National Register of Historic Places

Centralia Commercial Historic District

Centralia, Marion County, Illinois
Listed
March 7, 2012
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
12000060

About this property

The Centralia Commercial Historic District is a historic commercial district comprising several blocks of Broadway in downtown Centralia, Illinois. The district includes 57 contributing buildings as well as a historic water tower and sign. Centralia's business district developed around the Illinois Central Railroad tracks, as the town was established by and named for the railroad. The earliest buildings in the district date from the 1850s, as the city was platted in 1853. Centralia's first commercial buildings were mainly designed in the Italianate style, which was predominant until the end of the 19th century; the Romanesque Revival style also gained popularity in the 1880s. Around the turn of the century, the Commercial style became the most popular style in the district. The Renaissance Revival and Classical Revival styles can also be seen in buildings from this era, and by the 1930s Art Deco and Modernist architecture became popular. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 7, 2012. Two buildings within the district, the Egyptian Revival Sentinel Building and the Classical Revival Elks Lodge, are individually listed in the National Register.

Location

126 W. Broadway to 331 E. Broadway
Centralia, Marion County, Illinois
38.52967, -89.13404

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Centralia Commercial Historic District

This page lists Centralia Commercial Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Centralia Commercial Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Centralia Elk's Lodge, The
Industrial
0.1 mi
Sentinel Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
Bachmann, Charles and Naomi, House
Industrial
12.1 mi
Bryan, William Jennings, Boyhood Home
Industrial
12.1 mi
Methodist Episcopal Church
Industrial
12.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Centralia Commercial Historic District listed on the National Register?

Centralia Commercial Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 7, 2012.

What type of historic resource is Centralia Commercial Historic District?

Centralia Commercial Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Centralia Commercial Historic District?

The period of significance for Centralia Commercial Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Centralia Commercial Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Centralia Commercial Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Marion County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Marion County.

Explore MarionCounty ›

More historic places in Illinois

Browse all historic places in Illinois.

View Illinoishistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Illinois history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Illinoishistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Centralia Commercial Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report