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History · Central City

Central City dates to 1848, and 34% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1914 on and the census since 1920.

1848founded
0on the National Register
34%homes built before 1940
3famous people
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Quick answers

How Central City began

When was Central City founded?

1848

Central City dates its founding to 1848 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1920.

First census: 1,051 in 19202020 census: 998178 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1919.The full story ↓

What stands out about Central City’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Central City are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 2,107 in 1930; 998 people lived here in 2020.Old housesHalf of Central City’s homes were built before 1945.On the map since 19144 editions of the USGS map, 1914 to 1981. Watch Central City change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Central City’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Central City’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Central City, census by census

05001,0001,5002,000192019401960198020002020Peak: 2,107

Peaked at 2,107 in 1930; 998 people lived here in 2020.

11 censuses, 1920–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Central City’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Central City came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Central City.

Read it all →

Central City is situated on lands originally owned by Shade Township's first settlers, Casper Stotler and George Lambert. It was founded in 1894 by Anthony Wechtenhiser and received its name from its central location along the projected Midland Railroad. The objective was to build a railroad into the large coal field known to exist in this region. The projected railroad, under a preliminary survey made in 1894, would have extended the road southeastward along Dark Shade Creek and Shingle Run valleys, across the mountain by way of Frazier's Gap, into Bedford County and eastward to the Atlantic seaboard; however, the project failed to develop. In 1913, an extension to the town was laid out by the Cook and Neasley Realty Company on lands then owned by John Wechtenhiser and Obadiah Lohr. The town was incorporated into the borough of Central City in 1918.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Central City, 1848 to 1935

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1848
    FoundingCentral City is established
  3. 20th century
  4. 1914On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 1919Born hereJohn Patrick is born here
  6. 1919Post officeThe Central City post office opens
  7. 1921Born hereJoe Muha is born here
  8. 1930CensusPopulation peaks at 2,107
  9. 1935Born hereJoe Krivak is born here
By decade

Central City, decade by decade

Today1 recent
Lambert from North in Central City2015Lambert from North in Central City
On the map

Central City on the map, 1914 to 1981

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Central City. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Central City on the 1914 USGS mapCentral City on the 1944 USGS mapCentral City on the 1971 USGS mapCentral City on the 1981 USGS map1914Windber sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Central City.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Central City

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
J
John PatrickAmerican football player · b. 1919
J
Joe KrivakAmerican football player and coach · b. 1935
Joe MuhaAmerican football player · b. 1921

Questions about Central City’s history

What year was Central City founded?

In 1848, according to Wikidata. Central City’s post office opened in 1919, and the census of 1920 counted 1,051 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.