Morton, Washington

Morton, Washington
Morton is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,036 at the 2020 census.
History
Morton was first settled in 1871 by James Fletcher. It was later named after Benjamin Harrison's Vice President, Levi P. Morton, in 1889. Morton was officially incorporated on January 7, 1913. Historic sources of revenue included logging, harvesting of cascara bark, and mining for cinnabar (mercury ore) in local mines. Morton was once known as the "tie mill capital of the world" in the 1950s. The longest railroad tie dock in the world ran along the railroad tracks east of Morton.
The White Pass Highway (part of U.S. Route 12) was relocated through Morton in December 1967 due to the creation of Riffe Lake behind Mossyrock Dam, which inundated the old route.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Climate
This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Morton has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,126 people, 461 households, and 283 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 535 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.2% White, 0.5% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 1.8% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population.
There were 461 households, of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.6% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.83.
The median age in the city was 46.3 years. 20.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.8% were from 45 to 64; and 26.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.
Arts and culture
Festivals and events
The Morton Loggers’ Jubilee is a weekend celebration of the city's history of logging, usually held in August. Due to a lack of permanent records, the actual year the jubilee began is unknown, however there are reports of a beginning timeline of 1937 or 1938. The event, proclaimed as the "granddaddy of all logging shows", is highlighted by the coronation of a Jubilee Queen, lawnmower and bed racing, and competitive logging contests, which continues the original practice of the jubilee to be a "friendly competition between loggers". A parade, flea market, live music, and street dance performances round out the festivities.
Politics
Morton has historically voted Republican although less so than Lewis County as a whole.
The 2020 election included 9 votes for candidates of the Libertarian Party.
Education
There are two schools, Morton Elementary and Morton Junior-Senior High.
Centralia College East is adjacent to the Junior-Senior High facility.
Infrastructure
The community is among 8 locations that are part of an EV installation project on the White Pass Scenic Byway. The program will stretch from the White Pass Ski Area to Chehalis and is run in partnership with Lewis County PUD, Twin Transit, state government agencies, and local community efforts. The venture began in 2023 from two grants totaling over $1.8 million.
In 2023, Twin Transit began offering weekday, direct-route service from Centralia's Mellen Street e-Transit Station to the Morton Energy Station. The route, given the moniker "Brown Line", allows options for commuters to connect to other transit services in western Washington, such as Intercity Transit, RiverCities Transit, and the Cowlitz Tribal transportation system.
Notable people
Bill Bryant, Seattle Port Commissioner
Brandy Clark, singer/songwriter for many Nashville recording artists such as LeAnn Rimes and Reba McEntire
Roger "Buzz" Osborne, singer/songwriter/guitarist for the rock band Melvins
References
External links
Arbor Health (formerly Morton General Hospital)
Centralia College East
Morton Chamber of Commerce
Morton Logger's Jubilee
Morton Roxy Theater
Cities in Washington (state)
Cities in Lewis County, Washington