Centralia, Illinois
Centralia is a city of 11,856 people in Clinton County, Illinois, founded in 1853.
Why visit Centralia
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 18 parks and trails, 25 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Centralia Commercial Historic District, Sentinel Building, Greenview Golf Club and Wamac City Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 21°F.
Weather in Centralia
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Centralia
Centralia is a city in Clinton, Jefferson, Marion, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Illinois with the largest portion in Marion County. The city is the largest in three counties, Clinton, Marion, and Washington, but it is not a county seat for any of them. The population was 12,182 as of the 2020 census, down from 13,032 in 2010.
From the Wikipedia article Centralia, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks8
Centralia Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
Sentinel Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Building in Centralia, Illinois
Centralia Elks Lodge
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds18
6 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes25
Yamato Japanese Steakhouse
Restaurant · Hibachi, Sushi, Japanese · 2.0 mi
8099 Jolliff Bridge Road, Centralia
Orphan Smokehouse
Restaurant · Barbecue · 1.3 mi
1829 South Pine Street, Centralia
Sergio's Bar and Grill
Restaurant · Mexican · 2.1 mi
1330 West McCord Street, Centralia
The Golden Pancake House
Restaurant · 1.4 mi
720 West Broadway, Centralia
06:00-21:00
Tequilla Mexican Testaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.8 mi
103 East Broadway, Centralia
13 more on the map.
Where to stay2
History
Centralia is named for the Illinois Central Railroad, built in 1853. The city was founded where the two original branches of the railroad converged. Centralia was first chartered as a city in 1859. Canadian National currently owns the line.
The intersection of the Third Principal Meridian and its baseline is in the southern city limits. This initial point was established in 1815, and it governs land surveys for about 60% of the state of Illinois, including Chicago. The original monument is at the junction of Highway 51 and the Marion-Jefferson County Line Road; today there is a small easement situated in the northeast corner of this intersection, which contains a monument and historical marker. Many Germans settled on the north side of town and Italians on the south side of town.
Production of the PayDay candy bar began here in 1938. Michael Moore's documentary, The Big One (1998), opens with the closing of this candy bar plant in the late 20th century. It addresses similar economic woes in other cities.
The town of Centerville, Washington, was renamed Centralia, Washington to avoid being confused with another Centerville in that state. A former resident of the Illinois town suggested the change.
From the History section of Centralia, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship37
Calumet Street Christian Church
Church · Nondenominational · 1.4 mi
2241 East Calumet Street, Centralia
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 1.4 mi
2241 East Calumet Street, Centralia
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries23
Healthcare5
Map of Centralia
129 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 21°F | 2.9 in | 3.4 in |
| Feb | 44°F | 24°F | 2.6 in | 4.5 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 33°F | 3.9 in | 0.5 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 44°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 75°F | 54°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 66°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 64°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 81°F | 56°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 45°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 55°F | 34°F | 4.1 in | 0.4 in |
| Dec | 43°F | 26°F | 3.0 in | 3.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Iuka 12 Sw (9 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Clinton County has had 4 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2002-05-21: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding (Tornado)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Centralia Municipal Airport (ENL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Central City 2 mi north, about 3 min by car
- Wamac 3 mi southwest, about 4 min by car
- Junction City 4 mi north, about 6 min by car
- Irvington 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Sandoval 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Odin 7 mi northeast, about 12 min by car
- Hoffman 8 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Belleville 47 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Carbondale 56 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Cahokia Heights 56 mi west, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Centralia IL 1, Jon Platek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Centralia, Illinois public library, Skvader, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Centralia Elks' Lodge corner damage, Nyttend, Public domain
- Centralia Elks' Lodge, Nyttend, Public domain
- Centralia Elks' Lodge cornerstone, Nyttend, Public domain
- Centralia Elks' Lodge porch ceiling, Nyttend, Public domain
- Centralia, Illinois Carillon Park, Skvader, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Centralia Bell Tower - panoramio, hakkun, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Centralia Sentinel Building, Nyttend, Public domain
- Centralia Tower - panoramio, Jon Platek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Broadway in the Centralia Commercial Historic District, Nyttend, Public domain
- Broadway and Elm - panoramio, Jon Platek, CC BY-SA 3.0
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