Centralia Historical Society

319 East Sneed Street
Centralia, MO, 65240
573-682-5711

URL : http://centralia.missouri.org/history.html

overview : Adjacent to the museum are the beautiful Chance Gardens blending a waterfall, flowers, trees and rock formations. - Much of the first 100 years history of Centralia centered around the railroads. Founded in 1857 along the newly constructed North missouri Railroad, the city's economics, street patterns and life styles were substantially influenced by this transportation. In 1864 a guerrilla band ambushed a train carrying Union soldiers. The massacre and subsequent direct battle resulted in over 100 deaths.