Centralia College President Bob Mohrbacher addresses the crowd in Washington Hall during the rededication of the building on Tuesday. The building was rededicated in honor of the 200th birthday of Centralia's founder George Washington and the people of Washington.
Centralia College student and historian Heather Beaird talks about George Washington's history during the rededication of Washington Hall on the college's campus on Tuesday.
Retired state Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerry Alexander speaks at the Washington Hall rededication ceremony on Tuesday at the college.
George Washington and his dog are seen in this file photo.
Washington Hall on the campus of Centralia College was rededicated on Tuesday in honor of the city founder’s 200th birthday and also the people of Washington who helped the college construct the building.
Centralia College President Bob Mohrbacher said the college’s board of trustees originally voted to name the hall in 2005. At that time, the conversations surrounding the name of the college’s performing arts center centered around Centralia’s founder George Washington and the taxpayers of the state, although the resolution in the record did not specifically mention either.
The new resolution adopted by the current board of trustees now puts the namesake of the building in the historical record, Mohrbacher said.
Stu Halsan, chairman of the board of trustees, said the board felt the resolution was important.
“We need to recognize this city is one that is unusual,” he said. “It’s the largest city in the United States that was ever founded by a black man, a black couple. It was not just that there was a house built and other people gathered around it. George was a person looking for an opportunity.”
Halsan said Washington wanted to build a community of diversity and love and one that consisted of caring people.
The rededication followed the kickoff of a yearlong celebration marking the 200th birthday of Washington, who founded Centralia. It was originally named Centerville.
“We all know that our state was named for one of our country’s founding fathers, its first president, George Washington,” Heather Beaird, a historian and Centralia College student, said. “Today, we meet to rededicate this hall to another great man named George Washington from Virginia. A man born into slavery, who became the founding father of Centerville.”
Retired state Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerry Alexander was present at the event, lauding Washington as a wonderful person who lived by the Golden Rule. He said Washington was there to help his neighbors, despite the adversity that he faced. He noted he was a man of good character who never turned away anyone in need of help.
The rededication comes at a time when national events — most notably the turmoil in Charlottesville, Virginia, where one person was killed by an apparent Nazi-sympathizer Saturday — have brought the issue of racism to the forefront of many conversations.
“In light of national events and what’s gone on in Charlottesville, the fact that we can all be here today and celebrate George Washington as the founder of Centralia takes on new significance,” Mohrbacher said.
Washington was born on Aug. 15, 1817, in Frederick County, Virginia, to a white mother and a father who was a slave. After Washington’s father was sold following his birth, his mother gave Washington to James and Anna Cochran, a white couple who was friends of the family.
Washington ended up moving west to Oregon Country after the Legislature passed a series of bills that restricted his rights.
According to Beaird, Washington set out to find a decent place that was fair and ended up as the area’s fourth settler in 1852 near the Skookumchuck and Chehalis rivers.
After James Cochran took out a 640-acre donation claim under the homestead act, he later sold the land to Washington.
“Seeing this as a central point between Kalama and Tacoma, he realized his chance to build a small town of close-knit, helpful and interdependent neighbors who would work together for the good of all of them,” Beaird said.
The original plat that established the town of Centerville included Main Street and East and West Front streets, which are now Tower Avenue, Pearl, Gold, Diamond, Magnolia, Locust, Maple and Pine, according to Beaird. The lots were sold for $10 a piece. An addition to Centerville was added in 1881, and the name was changed to Centralia in 1883.
Washington went on to donate lots for churches, a cemetery and a park that is now named for him in front of the library in Centralia.
During the “Panic of 1893,” Beaird said Washington became “a one-man relief program” as the town was plagued with “rows of vacant buildings.” Washington bought supplies and food for the townspeople, gave out loans at no interest, and offered people work so that they did not feel indebted to him.
“He continued to help in this way until times improved in 1898,” Beaird said.
Washington died on Aug. 26, 1905, shortly after he turned 88-years-old. He has no living descendants.
Centralia is the largest community in the country founded by a black man.
The college will commission a plaque to commemorate the rededication of Washington Hall.
Last weekend, a birthday party was held in Washington Park to help celebrate the city’s founder. Events will continue throughout the year. More information can be found online at www.ourgeorgewashington.com.
