Morton sits in the foothills of the Cascade Range in Lewis County, Washington, in the southwestern part of the state. The town was settled in 1871 and incorporated on January 6, 1913, and it takes its name from Levi P. Morton, who served as vice president under President Benjamin Harrison. From its earliest years, Morton was tied to the forests that surround it, developing as an isolated logging town that drew young men to the timber camps of the Cascades. The town's industrial heritage is distinctive. Morton became a significant producer of railroad ties, earning a reputation as the "tie mill capital of the world" as its mills turned out the heavy timbers that carried railroads across the West. That logging era shaped the community's culture and character, and its echoes remain in the town's identity today, even as the timber industry has changed. The local heritage is remembered with a certain rugged, frontier pride that marks the community's self-image. Morton's modern appeal rests on its location. The town lies within reach of Mount Rainier National Park, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, making it a base for hiking, fishing, hunting, and mountain recreation. Riffe Lake and local parks such as Gust Backstrom Park and Jubilee Park provide additional outdoor access. The Morton School District serves local students. For residents, Morton offers a small, owner-occupied community with a genuine timber-town history and immediate access to some of Washington's most dramatic mountain landscapes. The town markets itself with the phrase "breathe easy in the mountains," a fitting summary of its quiet, forested way of life.