Editing Lacey, Washington (section)

===20th century===
Initial studies on incorporation of the Lacey area were undertaken in 1963 by a local [[chamber of commerce]] to prevent the City of Olympia from annexing the area.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 30, 1963 |title=Plan For Incorporating Lacey As City Outlined |page=1 |work=[[The Olympian]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-olympian-plan-for-incorporating-lace/162374849/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=January 5, 2025}}</ref> The study proposed an incorporated area of {{convert|5.64|sqmi|sqkm}} that would encompass 5,738 residents.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 21, 1964 |title=Lacey Population |page=1 |work=The Olympian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-olympian-lacey-population-1964/162066946/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=January 5, 2025}}</ref> A proposal to incorporate Lacey was placed before voters at a special election on August 11, 1964, and was defeated by a margin of over 300 votes.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 12, 1964 |title=Incorporation Loses; May Be Tried Again |page=1 |work=The Olympian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-olympian-lacey-election-results-1964/162067926/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=January 5, 2025}}</ref>

A second attempt to incorporate {{convert|10.29|sqmi|sqkm}} and 8,860 residents into the City of Lacey was proposed in 1966.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 1, 1966 |title=Special Election: Incorporation City of Lacey |page=19 |work=The Olympian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-olympian-lacey-incorporation-1966/162068429/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=January 5, 2025}}</ref> Voters approved incorporation in the November 8, 1966, election, by a margin of approximately 200 votes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Resolution 3445|url=https://weblink.co.thurston.wa.us/BOCCPublic/0/doc/3013078/Page1.aspx |publisher=Board of County Commissioners.|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref> The City of Lacey was officially incorporated on December 5, 1966, after the election results were certified.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dougherty |first=Phil |date=October 4, 2006 |title=Lacey incorporates on December 5, 1966. |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/7941 |work=[[HistoryLink]] |accessdate=July 31, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/historic/docs/Place-Names.pdf | title=Thurston County Place Names: A Heritage Guide | publisher=Thurston County Historical Commission | date=1992 | access-date=March 28, 2018 | pages=42}}</ref> The City of Olympia responded with a special election to annex {{convert|2|sqmi|sqkm}} that would be withdrawn from Lacey under provisions of a state law.<ref>{{cite web|title=Resolution M-881|url=https://digitalarchives.wa.gov/DigitalObject/Download/99054026-755d-4b04-ad25-8ee7760faf4a |publisher=Olympia City Council |access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref> The special election would encompass the entirety of Olympia rather than solely restricted to the affected area; it was approved on January 24, 1967.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 25, 1967 |title=Voters Wed A Chunk Of Lacey To The Greater Olympia Area |page=1 |work=The Olympian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-olympian-voters-wed-a-chunk-of-lacey/167180152/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=March 4, 2025}}</ref>

At the time, the main industries were cattle, milk, forest products, and retail. Lacey later became a [[commuter town]] for [[Olympia, Washington|Olympia]], [[Fort Lewis (Washington)|Fort Lewis]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jblm-growth.com/plan.php |title=Joint Base Lewis McChord Growth Coordination - JBLM.growth.com |access-date=March 20, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110413073111/http://www.jblm-growth.com/plan.php |archive-date=April 13, 2011}}</ref> and to some extent, [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]].{{cn|date=March 2025}} In 1975, the local [[Jaycees]] chapter proposed moving the [[county seat]] for Thurston County from Olympia to Lacey to give the city "an identity" beyond being a bedroom community.<ref>{{cite news |last=Haughton |first=Brian |date=July 19, 1975 |title=Lacey group seeks county seat |page=A3 |work=The News Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-lacey-group-seeks-count/157725554/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=March 4, 2025}}</ref>