
George and Mary Jane Washington founded the town that became Centralia. Their cooperation, generosity, and hard work remain part of downtown’s civic character.
A life shaped by resolve
He kept moving until he found a place to build.
Washington crossed the Oregon Trail and settled near the meeting of the Chehalis and Skookumchuck Rivers. He created a life in a region where possibility still had to be claimed through persistence.
George and Mary Jane plat Centerville
Together they formally established the town that would later be renamed Centralia.
A town built around shared space
The Washingtons set aside land for civic and community life, including the downtown park that still carries their name.
A community with a public heart
Their legacy was never meant to stand alone.
George and Mary Jane Washington helped the young town survive difficult years by putting people and community ahead of personal advantage. That same spirit shaped Centralia’s year-long bicentennial celebration in 2017 and 2018.
The celebration culminated in the dedication of a life-size bronze monument in the downtown park the Washingtons had donated. The Bicentennial Committee also established a permanent endowed scholarship at Centralia College.
Cooperation
Progress built through shared effort.
Community support
Neighbors helping neighbors through hard times.
Stewardship
Leaving places and opportunities for those who come next.
A legacy you can still visit
His story lives across Centralia.
Public art, gathering places, exhibits, and community care keep the Washingtons’ story present in the city they founded.
Public history
Stories shared downtown
Exhibits, talks, and celebrations introduce new generations to George and Mary Jane Washington.
Public art
The downtown mural
The familiar mural of Washington and Rockwood remains one of downtown’s most visible tributes.
Community care
Washington Lawn Cemetery
Volunteers care for the final resting place of Centralia’s founders and their family.
Keep the story moving forward
Learn. Visit. Remember.
The Washingtons’ story is part of Centralia’s living identity. Explore the places connected to their lives, share their history, and help preserve the civic spirit they modeled.
