View source for Shelton, Washington

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Shelton, Washington
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nicknames           = "Christmastown, USA" <br/> "Evergreen City"
| image_skyline      = Mason County Courthouse - Shelton Washington.jpg
| image_size         = 250px
| image_caption      = Mason County Court House in Shelton, Washington.
| image_map          = Mason_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Shelton_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Shelton, 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  = [[Mason County, Washington|Mason]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = [[Council–manager government|Council–manager]]<ref name=sheltongov>{{cite web|title=City Council|url=https://sheltonwa.gov/government/city_council/index.php|publisher=City of Shelton|access-date=April 7, 2022}}</ref>
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Eric Onisko<ref name=sheltongov/>
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
<!-- 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     = 16.18
| area_land_km2      = 15.05
| area_water_km2     = 1.13
| area_total_sq_mi   = 6.25
| area_land_sq_mi    = 5.81
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.44
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>
| population_total   = 10371
| population_density_km2 = 689.2
| population_density_sq_mi = 1785
<!-- 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       = 197
| coordinates        = {{coord|47|13|18|N|123|07|32|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 98584
| area_code          = [[Area code 360|360]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 53-63735
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2411882<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2411882}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|https://sheltonwa.gov}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Shelton''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Mason County, Washington|Mason County]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> Shelton is the westernmost city on [[Puget Sound]]. The population was 10,371 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. Shelton has a [[council–manager government|council–manager]] form of government and was the last city in Washington to use a [[City commission government|mayor–commission]] form of government.

==History==
Shelton was officially incorporated in 1890. The city was named after David Shelton, a delegate to the territorial legislature.<ref name="CitySite">{{cite web |url=http://www.ci.shelton.wa.us/community.php |title=City of Shelton – Community |access-date=February 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930104812/http://www.ci.shelton.wa.us/community.php |archive-date=September 30, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The land was previously called "Cota" and was inhabited and managed by the [[Squaxin Island Tribe]], or "People of the Waters", who had inhabited the land for centuries before contact with white settlers. The land was ceded, along with 4,000 sq. miles of Indigenous land, on December 26, 1854, with the passage of the [[Treaty of Medicine Creek]]. After the passage of the treaty, David Shelton and his wife, Frances Shelton, each took a claim of land enabled by the [[Donation Land Claim Act]] totaling 640 acres in what would eventually be incorporated as Shelton.<ref name="HistoryLink">{{cite web |last=Becker |first=Paula |date=September 27, 2010 |title=Shelton — Thumbnail History
 |url=https://www.historylink.org/file/9591 |work=[[HistoryLink]] |access-date=June 4, 2022}}</ref>

Shelton was once served by a small fleet of steamboats which was part of the [[Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet]]. These boats included the [[Old Settler (sternwheeler)|''Old Settler'']], [[Irene (sternwheeler)|''Irene'']], ''Willie'', [[City of Shelton (sternwheeler)|''City of Shelton'']], ''Marian'', [[Clara Brown (steamboat)|''Clara Brown'']], and [[S.G. Simpson (sternwheeler)|''S.G. Simpson'']].<ref>Newell, Gordon R., ''Ships of the Inland Sea'', at 165–66, Binford and Mort, Portland, OR (2nd Ed. 1960)</ref> The economy was built around logging, farming, dairying and ranching as well as oyster cultivation.<ref name="CitySite" /> The [[Simpson Timber Company]] mill on [[Puget Sound]]'s [[Oakland Bay]] dominated the landscape of the downtown area; the mill was sold to [[Sierra Pacific Industries]] in 2015, who are currently building a new mill.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20161106185308/https://kbkw.com/sierra-pacific-to-buy-shut-down-then-rebuild-shelton-mill/ Sierra Pacific to buy, shut down, then rebuild Shelton Mill]}}</ref> Shelton also identified itself as "Christmastown, USA" due to the area's cultivation of [[Christmas tree]]s; the name was later revived for an annual festival.<ref>{{cite news |last=Moreno |first=Amy |date=December 8, 2019 |title=Christmastown USA returns to Shelton with record-setting tree maze |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/sheltonreturnstochristmastown/281-6c875dfb-fc43-4d10-89fd-9e9c31c68a66 |publisher=[[KING 5 News]] |accessdate=November 1, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Clark |first=Barbara |date=November 25, 2005 |title='Christmas Town' No Longer Living Up to Its Name, Fame |url=https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/2005/11-25/80392__christmas_town__no_longer_livin.html |work=[[Kitsap Sun]] |accessdate=November 1, 2023}}</ref>

[[The Ridge Motorsports Park]] opened in 2012, and has hosted [[MotoAmerica]] and [[Trans-Am Series]] races.
<gallery class="center">
File:Shelton davidshelton 1890.jpg|David Shelton, 1812–1897
File:Shelton WA sawmills.JPG|Shelton sawmills
File:Simpson lumber-Shelton Washington.jpg|Simpson Timber Company mill in Shelton, on the Oakland Bay, viewed from the southeast.
</gallery>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|6.09|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|5.76|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.33|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<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/20120112090031/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archive-date=January 12, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

===Climate===
With extremely precipitous rainfall in winter and dry summer of less than 33&nbsp;mm in the driest month (less than 1/3 of the rainy season), Shelton has a warm summer [[Mediterranean climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Csb'') with cold winters, similar to the larger cities of the [[Pacific Northwest]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=485754&cityname=Shelton,+Washington,+United+States+of+America|title=Shelton, Washington Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)|website=Weatherbase|access-date=February 15, 2019}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Shelton, 1931-1999 normals and extremes
|single line = Y
|collapsed = Y
| Jan record high F = 68
| Feb record high F = 72
| Mar record high F = 76
| Apr record high F = 89
| May record high F = 98
| Jun record high F = 110
| Jul record high F = 104
| Aug record high F = 107
| Sep record high F = 99
| Oct record high F = 87
| Nov record high F = 70
| Dec record high F = 66
| year record high F = 110
| Jan high F = 44.8
| Feb high F = 49.1
| Mar high F = 53.8
| Apr high F = 60.2
| May high F = 67.4
| Jun high F = 72
| Jul high F = 77.3
| Aug high F = 77.1
| Sep high F = 71.9
| Oct high F = 61.2
| Nov high F = 50.9
| Dec high F = 45.4
| year high F = 60.9
| Jan low F = 32.9
| Feb low F = 34.1
| Mar low F = 35.6
| Apr low F = 38.8
| May low F = 44
| Jun low F = 48.8
| Jul low F = 52
| Aug low F = 52.2
| Sep low F = 48
| Oct low F = 42.2
| Nov low F = 37.3
| Dec low F = 34.4
| year low F = 41.7
| Jan record low F = -2
| Feb record low F = 0
| Mar record low F = 17
| Apr record low F = 22
| May record low F = 25
| Jun record low F = 32
| Jul record low F = 36
| Aug record low F = 34
| Sep record low F = 30
| Oct record low F = 22
| Nov record low F = 5
| Dec record low F = 6
| year record low F = -2
|precipitation colour=green
| Jan precipitation inch = 10.32
| Feb precipitation inch = 8.23
| Mar precipitation inch = 6.82
| Apr precipitation inch = 4.2
| May precipitation inch = 2.29
| Jun precipitation inch = 1.7
| Jul precipitation inch = 0.92
| Aug precipitation inch = 1.2
| Sep precipitation inch = 2.46
| Oct precipitation inch = 5.79
| Nov precipitation inch = 9.88
| Dec precipitation inch = 11.37
| year precipitation inch = 65.17
| Jan precipitation days = 21
| Feb precipitation days = 18
| Mar precipitation days = 19
| Apr precipitation days = 15
| May precipitation days = 12
| Jun precipitation days = 9
| Jul precipitation days = 5
| Aug precipitation days = 6
| Sep precipitation days = 9
| Oct precipitation days = 14
| Nov precipitation days = 20
| Dec precipitation days = 22
|unit precipitation days = 0.01&nbsp;inch
| Jan snow inch = 4.7
| Feb snow inch = 0.9
| Mar snow inch = 0.6
| Apr snow inch = 0
| May snow inch = 0
| Jun snow inch = 0
| Jul snow inch = 0
| Aug snow inch = 0
| Sep snow inch = 0
| Oct snow inch = 0
| Nov snow inch = 0.9
| Dec snow inch = 1.9
| year snow inch = 9
|source = [[Western Regional Climate Center|WRCC]]<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?wa7584 |title=SHELTON, WASHINGTON (457584) |access-date=November 15, 2015 |publisher=[[Western Regional Climate Center|WRCC]] }}</ref>
|date=November 2015
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 648
|1900= 833
|1910= 1163
|1920= 984
|1930= 3091
|1940= 3707
|1950= 5045
|1960= 5651
|1970= 6515
|1980= 7629
|1990= 7241
|2000= 8442
|2010= 9834
|align-fn=center
|footnote=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=October 11, 2013}}</ref>
|2020=10371}}

=== 2020 census ===
As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="wwwcensusgov" /> there were 10,371 people, 3,416 households, and 2,055 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1785|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 3,887 housing units at an average density of {{convert|669|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 75.6% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.9% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 5% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.4% [[Race (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 13.9% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 12% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 25.1% of the population.

There were 3,416 households, of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.8% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.73.

The median age in the city was 32.4 years. 28.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.1% were from 25 to 44; 18.6% were from 45 to 64; and 14.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

=== 2010 census ===
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 9,834 people, 3,574 households, and 2,166 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1707.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 3,847 housing units at an average density of {{convert|667.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 78.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.8% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 3.7% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.1% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.8% [[Race (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 9.9% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 4.9% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 19.2% of the population.

There were 3,574 households, of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.4% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.23.

The median age in the city was 33.1 years. 26.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.5% were from 25 to 44; 21.9% were from 45 to 64; and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], there were 8,442 people, 3,191 households, and 2,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,519.4 people per square mile (586.2/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 3,403 housing units at an average density of 612.5 per square mile (236.3/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the city was 85.83% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.36% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 2.72% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.17% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.73% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 5.77% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.41% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 10.87% of the population.

There were 3,191 households, out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,500, and the median income for a family was $40,392. Males had a median income of $33,867 versus $23,617 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,303. About 15.3% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.1% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==

Shelton was the last city in Washington to use a [[City commission government|mayor–commission]] form of government.<ref>{{cite news |last=James |first=Will |date=October 30, 2017 |title=In Shelton, A New Form Of Government Is On The Ballot |url=https://www.knkx.org/politics/2017-10-30/in-shelton-a-new-form-of-government-is-on-the-ballot |publisher=[[KNKX]] |accessdate=November 1, 2023}}</ref> In November 2017, the voters of Shelton adopted a [[council-manager government|council-manager]] form of municipal governance.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shephard Bull |first=Arla |date=December 11, 2017 |title=Shelton sets elections for new council members |url=https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/communities/mason/2017/12/11/shelton-sets-elections-new-council-members/941897001/ |work=Kitsap Sun |accessdate=November 1, 2023}}</ref>

==Education==
The [[Shelton School District]] is composed of eight schools:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sheltonschools.org/ssd/menus/SSDschools.aspx |title=S.S.D. Schools |access-date=November 4, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522230320/http://www.sheltonschools.org/ssd/menus/SSDschools.aspx |archive-date=May 22, 2009 }}</ref>
* Evergreen, Mountain View, and Bordeaux Elementary Schools, kindergarten through fourth grade
* Olympic Middle School, fifth and sixth grades
* Oakland Bay Junior High, seventh and eighth grades
* [[Shelton High School (Washington)|Shelton High School]], ninth through twelfth grades
* CHOICE Alternative School, seventh through twelfth grade
* Cedar High School, a New Tech Network Project-Based Learning high school for grades ninth through twelfth

==Notable people==

* [[Raul Allegre]] - former [[NFL]] kicker
* [[Justin Ena]] – former NFL linebacker
* [[Brian Fairbrother]] - soccer coach who founded soccer program at [[Shelton High School (Washington)|Shelton High School]]
* [[Richard Fiske]] - actor, killed in action in [[France]] in  [[World War 2]]
* [[Karol Kennedy]] – 5-time national champion and [[1952 Winter Olympics]] silver medalist<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417161814/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ke/karol-kennedy-1.html Karol Kennedy at Sports Reference]</ref>
* [[Mary Miranda Knight]] – pioneer and educator
* [[Des Koch|Desmond "Des" Dalworth Koch]] – 1956 Olympic bronze medalist, [[discus]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://masoncounty.com/YIR03_SP.html|last=Patch|first=Steve|title=2003 Sports Year in Review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080327003450/http://www.masoncounty.com/YIR03_SP.html|work=Shelton Mason County Journal|date=January 22, 2004|archive-date=March 27, 2008|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* [[Jerry Lambert (actor)|Jerry Lambert]] – film and television actor<ref>IMDb: [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1208801/ Jerry Lambert] Retrieved on December 7, 2010</ref>
* [[Arthur Needham]] – member of the first city council and the first [[haberdasher]] in the county
* [[Lawson H. M. Sanderson]] – [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] aviation pioneer with the rank of [[Major general (United States)|major general]]
* [[Caleb Schlauderaff]] – NFL offensive lineman
* [[Paul Stamets]] – [[Mushroom]] enthusiast

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|auto=y}}
* [https://sheltonwa.gov City website]
* [http://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/wastate/id/208/rec/20 City of Shelton circa 1925 (University of Washington collection)]

{{Seattle Metro}}
{{Mason County, Washington}}
{{Mosquito Fleet}}
{{Washington (state) county seats}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Shelton, Washington| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Cities in Mason County, Washington]]
[[Category:County seats in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1889]]
[[Category:Micropolitan areas of Washington (state)]]