Morton, Washington
City in the United States in Lewis County
About Morton
Morton is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,036 at the 2020 census. It lies north of Riffe Lake in the western foothills of the Cascade Range near Mount Rainier National Park. Morton is at the junction of U.S. Route 12 and State Route 7.
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How Morton is governed
Form of government not yet listed.
0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Morton
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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- Website
- visitmorton.com
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Population over time
From 1,126 in 2010 to 1,036 in 2020 (−8.0%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,036 |
| 2010 | 1,126 |
History
19th century
A village of the Upper Cowlitz people, known as Wa-sa, had existed at the present-day site of the city. 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. Many of Morton's settlers were emigrants from Kentucky.
20th century
In July 1924, a large portion of Morton's downtown district was decimated in a fire, affecting 18 blocks. Beginning at the Hilts Hotel, the blaze spread and destroyed 19 commercial buildings, including structures deemed fireproof. A new building collapsed and the Arcade Theater and two general stores were in ruins. With the exception of a housing section for railroad employees, residential areas in Morton were spared; only one minor injury was reported. Another fire engulfed the area several years later, setting fire to the post office.
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.
21st century
The city of Morton voted to leave the Timberland Regional Library district by way of proposition in 2022, leaving the city with no public library access.
A state audit of Morton's government accounts was completed in 2024 and revealed a loss of over $937,000. Further investigations produced evidence that the loss was due to the misappropriation of funds by the city's clerk-treasurer, starting in 2013 and continuing into 2021. The city official, who during that time had sole oversight of the city's accounts, was suspected of stealing the money for personal use and resigned after the city instituted a separation of the combined clerk-treasurer position in 2021. In April 2025, the official was charged with wire fraud in federal court and pled guilty the following month. She was ordered to fully repay the stolen funds and sentenced to five years probation. In October 2025, the city was able to recover $799,000 via an insurance organization, the Association of Washington Cities Risk Management Service Agency.
A 15-mile (24 km) stretch of U.S. Route 12 east of Morton was closed during the December 2025 Pacific Northwest floods due to water and debris on the highway.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.