Centralia, Illinois Centralia, Illinois Marion County Illinois incorporated and unincorporated areas Centralia highlighted.svg Location in Marion County and the state of Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States Wikimedia Commons: Centralia, Illinois Centralia is a town/city in Clinton, Jefferson, Marion, and Washington counties in the U.S.
Centralia is titled for the Illinois Central Railroad, assembled in 1853.
Centralia was first chartered as a town/city in 1859. Coincidentally, Centralia is "central" for another reason, perhaps unbeknownst to its founders: in the southern town/city limits is the intersection of the Third Principal Meridian and its baseline.
This initial point was established in 1815, and it governs territory surveys for about 60% of the state of Illinois, including Chicago. The initial 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 historic marker.
The town of Centerville, Washington was retitled Centralia, Washington to avoid being confused with another Centerville in that state.
Centralia is positioned approximately 60 miles (97 km) east of St.
Most of the city, including its downtown, is in southwestern Marion County, but the town/city extends west into Clinton County and south 5 miles (8 km) into Washington and Jefferson counties.
Centralia is one of three Illinois metros/cities with portions in four counties, the the rest being Barrington Hills and Aurora.
Because of its unique locale within multiple counties, portions of Centralia are associated with different Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs).
The Centralia Micropolitan Travel Destination includes all of Marion County.
The portion of Centralia in Washington County is not considered part of any urbane or micropolitan area.
According to the 2010 census, Centralia has a total region of 9.223 square miles (23.89 km2), of which 8.19 square miles (21.21 km2) (or 88.8%) is territory and 1.033 square miles (2.68 km2) (or 11.2%) is water. In the town/city the age distribution of the populace shows 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older.
Centralia's Foundation Park is a scenic 235-acre (0.95 km2) park that features hiking trails, an exercise trail, an ice skating pond and two fishing ponds stocked with bass, bluegill and catfish.
The Annual Centralia Balloon festival was the event in which the second "Space Shuttle" hot air balloon was crashed due to a fuel line defect.
In addition to Foundation Park, the Centralia Foundation also supports the Centralia Carillon, ranked as eighth-largest in the world with 65 bells, the greatest of which weights 5 tons.
Centralia is home to Kaskaskia College, Centralia High School, and Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School.
Centralia High School is home of the Orphans and Annies.
The Centralia boys basketball team won its 2,000th game amid the 2007 08 season, making it the winningest team in the US.
The Centralia Orphans were the State Runner-Up in the 2011 Class 3 - A.
The Centralia Orphans were recently titled the Most Unique Mascot in the country by USA Today.
One of only two remaining 2500 class steam locomotives from the Illinois Central Railroad is preserved on static display at Centralia's Fairview Park.
See also: Centralia, Illinois (Amtrak station) Amtrak, the nationwide passenger rail system, provides service to Centralia.
Amtrak Train 59, the southbound City of New Orleans, departs Centralia at 12:25 am daily with service to Carbondale, Fulton, Newbern-Dyersburg, Memphis, Greenwood, Yazoo City, Jackson, Hazlehurst, Brookhaven, Mc - Comb, Hammond, and New Orleans.
Amtrak Train 58, the northbound City of New Orleans, departs Centralia at 4:10 am daily with service to Effingham, Mattoon, Champaign-Urbana, Kankakee, Homewood, and Chicago.
Centralia is also served by Amtrak Train 390/391, the Saluki, daily in the morning, and Amtrak Train 392/393, the Illini, daily in the afternoon/evening.
Gene Paulette, infielder for four Major League Baseball teams; born in Centralia "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Centralia city, Illinois".
"The Third Principal Meridian, Centralia Illinois".
"Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School, Centralia, Illinois".
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Centralia, Illinois.
City of Centralia official website Centralia Balloon Fest Centralia Area Historical Society Museum Centralia High School Municipalities and communities of Marion County, Illinois, United States Municipalities and communities of Clinton County, Illinois, United States Municipalities and communities of Washington County, Illinois, United States Municipalities and communities of Jefferson County, Illinois, United States
Categories:
Cities in Clinton County, Illinois - Cities in Jefferson County, Illinois - Cities in Washington County, Illinois - Cities in Marion County, Illinois - Centralia, Illinois - Populated places established in 1853
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