Welcome to the Commercial Historic District Walking Tour
Centralia’s rich history is still visible through the architecture of some downtown buildings.
Buildings in the Commercial Historic District highlight the district's significance as Centralia's commercial and social epicenter from 1850 to 1958, the latest construction date for a contributing property. Buildings that retain their original massing and character-defining elements of design are marked with a plaque on the sidewalk in front of the building.
The Commercial Historic District covers seven blocks in downtown Centralia, Illinois. The online pages of the walk are separated by blocks and streets.
There is no starting point, no ending point, and no wrong way to do the walk! Hop in anywhere or just browse through the buildings online from home.
Within the pages, you’ll find a recent photo of the building, the year the building was constructed, the history of the associated address*, and the architecture of the building that made it a contributing building. The history of each building is updated as we discover new information.**
*the history of the address includes buildings that were once there. For example, it might say a building was constructed in 1928, but the history of the address starts in 1908.
**if you have information to add, please contact us through the information at the bottom of each page.
We want to thank, and dedicate this walk to, the late John Stuehmeier for starting this project back in 2012. His love for Centralia is ever-present through this posthumous achievement.
His plaque is in front of 301 East Broadway—a building formerly owned by John to house his decades-long business: The Shopper’s Weekly newspaper.
John Stuemeier pictured with his wife, Cathy Stuemeier.
John Stuemeier’s plaque at 301 East Broadway
