Porter is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 204 at the 2020 census,[3] slightly down from 207 at the 2010 census.[2] Prior to 2010 it was part of the Malone-Porter CDP; Malone and Porter are now separate CDPs. They are located just off U.S. Route 12, southeast of Elma and northwest of Oakville, and along a shortline that is part of the Puget Sound and Pacific Railroad.

Porter, Washington
Porter, Washington, early 20th century
Porter, Washington, early 20th century
Porter is located in Washington (state)
Porter
Porter
Porter is located in the United States
Porter
Porter
Coordinates: 46°56′23″N 123°18′32″W / 46.93972°N 123.30889°W / 46.93972; -123.30889
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyGrays Harbor
Area
 • Total
8.9 sq mi (23.0 km2)
 • Land8.9 sq mi (23.0 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation
100 ft (30 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
204
 • Density23/sq mi (8.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
98541[1]
Area code360
FIPS code53-55540[2]

History

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Porter was named after Fairchild Porter, who settled in the area around 1860.[4][5] The Sharon Grange, located in Oakville, began in the Porter community as the Porter Grange No. 800 in 1923.[6]

Much of Porter was destroyed by fire on January 31, 1924. Porter Saloon was re-built later that same year. When it re-opened in 1933 following the repeal of Prohibition, it was one of the first establishments to receive a liquor license in the state of Washington.[citation needed]

Geography

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Porter is located in southeastern Grays Harbor County, east of the Chehalis River valley near the mouth of Porter Creek. The CDP extends northeast up the Porter Creek valley and east to the first ridgecrest of the local Black Hills. It is bordered to the northwest by the Malone CDP and to the west by U.S. Route 12, which leads west 27 miles (43 km) to Aberdeen and southeast 19 miles (31 km) to Grand Mound and Interstate 5.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Porter CDP has a total area of 8.9 square miles (23.0 km2), all of it land.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Porter WA ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com. 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Porter CDP, Washington". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2017.[dead link]
  3. ^ "Census Bureau profile: Porter, Washington". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  4. ^ Majors, Harry M. (1975). Exploring Washington. Van Winkle Publishing Co. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-918664-00-6.
  5. ^ Meany, Edmond S. (1923). Origin of Washington Geographic Names. Seattle: University of Washington Press. p. 229.
  6. ^ The Chronicle staff (April 8, 2024). "Oakville's Sharon Grange annual spring oyster feed returns this weekend". The Chronicle (Centralia, Washington). Retrieved April 11, 2024.