Editing Centralia, Illinois (section)

==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.<ref name=EB1911 /> Now [[Canadian National]] 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]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Third Principal Meridian, Centralia Illinois |url=http://www.pmproject.org/3pm.htm |publisher=Principal Meridian Project |access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref> 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.

Production of the [[PayDay (confection)|PayDay]] candy bar began here in 1938. [[Michael Moore]]'s documentary, [[The Big One (film)|''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.

Centralia's city flag was designed in 1924 by Wendell Bauer, whose design was awarded first prize in a community-wide design competition.<ref>{{cite news |title=COMMUNITY FLAG DESIGN CHOSEN —WENDELL BAUER WINNER OF THE FIRST PRIZE; 22 DESIGNS IN |url= |access-date= |work=Centralia Sentinel |date=1924}}</ref> A broad red stripe through the center of the flag represents the railroads to which the city owes its existence. A gold star above and below the stripe signifies the area's mining and agricultural industries. Lastly, a triangle pyramid with a sphinx head design is symbolic of Egypt, a tribute to Southern Illinois’ nickname, [[Southern Illinois|“Little Egypt”]].

The [[1947 Centralia mine disaster|Centralia mine disaster]] occurred in 1947 when the nearby Centralia No. 5 coal mine exploded, killing 111 people.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/centralia.htm|title=Centralia No. 5 Mine Explosion, Centralia, Illinois|last=United States Mine Rescue Association|website=Mine Disasters in the United States|language=en|access-date=2018-06-25}}</ref> The disaster was memorialized in folk singer [[Woody Guthrie]]'s song "The Dying Miner".<ref name=":0" />