Editing Winthrop, Washington

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Winthrop, Washington
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| image_skyline      = Winthrop, USA (19801491829).jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Downtown Winthrop
| image_map          = Okanogan_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Winthrop_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Winthrop, Washington
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Washington|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Okanogan County, Washington|Okanogan]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Sally Ranzau
| established_title  = [[Municipal incorporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date   = March 12, 1924
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_53.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 2.42
| area_land_km2      = 2.42
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 0.93
| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.93
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 504
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
| utc_offset         = -8
| timezone_DST       = PDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -7
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name="GNIS"/>
| elevation_ft       = 1745
| coordinates        = {{coord|48|28|18|N|120|10|45|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 98862
| area_code          = [[Area code 509|509]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 53-79380
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2413503<ref name="GNIS">{{cite GNIS |name=Winthrop |id=2413503 |accessdate=February 21, 2025}}</ref>
| website            = {{url|https://www.townofwinthrop.com/|townofwinthrop.com}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Winthrop''' is a town in [[Okanogan County, Washington|Okanogan County]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], United States. It is east of [[Mazama, Washington|Mazama]] and north of [[Twisp, Washington|Twisp]]. The population was 394 at the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], and increased to 504 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. Winthrop adopted an [[Old West]] theme for its downtown architecture in 1971 to prepare for the opening of the [[North Cascades Highway]].

==History==

[[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]], including the [[Methow people]], were the first inhabitants of Winthrop, with evidence of human habitation at least 8,000 to 10,000 [[years before present]].<ref name="HistoryLink">{{cite web |last=Arksey |first=Laura |date=November 11, 2008 |title=Winthrop — Thumbnail History |url=https://www.historylink.org/file/8796 |work=[[HistoryLink]] |accessdate=November 24, 2024}}</ref> They lived along the banks of the [[Methow River|Methow]] and [[Chewuch River|Chewuch]] rivers, where they harvested [[Camassia|camas]] root and berries, fished, and hunted. The Methow had seasonal camps and returned annually to the upper valley in the summer once they acquired had horses in the 18th century.<ref name="HistoryLink"/> The Columbia Plateau peoples, including the Methow and [[Syilx]], established routes over [[Cascade Pass]] to trade with [[Coast Salish]] tribes in modern-day [[Skagit Valley]].<ref name="Roe21">{{cite book |last=Roe |first=Joann |year=1997 |title=North Cascades Highway: Washington's Popular and Scenic Pass |pages=20–21 |publisher=[[The Mountaineers Books]] |location=Seattle |isbn=9780898865172 |oclc=37157555}}</ref> The population of the Methow people and other Columbia Plateau tribes were devastated by [[smallpox]] epidemics by the 19th century. The tribes under the leadership of [[Chief Moses]] were assigned by the federal government to the [[Columbia Reservation]] in 1879, which included the Methow Valley.<ref name="Roe78">{{harvp|Roe|1997|pp=78–79}}</ref>

The Columbia Reservation was dissolved by the federal government in 1883 to allow for white settlement of the Methow Valley, which was opened on May 1, 1886. The Methow people were then moved further east to the [[Colville Indian Reservation]].<ref name="HistoryLink"/> The first white residents of the valley were brothers Tom and Jim Robinson, who had a hunting camp at the confluence but later left. A homestead near the modern-day town was claimed in 1887 by James Sullivan and Louisa Sullivan, who built the first hotel in the area; they were followed in 1888 by Walter Frisbee, who established a trading post and blacksmith shop.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref name="Roe78"/> The Chiliwist Trail between the Okanogan and Methow valleys was the main transportation corridor for the area but was unsuited to wagon travel; it was replaced in 1891 by a pair of new roads funded by settlers in the area that allowed for stagecoach service connecting to [[Brewster, Washington|Brewster]] on the [[Columbia River]].<ref name="HistoryLink"/>

The town of Winthrop was founded in 1890 by local settlers. The namesake, according to U.S. Congressman [[John L. Wilson]], is author and explorer [[Theodore Winthrop]], who had published the memoir ''[[The Canoe and the Saddle]]'' in 1862 after a visit to [[Washington Territory]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Meany |first=Edmond S. |author-link=Edmond S. Meany |year=1923 |title=Origin of Washington Geographic Names |page=352 |publisher=[[University of Washington Press]] |location=Seattle |oclc=1963675 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015027074981 |via=[[HathiTrust]] |accessdate=February 16, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Wilcox Howell |first=Ida |date=September 4, 1955 |title=Winthrop Recalls Fame Of Early Writer On NW |page=14 |work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]}}</ref> The town's first [[trading post]] and general store was opened in January 1892 by Guy Waring of [[Boston]], who moved with his family to the confluence of the Chewuch and Methow rivers a year before. He took over the Winthrop [[post office]], which had been established on June 18, 1891, and unsuccessfully attempted to rename the town "Waring" despite local backlash.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref name="Roe78"/> Waring left the Methow Valley for several years during the [[Panic of 1893|economic depression]] to raise $15,000 in funds for a new venture, the Methow Trading Company. His company acquired almost all of the buildings in the town and opened various businesses, including a [[sawmill]], [[gristmill]], and a hotel. Waring built a spacious new home, named the "Castle" by local residents, on a hillside overlooking Winthrop; it now serves as the home of the Shafer Museum.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref name="Roe80">{{harvp|Roe|1997|pp=80–81}}</ref>

Gold was discovered northwest of the Methow Valley near {{ill|Harts Pass|qid=Q132654293|short=yes}} in 1892 and caused a [[gold rush]] that brought 1,000 people to the small settlement of Barron.<ref name="HistoryLink"/> Winthrop remained the main hub of the upper valley with an industry centered around cattle ranching, logging, and supplying nearby mines. Waring opened the Duck Brand Saloon in 1891 and instituted unusually strict rules that required drunk patrons to leave and prohibited bartenders from talking to patrons.<ref name="Roe80"/> The saloon was among the only structures to survive a major fire in 1893 that destroyed the town but closed in 1910; it was later converted into the town hall.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref name="PI-2001">{{cite news |last=Hatcher |first=Candy |date=February 9, 2001 |title=Just about everybody is some sort of activist in this 'Old West with a new age feel' |page=A1 |work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]}}</ref> [[Owen Wister]], Waring's former roommate at [[Harvard University]], wrote ''[[The Virginian (novel)|The Virginian]]'', considered the first American western novel, after honeymooning in Winthrop in 1892 and 1898.<ref name="PI-2001"/> Waring continued to expand his business with branch stores in several mining towns as well as [[Pateros, Washington|Pateros]] and [[Twisp, Washington|Twisp]].<ref name="HistoryLink"/>

Most of the Methow Valley was incorporated into the [[Washington Forest Reserve]] by an executive order signed by President [[Grover Cleveland]] on February 22, 1897. The order prevented further settlement and development of the area around Winthrop, but residents protested due to the area's existing use for agriculture; it was modified in 1901 to remove the valley from the protected area.<ref name="HistoryLink"/> The townsite of Winthrop was formally [[plat]]ted by the Methow Trading Company in 1897 and approved by the county government in 1901.<ref name="Roe82">{{harvp|Roe|1997|pp=82–84}}</ref> A rival town to the south named Heckendorn was platted in 1904 and had several businesses that eroded Waring's monopoly on the upper Methow Valley.<ref name="Roe80"/> A new road along the Methow River from [[Pateros, Washington|Pateros]] to the town and upper valley was completed by the state government in 1909 using [[convict labor]] and modern construction methods.<ref name="HistoryLink"/> In the 1910s, Winthrop gained [[telephone]] service, a newspaper named the ''Winthrop Eagle'', a school, and a bank.<ref name="Roe82"/> Waring left the area in 1917 after losing control of the Methow Trading Company and a failed attempt at ranching. He sold his "Castle", which was used by a local [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]] and later as a private residence.<ref name="Roe82"/> The [[United States Forest Service|U.S. Forest Service]] opened a [[ranger station]] in the town that same year.<ref name="Roe82"/>

Winthrop was [[municipal incorporation|incorporated]] on March 12, 1924, and included the downriver settlement of Heckendorn and a plot of land across the Methow River.<ref name="MVN-Centennial">{{cite news |last=Nelson |first=Don |date=September 14, 2023 |title=Winthrop begins planning for its official centennial |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2023/09/14/winthrop-begins-planning-for-its-official-centennial/ |work=[[Methow Valley News]] |accessdate=November 24, 2024}}</ref> The town was threatened by major floods of the river in 1916, 1933, and 1948 that destroyed homes and bridges.<ref name="Roe82"/> The [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service|U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service]] opened the Winthrop National Fish Hatchery on the Methow River in 1942, which produced salmon and trout to be stocked at local lakes and released into the river.<ref>{{cite web |title=Winthrop National Fish Hatchery: Our History |url=https://www.fws.gov/fish-hatchery/winthrop/history-winthrop-national-fish-hatchery |publisher=[[United States Fish and Wildlife Service]] |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The area around Winthrop developed into a destination for outdoor recreation in the middle of the 20th century with the opening of several [[dude ranch]]es and resorts.<ref name="Roe82"/> The Sunny M Ranch was established in the 1930s west of the town and expanded under various owners into the Sun Mountain Lodge, which opened in 1968 and encompasses {{convert|3,000|acre|ha}} and a luxury hotel.<ref name="Roe85">{{harvp|Roe|1997|pp=85–86}}</ref><ref name="Times-SunMtn">{{cite news |last=Cantwell |first=Brian J. |date=February 8, 2007 |title=Close-up: Sun Mountain Lodge |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/close-up-sun-mountain-lodge/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

The first plans to build an automobile road across the North Cascades from [[Bellingham Bay]] to the [[Columbia River]] were approved by the state legislature in 1893.<ref>{{cite news |date=September 3, 1992 |title=North Cascades Highway marks 20th anniversary |page=F4 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Construction of the final {{convert|30|mi|km}} across the mountains did not begin until 1961 and was opened to traffic on September 2, 1972.<ref name="Times-Highway1997">{{cite news |last=Solomon |first=Chris |date=August 29, 1997 |title=Cascades Highway turns 25 |page=F1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Dougherty |first=Phil |date=March 20, 2015 |title=North Cascades Highway opens on September 2, 1972. |url=https://www.historylink.org/file/11044 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=November 24, 2024}}</ref> In anticipation of the new highway and the projected tourist traffic through the town, a large-scale remodeling project was approved in 1971 with funding from local businesses organized by sawmill operator Otto Wagner and his wife Kathryn.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Hill |first=Bill |date=June 5, 1971 |title=Winthrop Going Western on Main Street |page=4 |department=Panorama |work=[[The Everett Herald]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-winthrop-going-western/159715730/ |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |accessdate=November 24, 2024}}</ref> A two-block section of downtown was rebuilt to use 1890s [[Old West]] architecture, including false fronts and a wooden [[boardwalk]]; by September 1972, 22 buildings had been remodeled.<ref>{{cite news |date=September 2, 1972 |title=Town Regresses Happily |page=20 |work=[[The Spokesman-Review]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-spokesman-review-town-regresses-happ/159716011/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 8, 1972 |title=As tourism marched eastward Winthrop was preparing |page=4 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The early design work was contracted to Robert Jorgensen, one of the designers of the Bavarian theme town in [[Leavenworth, Washington|Leavenworth]], and the project was estimated to cost over $350,000.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Herrington |first=Gregg |date=August 26, 1973 |title=Over The Cascades |page=11 |work=[[The Olympian]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-olympian-over-the-cascades/159715692/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=November 24, 2024}}</ref> A [[design review]] board was established to maintain the architectural theme, enforced by a "Westernization" ordinance.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nelson |first=Don |date=June 27, 2018 |title=Resignations decimate Winthrop's Westernization Design Review Board |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2018/06/27/resignations-decimate-winthrops-westernization-design-review-board/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=November 24, 2024}}</ref> The wooden façade of the Winthrop Emporium, a major tourist store, was destroyed in a fire in November 1993 and rebuilt the following year.<ref name="Roe87">{{harvp|Roe|1997|pp=87–88}}</ref> The town's landmark bell was saved from the fire.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 7, 1993 |title=Northwest Briefly: Winthrop |page=5B |work=The Everett Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-winthrop-emporium-fire/166559035/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=February 23, 2025}}</ref>

Plans to build an [[open pit]] mine for [[copper]] as well as a [[ski resort]] near Mazama were announced in the 1970s but never realized. The town later annexed {{convert|75|acre|ha}} southwest of the Methow River that would include new residential areas and an industrial zone.<ref>{{cite web |author=Winthrop Planning Commission |date=December 16, 2015 |title=Town of Winthrop Comprehensive Plan |pages=I{{hyphen}}3, I{{hyphen}}4 |url=https://www.townofwinthrop.com/Comp%20Plan-final.pdf |publisher=Town of Winthrop |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

==Geography==

Winthrop lies in western [[Okanogan County, Washington|Okanogan County]] at the confluence of the [[Methow River|Methow]] and [[Chewuch River|Chewuch]] rivers in the [[Methow Valley]].<ref name="HistoryLink"/> The town is in the eastern foothills of the [[Cascade Mountains]] at an elevation of {{convert|1,745|ft|m}}.<ref name="GNIS"/><ref>{{cite map |year=2023 |title=Winthrop Quadrangle |scale=1:24,000 |url=https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ht-bin/tv_browse.pl?id=109238b17a619bc3a58b34ea082864f0 |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=November 24, 2024}}</ref> The [[Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest]] and state-managed [[Methow Wildlife Area]] surround the Methow Valley.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cantwell |first=Brian J. |date=September 24, 2015 |title=Methow Valley trails safe, open and ready for autumn hikes, winter skiing |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/methow-valley-trails-safe-open-and-ready-for-autumn-hikes-winter-skiing/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=November 24, 2024}}</ref> The area includes [[sandstone]] formations as well as features that were formed by volcanic activity.<ref>{{cite book |last=Barksdale |first=Julian D. |date=March 1975 |title=Geology of the Methow Valley, Okanogan County, Washington |pages=42–45 |publisher=[[Washington State Department of Natural Resources]] |location=Olympia |oclc=2492361 |url=https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/ger_b68_geol_methow_valley.pdf |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> Western Okanogan County is prone to wildfires in the summer, which can shut down the North Cascades Highway as well as local businesses reliant on tourism.<ref>{{cite news |last=Clarridge |first=Christine |date=July 30, 2021 |title=Wildfires, smoke bring early end to Winthrop's tourism season |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/wildfires-smoke-bring-early-end-to-winthrops-tourism-season/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has an area of {{convert|0.94|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=December 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 25, 2012 }}</ref> {{as of|2015}}, there are approximately 722 parcels in Winthrop, of which 258 are [[single-family home]]s and 279 are undeveloped.<ref>{{harvp|Winthrop Planning Commission|2015|p=LU{{hyphen}}2}}</ref> Winthrop has a lake, [[Pearrygin Lake]], that is a popular swimming hole.

===Climate===
Like most of the [[Inland Northwest]], Winthrop has a [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dsb''), with cold, snowy winters and very warm summers with cool nights and little rainfall. Winthrop and Mazama recorded the coldest temperature ever measured in Washington state at {{nowrap|–48 °F}} ({{nowrap|–44.4 °C}}) on December 30, 1968.<ref name=ggweather>{{cite web|title=United States Extreme Record Temperatures & Differences|url=http://ggweather.com/climate/extremes_us.htm|access-date=November 22, 2008}}</ref> The hottest temperature recorded in Winthrop was {{convert|109|F|C|1}} on June 30, 2021, but frosts can occur even in summer.

{{Weather box <!--Infobox begins-->
|single line= Y 
|collapsed = Y
|location= Winthrop, Washington, 1991&ndash;2020, extremes 1906&ndash;present
|Jan record high F = 57
|Feb record high F = 62
|Mar record high F = 79
|Apr record high F = 89
|May record high F = 100
|Jun record high F = 109
|Jul record high F = 106
|Aug record high F = 105
|Sep record high F = 100
|Oct record high F = 88
|Nov record high F = 68
|Dec record high F = 70

|Jan avg record high F = 43.2
|Feb avg record high F = 49.1
|Mar avg record high F = 63.4
|Apr avg record high F = 75.3
|May avg record high F = 86.3
|Jun avg record high F = 90.6
|Jul avg record high F = 97.0
|Aug avg record high F = 97.3
|Sep avg record high F = 90.2
|Oct avg record high F = 76.3
|Nov avg record high F = 55.4
|Dec avg record high F = 41.4
|year avg record high F = 98.9

|Jan high F = 29.9
|Feb high F = 38.4
|Mar high F = 50.0
|Apr high F = 61.1
|May high F = 71.1
|Jun high F = 76.7
|Jul high F = 85.8
|Aug high F = 85.6
|Sep high F = 77.0
|Oct high F = 60.9
|Nov high F = 41.2
|Dec high F = 29.2
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 22.6
|Feb mean F = 28.2
|Mar mean F = 37.7
|Apr mean F = 46.7
|May mean F = 55.4
|Jun mean F = 61.3
|Jul mean F = 68.3
|Aug mean F = 67.5
|Sep mean F = 59.1
|Oct mean F = 46.4
|Nov mean F = 32.9
|Dec mean F = 22.3
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 15.4
|Feb low F = 18.0
|Mar low F = 25.4
|Apr low F = 32.2
|May low F = 39.7
|Jun low F = 45.9
|Jul low F = 50.8
|Aug low F = 49.3
|Sep low F = 41.2
|Oct low F = 31.9
|Nov low F = 24.5
|Dec low F = 15.4
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -6.7
|Feb avg record low F = 1.3
|Mar avg record low F = 12.4
|Apr avg record low F = 22.9
|May avg record low F = 28.2
|Jun avg record low F = 36.7
|Jul avg record low F = 42.1
|Aug avg record low F = 39.9
|Sep avg record low F = 30.3
|Oct avg record low F = 19.5
|Nov avg record low F = 7.9
|Dec avg record low F = -2.7
|year avg record low F = -10.4

|Jan record low F = -32
|Feb record low F = -28
|Mar record low F = -11
|Apr record low F = 13
|May record low F = 20
|Jun record low F = 28
|Jul record low F = 31
|Aug record low F = 28
|Sep record low F = 18
|Oct record low F = 5
|Nov record low F = -17
|Dec record low F = -48

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 2.06
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.28
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.23
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.84
|May precipitation inch = 1.13
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.09
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.69
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.45
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.45
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.37
|Nov precipitation inch = 2.03
|Dec precipitation inch = 2.57
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 12.3
|Feb precipitation days = 8.7
|Mar precipitation days = 7.9
|Apr precipitation days = 6.5
|May precipitation days = 7.6
|Jun precipitation days = 7.3
|Jul precipitation days = 4.4
|Aug precipitation days = 3.8
|Sep precipitation days = 4.3
|Oct precipitation days = 8.5
|Nov precipitation days = 12.3
|Dec precipitation days = 13.3

|Jan snow inch = 16.6
|Feb snow inch = 8.8
|Mar snow inch = 3.4
|Apr snow inch = 0.1
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 1.1
|Nov snow inch = 7.6
|Dec snow inch = 21.8
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 10.1
|Feb snow days = 5.0
|Mar snow days = 2.1
|Apr snow days = 0.2
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.5
|Nov snow days = 4.6
|Dec snow days = 11.7

|Jan snow depth inch = 21.7
|Feb snow depth inch = 19.8
|Mar snow depth inch = 14.1
|Apr snow depth inch = 0.3
|May snow depth inch = 0.0
|Jun snow depth inch = 0.0
|Jul snow depth inch = 0.0
|Aug snow depth inch = 0.0
|Sep snow depth inch = 0.0
|Oct snow depth inch = 0.8
|Nov snow depth inch = 5.1
|Dec snow depth inch = 15.4
|year snow depth inch = 23.5

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00459376&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Winthrop 1 WSW, WA
|access-date = February 15, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=otx
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Spokane
|access-date = February 15, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1930 = 270
| 1940 = 365
| 1950 = 396
| 1960 = 359
| 1970 = 371
| 1980 = 413
| 1990 = 302
| 2000 = 349
| 2010 = 394
| 2020 = 504
| footnote = Sources:<br />U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 15, 2014}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web |date=May 2023 |title=Census Bureau profile: Winthrop, Washington |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Winthrop%20town,%20Washington |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 12, 2024}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]],<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 19, 2012}}</ref> there were 394 people, 205 households, and 109 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|419.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 300 housing units at an average density of {{convert|319.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.8% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.0% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 4.3% of the population.

There were 205 households, of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 46.8% were non-families. 43.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.92 and the average family size was 2.59.

The median age in the town was 47.9 years. 17.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.8% were from 25 to 44; 35.4% were from 45 to 64; and 19% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

==Government==

Winthrop is a town with a [[mayor–council government]].<ref name="MRSC">{{cite web |title=Washington City and Town Profiles |url=https://mrsc.org/research-tools/washington-city-and-town-profiles |publisher=[[Municipal Research and Services Center]] |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The [[mayor]] and five members of the town council are elected to four-year terms; since 2018, Sally Ranzau has been mayor of Winthrop.<ref name="Council">{{cite web |title=Town Council |url=https://www.townofwinthrop.com/towncouncil.html |publisher=Town of Winthrop |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The town council convenes at meetings held twice a month at the Winthrop Barn.<ref name="MRSC"/><ref name="Council"/>

The Westernization Design Review Board is a council-appointed board that oversees the design and architecture of buildings in Winthrop and enforces the "Old West" theme adopted in the 1970s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nelson |first=Don |date=May 23, 2024 |title=Westernization code changes are on way to Planning Commission |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2024/05/23/westernization-code-changes-are-on-way-to-planning-commission/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

==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>

==Education==

The town is served by the Methow Valley School District, which was established from a consolidation of the Twisp and Winthrop school districts in 1973. The school district's campus, located between the two towns, comprises [[Liberty Bell Junior-Senior High School]] and Methow Valley Elementary.<ref name="Twisp2010">{{cite web |year=2010 |title=Town of Twisp Comprehensive Plan, 2010 Update |pages=33, 36 |url=http://www.townoftwisp.com/files/4013/9232/6162/Comp_Plan_2010_Revision_-_Complete_JM.pdf |publisher=Town of Twisp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150517050343/http://www.townoftwisp.com/files/4013/9232/6162/Comp_Plan_2010_Revision_-_Complete_JM.pdf |archive-date=May 17, 2015 |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=https://methowcommunity.org/history/ |publisher=Methow Valley Community Center |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==

===Transportation===

Winthrop is bisected by [[Washington State Route 20|State Route 20]], also known as the North Cascades Highway, which closes annually during the winter months between [[Ross Dam]] near [[Diablo, Washington|Diablo]] and Silver Star Creek near Mazama.<ref>{{cite news |last=Phair |first=Vonnai |date=November 18, 2024 |title=North Cascades Highway closes for season |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/north-cascades-highway-closes-for-season/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> State Route 20 follows Riverside Avenue through the town and crosses the Methow River on a [[truss bridge]] that was built in 1929.<ref name="WSDOT-Map">{{cite WSDOT map |year=2014 |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=January 2024 |title=M23{{hyphen}}09.11: Bridge List |page=95 |url=https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/publications/manuals/fulltext/m23-09/Bridgelist.pdf |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The highway connects Winthrop to [[North Cascades National Park]] and the [[Skagit Valley]] to the west and [[Omak, Washington|Omak]] to the east.<ref name="WSDOT-Map"/> In 2023, State Route 20 carried a [[Annual average daily traffic|daily average]] of 4,700{{nbsp}}vehicles at the Methow River Bridge.<ref>{{cite map |date=October 2024 |title=Traffic Counts (AADT) Current |url=https://geo.wa.gov/datasets/WSDOT::wsdot-traffic-counts-aadt-current/about |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> {{as of|2012}}, there are a total of 459 public [[parking space]]s on streets in Winthrop and in off-street lots.<ref>{{harvp|Winthrop Planning Commission|2015|p=T{{hyphen}}6}}</ref> [[Public transit]] service is provided by [[TranGO]], which operates buses from Winthrop to Mazama, Twisp, and Pateros every 2 hours with onward connections to other cities in Okanogan County.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 18, 2024 |title=TranGo 2024–2029 Transit Development Plan |page=8 |url=https://cms2.revize.com/revize/okanogan/2024%20-%202029%20OCTA%20Transit%20Development%20Plan%209.18.2024.pdf |publisher=Okanogan County Transit Authority |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The route was originally limited to Winthrop, Twisp, and Pateros when it launched in 2016, but was extended to Mazama in 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last=McCreary |first=Ann |date=June 24, 2016 |title=TranGO's Methow Valley bus service ready to launch on July 1 |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2016/06/24/trangos-methow-valley-bus-service-ready-to-launch-on-july-1/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Le Roy |first=Hailey |date=July 6, 2023 |title=TranGO will begin service to Mazama next week |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2023/07/06/trango-will-begin-service-to-mazama-next-week/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

{{ill|Methow Valley State Airport|qid=Q49748088|short=yes}} is located {{convert|5|mi|km}} south of Winthrop and is owned by the [[Washington State Department of Transportation]] (WSDOT). It has a {{convert|5,049|ft|m|adj=mid}} asphalt runway and is listed in the [[National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems]] maintained by the [[Federal Aviation Administration]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Methow Valley State |url=https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/aviation/airports-list/methow-valley-state |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The U.S. Forest Service constructed the airstrip in the 1930s and used it as one of the first facilities to train [[smokejumper]]s for wildland firefighting beginning in 1939.<ref>{{cite news |last=McCreary |first=Ann |date=May 10, 2018 |title=State airport will close May 14 for runway repaving project |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2018/05/10/state-airport-will-close-may-14-for-runway-repaving-project/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> It was officially designated for smokejumper use in 1945 and had expanded facilities constructed until the primary training center was moved to [[Redmond, Oregon]], in 1981.<ref>{{cite web |last=Poyner IV |first=Fred |date=March 26, 2019 |title=North Cascades Smokejumper Base (Winthrop) |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/20747 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

===Utilities===

[[Electric power]] in the town and surrounding area is provided by the Okanogan County Electric Co-op (OCEC), a nonprofit [[cooperative]] that serves northwestern Okanogan County rather than the [[Okanogan County Public Utility District]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Service Territory Agreements |url=https://www.okanoganpud.org/service-territory-agreements |publisher=[[Okanogan County Public Utility District]] |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> OCEC, which is headquartered near Winthrop, was founded in 1939 and primarily purchases its electricity from the federal [[Bonneville Power Administration]], which manages several [[hydroelectric dam]]s in the Pacific Northwest.<ref>{{cite web |author=DeCoria, Blair & Teague |date=May 10, 2023 |title=Okanogan County Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Subsidiary Financial Report December 31, 2022 and 2021 |page=7 |url=https://ocec.coop/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5-OCEC-May-2023-Board-Meeting-WEB.pdf |publisher=Okanogan County Electric Co-op |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Plan-CF4">{{harvp|Winthrop Planning Commission|2015|p=CF{{hyphen}}4}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=January 29, 2025 |title=2023 Utility Fuel Mix Market Summary |page=48 |url=https://deptofcommerce.app.box.com/s/l9sqx4bcfnko3omrpk4tv8n0vbzcvsdz/file/1730140874220 |publisher=[[Washington State Department of Commerce]] |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The cooperative has a subsidiary that delivers [[propane]] for heating and acquired a local [[internet service provider]], Methownet, in 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Regular Members |url=https://www.wreca.coop/members/regular-members/ |publisher=Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=McCreary |first=Ann |date=May 16, 2024 |title=OCEC gets state grant for more fiber optic buildout |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2024/05/16/ocec-gets-state-grant-for-more-fiber-optic-buildout/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> Landline telephone service is provided by [[CenturyLink]], while several carriers have [[mobile broadband]] service in the area.<ref>{{harvp|Winthrop Planning Commission|2015|p=CF{{hyphen}}5}}</ref>

The town government maintains a [[tap water|water]] system that supplies drinking water to residents and businesses within Winthrop. The town sources its water from a [[well]] and has {{convert|11|mi|km}} of pipes in its [[water distribution system]], which also includes a storage [[reservoir]] and a [[pump station]].<ref>{{harvp|Winthrop Planning Commission|2015|p=CF{{hyphen}}1}}</ref> Winthrop also sells its water for [[firefighting]] but does not regularly supply residents outside of the town limits who rely on their own wells;<ref>{{cite news |last=Nelson |first=Don |date=July 11, 2024 |title=Winthrop asked to consider selling town water in extreme droughts |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2024/07/11/winthrop-asked-to-consider-selling-town-water-in-extreme-droughts/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> the town had conservation restrictions on water use during periods of prolonged droughts prior to upgrades to the water system made in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 9, 2024 |title=As drought drags on, some water users are cut off |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2024/08/09/as-drought-drags-on-some-water-users-are-cut-off/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The number of customers supplied by Winthrop's water system is also managed by the [[Washington State Department of Health]], which places a cap on the number of authorized connections.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nelson |first=Don |date=August 29, 2024 |title=Winthrop's 6-month moratorium on subdivision applications lifted |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2024/08/29/winthrops-6-month-moratorium-on-subdivision-applications-lifted/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

Winthrop's [[sanitary sewer]] system was constructed in 1971 and expanded to {{convert|11.1|mi|km}} by 2015, with service to Sun Mountain Resort and other areas outside the town itself.<ref name="Plan-CF2">{{harvp|Winthrop Planning Commission|2015|p=CF{{hyphen}}2}}</ref> The [[wastewater treatment plant]] south of the town has an [[aerated lagoon]] and chlorination system that discharges treated water into the Methow River.<ref name="Plan-CF2"/> The plant was upgraded in 1992 and is planned to be replaced by an adjacent facility with a [[sewage sludge treatment|sludge treatment system]] by 2027.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nelson |first=Don |date=February 13, 2025 |title=DOE recommends funds for Winthrop wastewater treatment plant |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2025/02/13/doe-recommends-funds-for-winthrop-wastewater-treatment-plant/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> [[Municipal solid waste|Solid waste]] collection is contracted to a private company, WasteWise, that serves most of the Methow Valley;<ref>{{cite news |last=Nelson |first=Don |date=May 26, 2021 |title=Summer is garbage time in Winthrop |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2021/05/26/summer-is-garbage-time-in-winthrop/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> the non-profit organization Methow Recycles is contracted to provide curbside [[recycling]] pickup.<ref name="Plan-CF2"/> Winthrop also has a commercial [[compost]]ing facility that opened in 2023 and collects materials from restaurants and residences.<ref>{{cite news |last=Limmer-Lai |first=Mia |date=August 1, 2024 |title=B2G Compost builds on recycling program for residents, businesses |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2024/08/01/b2g-compost-builds-on-recycling-program-for-residents-businesses/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

===Healthcare===

The first [[medical clinic]] in Winthrop was the Country Clinic, opened in 2000 by a family physician.<ref>{{cite news |last=Stang |first=John |date=October 2, 2018 |title=A Democrat won't win in central WA, but can an independent? |url=https://www.cascadepbs.org/2018/10/democrat-wont-win-central-wa-can-independent |work=[[Crosscut.com]] |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> It was acquired by the [[Wenatchee, Washington|Wenatchee]]-based [[Confluence Health]] system in 2015 and renamed to the Methow Valley Clinic.<ref>{{cite news |last=McCreary |first=Ann |date=November 15, 2017 |title=Affordable health care a major issue for Diamond, but not the only one |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2017/11/15/affordable-health-care-a-major-issue-for-diamond-but-not-the-only-one/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=McCreary |first=Ann |date=December 16, 2015 |title=Confluence Health partners with Winthrop's Country Clinic |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2015/12/16/confluence-health-partners-with-winthrops-country-clinic/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The town's nearest [[general hospital]]s are [[Mid-Valley Hospital]] in Omak and [[Three Rivers Hospital]] in [[Brewster, Washington|Brewster]].<ref name="Twisp2010"/> Three Rivers is operated by a [[public hospital]] district that encompasses most of western Okanogan County, including Winthrop.<ref>{{cite news |last=McCreary |first=Ann |date=October 24, 2024 |title=Three Rivers Hospital asks for renewal of emergency room levy |url=https://methowvalleynews.com/2024/10/24/three-rivers-hospital-asks-for-renewal-of-emergency-room-levy/ |work=Methow Valley News |accessdate=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website}}
* [http://winthropwashington.com Winthrop Chamber website]

{{Okanogan County, Washington}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Okanogan County, Washington]]
[[Category:Towns in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Okanagan Country]]