Morton is at the junction of U.S. Route 12 and State Route 7. Morton is the birthplace of Buzz Osborne, musician.
- CountyLewis County
- Population1,036 (2020 U.S. Census)
Morton is at the junction of U.S. Route 12 and State Route 7. Morton is the birthplace of Buzz Osborne, musician.
Morton, Washington gifts and souvenirs: 23 designs made from Morton's own map, landmarks and history, from $16 to $95. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.
| Popular | Price |
|---|---|
| Morton Hometown Ornament | $23 |
| Morton Vintage Travel Poster | from $40 |
| Morton Varsity Crewneck | from $57 |
| Morton Est. Tee | from $33 |
| Morton Town Line Mug | from $26 |
| Morton Market Tote | $37 |
Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon, in 3 styles
Its landmark photo in a classic travel-poster layout
A local landmark photo as a gallery print
The town's story in dates, from its own records, for home or classroom
Map of local landmarks, washable fabric
Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back
Red heavy-blend crewneck, knit-stitch town print
Soft Bella+Canvas jersey
Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes
Bella+Canvas toddler jersey
Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit
Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe
Weatherproof, for the front walk
24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back
12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang
Soft-touch, zip cover
A local landmark photo with the town name, 18″×18″
Sturdy all-over-print tote
Glossy top, cork back
Soft fleece, 50″×60″
20 oz, double-wall stainless
The town's earliest Sanborn fire-insurance map, drawn building by building and hand-coloured, from the Library of Congress
From the Library of Congress collections: a historic survey drawing or photograph of the town
Population 2010: 1,126 → 2020: 1,036
From Wikidata (CC0).
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.
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.
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.
Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Morton, Washington, revision 1379975289 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
We share a part of every Morton sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.
Partner with usA favorite landmark, your street, a school or team, an anniversary gift, a different product. Tell us and we'll get back to you by email.
2 free coloring pages of Morton, each traced from a photo of a local landmark. Print them at home, at school or for story hour.
Morton's population was 1,036 in the 2020 U.S. Census, down from 1,126 in 2010.
A view of Morton
A view of Morton