Editing Morton, Washington (section)

==History==

===19th century===
A village of the [[Cowlitz people|Upper Cowlitz people]], known as Wa-sa, had existed at the present-day site of the city.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rochon Wilson |first1=Roy I. |title=Where and How the Cowlitz Lived |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/roy-i-rochon-wilson-commentary-where-and-how-the-cowlitz-lived,128619? |access-date=April 14, 2025 |work=The Chronicle |date=August 31, 2012}}</ref> Morton was first settled in 1871 by James Fletcher.  It was later named after [[Benjamin Harrison]]'s Vice President, [[Levi P. Morton]],<ref name=majors>{{Cite book| last = Majors | first = Harry M. | title = Exploring Washington | publisher = Van Winkle Publishing Co | year = 1975 | page = 122 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CoWrPQAACAAJ| isbn = 978-0-918664-00-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Meany|first=Edmond S.|title=Origin of Washington geographic names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015027074981;view=1up;seq=188|year=1923|publisher=University of Washington Press|location=Seattle|page=172}}</ref> in 1889.  Morton was officially incorporated on January 7, 1913.

===20th century===
[[File:Morton, Washington 1910.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Morton, Washington 1910]]
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 store]]s 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fire Destroys City Of Morton |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/chehalis/chehalis-bee-nugget/1924/08-01 |access-date=June 27, 2024 |work=The Chehalis Bee-Nugget |date=August 1, 1924 |pages=1, 10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Scoggins |first1=Jim |title=Morton Destroyed By Fire 45 Years Ago |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/centralia/centralia-daily-chronicle/1969/07-26/page-21 |access-date=June 27, 2024 |work=The Daily Chronicle |date=July 26, 1969 |page=10}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 3, 1967 |title=New Highway Bypasses New Reservoir |page=B14 |work=The Tacoma News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-new-highway-bypasses-ne/129114786/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=July 29, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=December 31, 1967 |title=Morton Has Good Year, Looks Ahead |page=D10 |work=The Tacoma News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-morton-has-good-year-l/129115645/ |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=July 29, 2023}}</ref>

===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 library or supporting library system.<ref>{{cite news |title=Morton Voters Favor Leaving Timberland Regional Library System |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/morton-voters-favor-leaving-timberland-regional-library-system,303421 |access-date=December 18, 2024 |work=The Chronicle |date= November 9, 2022}}</ref>

As part of a single-evening act of vandalism towards [[LGBT people in the United States#Hate crimes|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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vander Stoep |first1=Isabel |title=Four Lewis County LGBTQ+ Advocate Sites Vandalized in One Night |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/four-lewis-county-lgbtqplus-advocate-sites-vandalized-in-one-night,321415 |access-date=April 16, 2024 |work=The Chronicle |date=June 26, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Girgis |first1=Lauren |title=Flags stolen, vandalized throughout Washington during Pride month |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/flags-stolen-vandalized-throughout-washington-during-pride-month/ |access-date=April 16, 2024 |work=The Seattle Times |date=July 7, 2023}}</ref>

A [[Washington State Auditor|state audit]] of Morton's government accounts were undertaken into 2024 and revealed a loss of over $937,000. Further investigations produced evidence the loss was misappropriated by the city's clerk-treasurer starting in 2013 and continuing into 2021. The city official, Tamara Clevenger, who during that time had sole oversight of the city's accounts, was suspected of siphoning the money for personal use. The clerk resigned after the city instituted a separation of the combined clerk-treasurer position in 2021.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lucia |first1=Bill |title=Former city official accused of stealing $937K from tiny Morton, WA |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/former-city-official-accused-of-stealing-937k-from-tiny-morton-wa/ |access-date=August 29, 2024 |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |publisher=[[The Washington State Standard]] |date=August 27, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=The Chronicle staff |title=State auditor: City of Morton lost nearly $1 million over a decade |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/state-auditor-city-of-morton-lost-nearly-1-million-over-a-decade,360597 |access-date=August 29, 2024 |work=The Chronicle |date=August 26, 2024}}</ref> Clevenger was officially charged with wire fraud in federal court in April 2025;<ref>{{cite news |last1=Freeman |first1=Caitlyn |title=Tiny WA city’s clerk embezzled almost $1M, federal charges say |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/tiny-wa-citys-clerk-embezzled-almost-1m-federal-charges-say/ |access-date=May 1, 2025 |work=The Seattle Times |date=April 24, 2025}}</ref> she pled guilty the following month.<ref>{{cite news |author1=MyNorthwest.com staff |title=Morton city clerk admits to embezzling nearly $1 million over years |url=https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/morton-city-clerk-admits-embezzling-nearly-1-million-over-years/NY6GZNLLURD2REROT5HMQXME7Q/ |access-date=May 19, 2025 |work=[[KIRO-TV|KIRO 7 News]] |publisher=[[MyNorthwest.com]] |date=May 8, 2025}}</ref>