Morton was first settled in 1871 by James Fletcher. It was later named after Benjamin Harrison's Vice President, Levi P. Morton,[5][6] in 1889. Morton was officially incorporated on January 7, 1913. Historic sources of revenue included logging, harvesting of cascarabark, 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.[7]
As part of a single-evening act of vandalism towards LGBTQ symbols in June 2023 that also affected Chehalis, Washington, a window and a rainbow bench outside of a business in the city were damaged.[10][11]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.83 square miles (2.15 km2), of which 0.82 square miles (2.12 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[12]
There were 506 households, of which 18.2% had minors living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 26.2% had a female householder with no spouse present and 17.9% had a male householder with no spouse present. The average family size was 2.89. 80.5% owned a house, and the median gross rent was $900. 63.3% of occupied units paying rent paid $500 to $999, 18.4% paid $1,000 to $1,499, 10.2% paid less than $500 and 8.2% paid $1,500 to $1,499.
The median age in the city was 49.5. 18.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 31.3% was between the ages 20-44, 28.3% was between the ages 45-64 and 23.1% were 65 years and older. The gender markup of the city was 53.6% male and 46.3% female. 6.5% of the population were veterans and 31.0% of the population were disabled.
According to the 2010 census,[15] there were 1,126 people, 461 households, and 283 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,373.2 inhabitants per square mile (530.2/km2). There were 535 housing units at an average density of 652.4 per square mile (251.9/km2). 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.
Economy
Timber processing and logging are a large component of Morton's economy though the community suffered hardships during the loss of timber production due to environmental laws enacted in the late 20th century. As of 2024[update], two lumber mills reside in the town.[16]
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.[17] The event has been a tradition since the 1940s and is proclaimed as the "granddaddy of all logging shows".[16] Highlights include 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".[17] A parade, flea market, live music, and street dance performances round out the festivities.[18][19][20] In her first homecoming show in Morton, Brandy Clark performed during the 75th anniversary of the event in 2017.[21][22] Visitors to the city are welcomed with a wooden sculpture of a lumberjack, given the title "Big Ole", signifying the jubilee's importance to the community.[23]
Parks and recreation
Located on Morton's east side lies Jubilee Park, home of the Loggers Jubilee.[23]
Bordering the Tilton River is Gust Backstrom City Park, often home to the city's farmer's market and was the location of the Old Settlers Museum.[24][25] The grounds, in 1896, were home to the first schoolhouse built in the town.[26] The park is used by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to deliver migrating Chinook salmon, circumventing the dams on the Cowlitz River.[27]
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.
The Morton-White Pass boy's high school basketball team won back-to-back state championships in 2014 and 2015. The first title was achieved during an undefeated season.[29]
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.[30]
In 2023, Lewis County 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.[31]
