All About Shelton, WA
- by Jodie Vinson
Tucked away at the end of the Hammersly Inlet, the southwestern pinky finger of the Puget Sound, Shelton's informal blue-collar demure makes an interesting cultural escape from bustling cities. Its calm harbor and tree-lined shores provide a friendly environment for visitors to explore the landscape of the South Sound.
Rich timber resources first brought settlers to the area in the 1800s. David Shelton claimed the land at the head of the inlet, calling it Sheltons Point until it developed with the logging industry into a larger town. While lumber mills composed most of the towns commerce, farming and oyster cultivation also contributed to its economy. At one point the immense amounts of timber worked against the town when a large fire destroyed many buildings. Much of the towns architecture has been preserved after it was rebuilt around WWI, and can be seen in the stone and brick of its downtown shops. The resources the town was built on are still celebrated today with Sheltons annual Forest Festival and Parade.
Community Links:
Shelton Chamber of Commerce
City of Shelton
Shelton Preservation
Port of Shelton
