Centralia is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

in Trinity County,

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, United States. In 2000, the estimated population was 53 residents. It is located within the

Huntsville, Texas Huntsville is a city in and the county seat of Walker County, Texas, United States. Its population was 45,941 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the center of the Huntsville United States micropolitan area, micropolitan area ...

micropolitan area.

Historical development

The town was originally settled around the time of the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, with the town square being established the following decade. As the town was located between Nogalus Prairie and Apple Springs, it was given the name ''Centralia''. In 1874, the post office was opened and over the next 11 years, the town would grow to have a population of 150 residents, along with the addition of two general stores, several steam

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

s and

gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that h ...

s, two

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

s, and a saloon. As late as 1914, the population would be at its peak at 300. After

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, businesses would begin to close with the town's population dwindling over the next several decades. In the mid-1930s, the community had a store, a

chair A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. It may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vario ...

factory, and 75 residents. The population was 26 in 1990 and 53 in 2000. On April 25, 2011, an EF1 tornado struck Centralia. Many trees were downed near Davy Crockett National Forest.

Geography

Centralia is located on Farm to Market Road 357, northeast of Groveton in northeastern Trinity County.

Education

Centralia had its own school in 1885. Today, the community is served by the Apple Springs Independent School District.

Notable person

David Henry Hamilton, Texas statesman, resided here.Legislative Reference Library of Texas
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References

{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Trinity County, Texas Unincorporated communities in Texas