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Day Tripper | Shelton is Christmas Town, USA — but not before Thanksgiving
I suspect that if you randomly ask 50 Washingtonians what city in our state holds the title of Christmas Town USA, at least 48 of them would confidently say Leavenworth. Last spring as we explored the Hood Canal, I learned a surprising fact: Shelton calls itself Christmas Town USA
The Mason County town legitimately earned this moniker and has documentation to back up its claim. While Leavenworth has the perfect snowcapped mountain setting, Shelton has worked pretty hard to provide the right ambience. I’ll have to admit I was skeptical, but if Christmas Town USA really was just 50 miles from home, it seemed like it warranted a visit.
No head start
One of the cardinal rules I’ve established for Day Tripper is that I will never send you off on a journey I haven’t already made (and you’ve avoided a couple of real turkeys as a result). When I started building this story, I planned to visit Christmas Town in early November. I assumed (and we all know what assumptions get us) that while the decorations wouldn’t be in full flourish, and the trees might not be lit, I would at least be able to see where this year’s displays are and get some pictures of local elves creating the scene. Wrong!
Shelton is nothing if not old-school. People I asked were astounded that I’d think Christmas displays would be up, or even under construction, before Thanksgiving. The docent at the Historical Society looked at me in horror when I asked why there was no evidence of Christmas preparations anywhere.
“Why, Christmas is a long way away,” she said. “We don’t even start thinking about it until after Thanksgiving. (long pause) … Why, that’s just next week isn’t it?”
The Mason County Historical Society. Photo by Mary Williams
Fortunately, others in town have been thinking about it. Plans are in place, if not yet executed. A pretty comprehensive website finally went up last week.
As a recovering Hallmark network addict, particularly around the holiday season, I’ll share that I was amused to learn that this whole thing began when community leaders in Shelton decided to take on the Hallmark Channel.
The story is that in 2016, Hallmark, which sees itself as the nation’s preeminent authority on all things Christmas, competed for and won the title of Christmas Town USA when they set the world’s record for the most lit Christmas trees in one location with 559 in a New York park.
In 2019, little old Shelton decided to challenge that with its maze of lighted trees. Guinness accepted their submission and certified that Shelton had broken Hallmark’s record with 797 lighted trees in the maze. They’ve been celebrating that feat annually ever since.
Christmas tree capital
That wasn’t the first time the exceptional quality of Mason County trees was recognized. In 1972 and 1977 noble firs from the John Hofert Company were selected for display in the Blue Room at the White House. Trees from nearby Elma in Grays Harbor County (1999 and 2002) and Rochester in Thurston County (2004) have also been granted this honor.
Most of the small towns in Western Washington started as either railroad towns or mills. In the 1930s, the John Hofert Company and the G.R. Kirk Company diversified to Christmas tree farming. Shelton’s Fred Peste started the Douglas-Fir Christmas Tree Company and the Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association, which still supports Christmas tree growers in Washington and Oregon.
One of the reasons the preparations aren’t nearing completion is that instead of gearing up for Thanksgiving weekend (or Black Friday) the community is focused on the Festival of the Firs, as it’s known this year. Most activities begin on Friday, Dec. 5, with the tree lighting in Post Office Park on Railroad Avenue.
Festival of the Firs
The hosts of this year’s events are Paul Bunyon and Babe the Blue Ox, who will welcome guests throughout the 12-day outdoor festival featuring live music, crafts, vendors, and fire pits. The theme is a celebration of the area’s timber heritage and their honored guest is Santa!
This year, Shelton included the rest of Mason County in the planning. Many communities are holding bazaars, crafts classes, and other activities next weekend. The premiere event doesn’t kick off until the following weekend when the Festival of the Firs begins.
Plan to take a walk on Railroad Avenue to experience a dose of Christmas cheer. Retro decorations and lights will line the shop fronts. Announced activities include bonfires, marshmallow roasting, caroling, and rides on the Kristmas Town Kiwanis train.
Shelton basics
As long as we were in Shelton anyway, I decided to check out what else in the area might make the community an interesting place for a day trip.
Shelton is the westernmost city on Puget Sound. The population at the 2020 census was approximately 10,000. It is the Mason County seat.
Four sites in town are noted with historical markers and each is in at least one of the databases that keep track of such places. At both the Historical Society and in the Visitor Information Center, aka Caboose 700, you can pick up a Walking Map and Self-Tour that will guide you through the interesting places you may want to check out.
Shelton Public Library and Town Hall
The Public Library and Town Hall was constructed in 1914 and is an L-shaped Georgian Revival-style building. The building embodies the distinctive architectural characteristics of a design by Fredrick Heath, who became one of Washington state’s most prominent architects and designed buildings from Alaska to Los Angeles. Heath’s Tacoma-based practice operated for nearly 60 years and his work can still be seen across the Northwest.
He served as school architect for Tacoma Public School District from 1903 through 1920. Many of his school buildings are still in use today. Among them are Stadium and Lincoln high schools and McKinley, Fern Hill, and Park Avenue elementary schools. He also designed the Paradise Inn at Mount Rainier.
Frederick Heath designed the Public Library and Town Hall building in Shelton. Photo by Mary Williams
A plaque commemorating the donation of the building and its historical placement on the Shelton Historic Register sits at the side of the building on Fifth Street.
A plaque commemorates the donation of the Shelton Public Library and Town Hall building. Photo by Mary Williams
Goldsborough Creek Bridge
For those of us who judge the quality of bridges by the Narrows Bridge, the Goldsborough Creek Bridge barely seems worth visiting. We’re spoiled. The bridge is renowned for the visual impact of the simple concrete arched form which crosses the Goldsborough Creek on Route 3, serving as the entrance into the Shelton community. The 57-foot bridge consists of a 55-foot half-through ribbed concrete arch, and rests on concrete abutments with timber pile bulkheads. It was constructed by MacRae Brothers in 1923, is 24-feet wide and carries a sidewalk along the outside of each arch.
The Goldsborough Creek Bridge is one of five concrete tied arches in the state. It is the shortest of the five, and like the Native American Timothy Memorial Bridge in Garfield County, there are no horizontal struts above the road connecting the two arches. Although there are other examples of tied arches that were built throughout the 1920s and ’30s, this concrete arch form remains rare.
The Goldsborough Creek Bridge and its concrete tied arches. Photo by Mary Williams
Just around the corner from the bridge, at 100 Turner Ave., is Kneeland Park. The park has trails, playfields, and a lot of play equipment. A corner play area is called Imagination Station. If you need to stretch your legs, or give your kids a place to run around, this would be a great place to do it.
Kneeland Park in Shelton. Photo by Mary Williams
Simpson Logging Company Locomotive No. 7 & Peninsular Railway Caboose No. 700
There’s no doubt the community is very proud of its vintage locomotive and caboose which are prominently displayed in the Post Office parking lot on Railroad Avenue. The Simpson Logging Company Locomotive No. 7 and the Peninsular Railway Caboose No. 700 are good examples of the kind of specialized railroad equipment that was used to transport logs from the forests to the mill.
A train like those used to carry logs. Photo by Mary Williams
Built in 1924, Locomotive No.7 represents a relatively late development of the Shay-type locomotive invented in 1879 by Ephraim Shay, a Michigan logger. No. 7 is one of many Shay locomotives sold in the Northwest during the early 1920s logging boom.
Caboose No. 700 was built by the Peninsular Railway Company, a subsidiary of Simpson Logging Company, and is typical of caboose cars used by logging firms throughout the Northwest. Locomotive No. 7 was built in 1924, the same year that construction began on the first of two sawmills, which later brought growth and stability to the town. As the forests were depleted, Shelton had to find industries to take up the slack. Most important of these is the manufacture of wood pulp, for which smaller trees are suitable. The caboose is currently being used as the town’s Visitor Information Center.
Caboose No. 700 is Shelton’s visitor information center. Photo by Mary Williams
Mason County Courthouse
The Mason County Courthouse, completed in 1930, is representative of elements of the Beaux Arts style, and its important architectural features were retained when the building was remodeled. It is one of several Shelton buildings designed by Joseph Wohleb.
The Mason County Courthouse in Shelton, designed by Joseph Wohleb. Photo by Mary Williams
If you visit the Shelton area during the holiday season, and you plan to put up a natural tree, you may want to consider acquiring one from one of the many tree farms in the area. There’s another option that will save you a lot of money. While retail prices for fresh trees hover in the neighborhood of $100, you can go into the Olympic National Forest and cut your own for just $5! If there’s a fourth grader in your family, you can cut a tree for free.
If you think you might want to do that, you should obtain a permit before you visit. You can purchase your permit here.
Side trip
When I’m day tripping I try to allow enough time for diversions. This time, it was Twanoh State Park, which I noted for a possible destination during that trip around Hood Canal.
Located in Union, on the south shore of the canal, it’s not too far out of the way from Shelton.
Twanoh State Park is a 188-acre marine camping park that features warm saltwater swimming, scenic beauty and abundant shellfish. Right now, nothing is warm (particularly not the water!), shell fishing is prohibited, and most of the park appears to be closed, but it really is beautiful. I was surprised to find Twanoh was theoretically closed when I got there. The only area that was open and not chained off was the parking lot by the boat launch. Since all I wanted to do was gaze at the beauty of the place, I was still happy.
The view from Twanoh State Park. Photo by Mary Williams
I can guarantee that ordinarily in the summer the place is bustling, but not this coming summer. When I got home, I checked the park’s website to see if I could figure out why it had been closed and found nothing. I did find a notice: “Reservations for campsites at Twanoh State Park are closed starting June 1, 2026 through spring of 2027 for a shoreline restoration project. Specific dates and details will be published when available.” It seems that if we want to visit any time soon, a spring 2026 visit may be in order.
Alderbrook
Five miles further down the road is the Alderbrook Resort and Spa. First opened in 1913, with no roads on the Peninsula yet, guests had to arrive by canoe. Since then, the property has seen many renovations and changes in ownership. Today, it is one of the few destination resorts in the area.
Alderbrook Resort and Spa. Photo by Mary Williams
The resort’s website touts a beautiful rustic interior with the smell of cedar wafting through the air. I’m not sure the facility would be happy that I consider this their claim to fame, but for people of a certain age, I think it’s great that it’s one of the few places in that area where you can find a beautifully appointed public restroom and get a delicious cup of coffee at the same location.
The rustic interior of Alderbrook Resort and Spa. Photo by Mary Williams
I also found it to be interesting that on a day when my trip was all about Christmas trees, the fully decorated tree in the hotel lobby was the only holiday ready tree I saw all day.
Alderbrook got an early jump on Christmas decorations. Photo by Mary Williams
Dalby Water Wheel
Directly across the highway from the resort is the Dalby Water Wheel, one of the places I was most eager to investigate further. Originally constructed in 1924, the wheel was part of a cable car system in Seattle. The wheel generated enough electricity to power the Dalby family home and several cabins until the 1940s.
The Dalby Water Wheel has a rich history. Photo by Mary Williams
The story of the water wheel begins in the late 1800s when Ole Dalby, a Norwegian immigrant, settled in the area and began farming the land. To irrigate his crops, Dalby built a water wheel on Big Beef Creek, which flowed through his property. The creek’s current powered the water wheel, which pumped water to Dalby’s fields. The buckets help the wheel to turn. They were originally used in the Denny Hill Regrade in Seattle.
Over time, the water wheel became a local landmark and a popular tourist attraction. Visitors would come from all over to see the impressive structure and watch it in action. In the early 1900s, a group of investors tried to purchase the wheel and turn it into a hydroelectric power plant, but Dalby refused to sell.
In the 1920s, ownership of the water wheel passed to Dalby’s son, Carl, who continued to operate and maintain it. By the 1950s, the water wheel had fallen into disrepair and was in danger of collapsing. A group of concerned citizens formed the Dalby Water Wheel Association to preserve and restore the historic structure. With help from volunteers and donations, the wheel was repaired and continued to operate. In 1972, the Dalby Water Wheel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, visitors can still see the wheel in action, pumping water up to irrigate the fields just as it did over a century ago.
Union City Market
Another couple of miles down the highway is the Union City Market.
Union City Market shares a building with the Hood Canal Marina and has excellent cookies. Photo by Mary Williams
This time of year, the market and its restaurant, the Hook & Fork, are open Thursday through Sunday. The market is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., while the restaurant closes at 4 p.m.
The market is typical of the other small general stores in the area. It has a lot of basic supplies, but doubles as a cool little gift shop.
Union Market is special in that it sells baked goods, particularly cookies, that are made on site. Walking into a quaint little store full of the aroma of freshly baked cookies is like walking into an open house where the realtor has cookies baking in the oven. Somehow that aroma just makes you want to spend. I had a peanut butter smores cookie that has to be in the top 10 of the best cookies I’ve ever had. I’d think about making the 25-mile trip again just to have another cookie!
Right across the street is the Union Country Store.
The Union Country Store proudly boasts that it’s located in “Downtown Union.” Photo by Mary Williams
In front of it is the only historical marker in the area.
A historical sign explains how Hood Canal got its name. Photo by Mary Williams
McReavy House
Just up the hill, virtually on top of the store, is our final destination, the McReavy House Museum. Built in 1890, the McReavy House at 102 E. 2nd Street, is a Victorian mansion overlooking the Hood Canal. Some people claim it is haunted.
It was home to John McReavy, a lumberman on Hood Canal from 1870-1893. He served in the Territorial Legislature and was a signer of Washington’s Declaration of Statehood.
The home had been vacant since the children of John McReavy died within a year of each other in 1969. As recently as 2007, the house was on the Washington State Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of most endangered properties. In 2007, John McReavy’s descendants donated the house and property as a community asset and various civic organizations took up the cause of finding funding to preserve it. Renovation began in earnest in 2016.
The McReavy Mansion was once considered one of Washington state’s most endangered historic buildings. Photo by Mary Williams
Unfortunately, the mansion is closed much of the year. Tours are available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day. I’d like to go back and tour it this summer. Perhaps I can get another cookie then.
About the Day Tripper column
Gas prices are sky high, and a night in a hotel is approaching astronomically expensive. So, for the foreseeable future, I imagine many of you are going to find yourselves taking day trips rather than the road trip vacations we’ve grown to love.
This beautiful region in which we live is ripe with opportunities to explore new places, see new things, and learn a little something at the same time. I promise to keep the longest journeys to a one-way distance of under 200 miles. Whether you want to make it an overnight trip, a weekend, or just a very long day trip, we should be able to pull it off.
I hope you’ll grant me the honor of your virtual company as we travel these roads together. Happy trails!
