Morton, WA

Morton is a Lewis County city in the foothills of the Cascades, with the 2020 census counting 1,036 residents. Timber and rail built the town: settlers arrived in the late 1800s, the Tacoma Eastern Railroad brought two trains a day, and Morton became known as the railroad tie capital of the world because of its long tie docks. A 1924 fire wiped out most of the business district, and later flooding and the creation of Riffe Lake changed the highway and river geography. The town's working identity still shows up in the Morton Loggers' Jubilee, held each August with a Main Street parade, logging contests, and street events.

Downtown adds the Roxy Theater, which opened in 1938 and now hosts films, music, art, and youth theater. Jubilee Park and the Tilton River keep the outdoor map close, while U.S. 12 sends traffic through Peterman Hill toward the forests and lakes. Morton's local scoop is a Washington timber town where logging history, a movie theater, and a yearly celebration all meet on the same main street.