Editing Winthrop, Washington (section)

==Arts and culture==
===Attractions===
[[Image:Winthrop town hall.jpg|right|thumb|Winthrop Town Hall]]

Winthrop is known for the [[American Old West]] design of all its buildings, making it a tourist destination. The town theme idea was inspired by the example of [[Leavenworth, Washington]], which in turn was heavily based on [[Solvang, California]].<ref>{{cite book |last= Kirk |first= Ruth |author2=Carmela Alexander  |title= Exploring Washington's Past: A Road Guide to History |publisher= [[University of Washington Press]] |year= 1990 |isbn= 0-295-97443-5 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=BNAYPXb22sYC |access-date= September 13, 2009 |pages= 80, 105}}</ref> Winthrop and the surrounding area has {{convert|120|mi|km}} of groomed [[cross-country skiing]] trails. The network radiates out from the nearby community of [[Mazama, Washington|Mazama]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Barone |first=Janine |date=December 11, 2024 |title=Methow Valley getaway: Where to ski, eat, stay |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/methow-valley-cross-country-ski-getaway-where-to-play-eat-stay/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> Events include the Winthrop Rhythm and Blues Festival, the Methow Valley Chamber Music Festival, and the Labor Day [[Rodeo]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Nelson |first=Don |date=July 15, 2020 |title=MV Labor Day Rodeo is another coronavirus cancel |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2020/07/15/mv-labor-day-rodeo-is-another-coronavirus-cancel/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The town is home to Three Fingered Jack's, which claims to be the "oldest saloon in Washington".{{cn|date=February 2025}} It opened in 1972 but was cited by the state government for use of the word "[[Western saloon|saloon]]"; the term's use at bars was legalized by the state legislature in 1979.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 22, 1979 |title=All-night Party To Greet A 'Saloon' |page=A3 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

===Media===

The ''[[Methow Valley News]]'' is the official [[newspaper of record]] for the town government and is published weekly in Twisp.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chapter 1.12: Official Newspaper |url=https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/Winthrop/#!/Winthrop01/Winthrop0112.html |work=Winthrop Municipal Code |publisher=Town of Winthrop |via=Code Publishing |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> It was founded in 1903 and had a circulation of 3,400 in 2013.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bagwell |first1=Steve |last2=Stapilus |first2=Randy |year=2013 |title=New Editions: The Northwest's newspapers as they were, are, and will be |pages=288–289 |publisher=Ridenbaugh Press |location=Carlton, Oregon |isbn=978-0-945648-10-9 |oclc=861618089 |url=https://archive.org/details/neweditionsnorth0000bagw |via=The Internet Archive |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The ''Methow Valley Journal'', also known as the ''Winthrop Journal'', was published in Winthrop by Bill Brinkerhoff from 1912 to 1942.<ref name="MVN-Centennial"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Andrist |first=John E. |date=May 22, 1985 |title=Surviving newspapers have been scarce |url=https://www.omakchronicle.com/free/surviving-newspapers-have-been-scarce/article_34a5712e-6df0-11ea-8d39-e3fc3c75f309.html |work=[[The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle|The Omak Chronicle]] |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

Winthrop's [[public library]] is operated by [[NCW Libraries]], a regional system that serves three counties in Central Washington. The original library was a small building at Mack Lloyd Park that was routinely overcrowded and had the highest per-capita use in the system.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nelson |first=Don |date=July 17, 2019 |title=Winthrop library plans come into sharper form |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2019/07/17/winthrop-library-plans-come-into-sharper-form/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> Plans to build a larger library were led by a non-profit organization that formed in 2017 to raise funds for the project.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nelson |first=Don |date=October 24, 2018 |title=FOWL's next priority: site for a new Winthrop public library |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2018/10/24/fowls-next-priority-site-for-a-new-winthrop-public-library/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The Winthrop Library opened on June 11, 2022, and is owned by the town government. The {{convert|7,300|sqft|sqm|adj=mid}} building has six times more floor space than the former library and includes public art, meeting rooms, and a kitchen. It cost $6.5&nbsp;million to construct with funding from donations and a state grant.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nelson |first=Don |date=June 8, 2022 |title=New Winthrop public library is rooted in community |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2022/06/08/new-winthrop-public-library-is-rooted-in-community/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The former library was converted into a [[visitor center]] by the town government and local [[chamber of commerce]] in 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lodato |first=Ashley |date=July 6, 2023 |title=Winthrop's new Visitor Information Center touts valley's history |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2023/07/06/winthrops-new-visitor-information-center-touts-valleys-history/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>