Heading west on Mellen St. on what is not called the Mellen St. Bridge, despite there being multiple bridges across the Chehalis (though only this one in Centralia) but only one bridge along Mellen. Blame Centralia. It was built in 1959, replacing the "Hangman's Bridge" of 1911 where Wesley Everest was taken from downtown and hung for his role in the "Centralia Massacre." It wasn't much of a massacre, but 6 people died in a clash between the anti-union American Legion veterans and the "Communist" IWW union on the first anniversary of the WWI armistice. Feelings were raw, someone was hung, a bridge got named, that was life.


Back east into town.

Back to Washington Roads
Back to Roads