When most people think of the Wild West, Washington State — home of multiple major global companies — is not the first place they think of. Yet a small town located near the center of the state has become a reminder of what was once central to America’s unique cultural and societal identity.
Started by a group of settlers in the late 19th century, the town was named after Theodore Winthrop, the first Union officer killed during the Civil War. Throughout its existence, the town inspired Owen Wister’s “The Virginian,” America’s first Western novel, served as a shelter for troops during World War II, and became home to the largest herd of mule deer in Washington.
However, its claim to fame is its Western theme, integrated into every building downtown. Walking down Main Street, one sees horse saddle-seats, cowboy decor, and plates for panning gold. Rocklynn Culp, Winthrop’s current town planner, explained to me that the theme of the town is “a central part of our identity as a tourism community … it is what brings the tourists here and makes it an exciting place to visit.”
The stark contrast between the little town and the rest of the country leaves one with the sense that America has lost its identity. As major U.S. cities expand and large corporations turn small towns and open fields into urban developments and factory plants, places like Winthrop remind us of the lost beauty now found only in rare communities grounded in tradition, with surviving family-owned businesses that serve all who pass by.
In Winthrop, Sheri’s Sweet Shoppe is the most well-known small business. Originally a gas station, Sheri’s is now a popular ice cream and candy store with a mini golf course. The shop has been in operation for over 30 years.
Hannah, a college employee native to the area, worked at Sheri’s throughout the summer. “A lot of people come from all over the state for our chocolate and ice cream. I’d like to say we’re the heart of the town,” she told me.
And she’s right. Sheri’s is located at its very center and is a hot spot for visitors. Cowboy decorations cover its entire deck, and much of the ice cream is homemade and locally themed to maintain the small-town atmosphere.
On the opposite side of the main street, tourists can find other businesses, such as a glassworks shop, a Mexican restaurant, an outdoors store, and a cafe – all strong proponents of the Western theme.
Glassworks Winthrop is owned by Garth Mudge. With over 40 years of experience, he sells all sorts of glassware, from small decorations to large glasses and bottles.
Garth’s business, like many others, faced multiple challenges throughout its existence, mainly due to the Great Recession in the early 2000s and the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Like most people, Garth did not enjoy the pandemic, but for reasons most might not expect. Garth explained that one of its greatest impacts was the restructuring of the town’s population.
When work went online, many wealthy families moved into Winthrop from places like Seattle. This gradually changed the social landscape of Winthrop in various ways.
“People drive faster and are not as polite of drivers … it changes the way the town is,” Garth said. “They have a hard time enforcing the rules westernization has.”
Down the street from Glassworks, the owner of a sporting store specializing in all things hunting and fishing, Lance Rider, agrees.
“We get a lot of tourists coming here and then some folks decide to live here because they like it … After COVID it went nuts here for property,” making it more difficult for sporting equipment suppliers like himself.
Rocklynn also commented on this issue, stating that the price of a home in Winthrop “probably doubled.”
“We have a pretty serious housing crisis here…it was significantly driven by in-migration during COVID,” she said. “It was virtually impossible to rent or buy a house … It feels like we are coming out of that, but we still have an ongoing need for affordable housing.”
While visiting Winthrop, I saw houses for sale that were priced over $1 million.
Due to the low availability of housing, people are “searching for somebody’s couch to sleep on or a trailer you can rent or a shed you could occupy,” Rocklynn added. “People couch surfing, living in trailers, living in tents.”
Local officials are racing to provide more housing and business structures by attracting more investments to the area. For instance, the town is currently building a river boardwalk and has recently completed a new ice rink.
As cities like Seattle continue to expand and welcome new residents, they also push their progressive ideals across the country, seeping city lifestyle and prices into America’s small towns, harming the social norms and traditions of places like Winthrop. In this case, new residents bring new cultures, norms, and even gentrification, slowly transforming its local atmosphere.
Although the presence of new residents has sent a shock through Winthrop, the little town continues to attract and maintain a strong base of visitors and locals. But in order to truly maintain this cultural icon, visitors and residents alike will have to work and stay determined to preserve the American Wild West in Washington State.
Only time will tell whether this little town, in the far northwest of the United States, is capable of preserving the cowboy ethos, dear to Americans nationwide.
