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Lacey, Washington

Coordinates: 47°1′35″N 122°48′26″W / 47.02639°N 122.80722°W / 47.02639; -122.80722
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lacey
St. Martin's University in Lacey
Location within Thurston County in Washington
Location within Thurston County in Washington
Coordinates: 47°1′35″N 122°48′26″W / 47.02639°N 122.80722°W / 47.02639; -122.80722
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyThurston
IncorporatedDecember 5, 1966
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager[1]
 • MayorAndy Ryder[2]
 • Deputy mayorMalcolm Miller[3]
Area
 • City17.66 sq mi (45.75 km2)
 • Land17.20 sq mi (44.55 km2)
 • Water0.47 sq mi (1.20 km2)
Elevation
203 ft (62 m)
Population
 • City53,526
 • Estimate 
(2022)[6]
58,552
 • RankUS: 669th
WA: 23rd
 • Density3,057.67/sq mi (1,180.57/km2)
 • Metro
298,758 (US: 172nd)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
98516
Area code360
FIPS code53-36745
GNIS feature ID1512362[7]
Websitecityoflacey.org

Lacey is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States. It is a suburb of Olympia with a population of 53,526 at the 2020 census, making it the 24th most populous city in Washington.[5] Lacey is located along Interstate 5 between Olympia and the Nisqually River, which marks the border with Pierce County and Joint Base Lewis–McChord.

History

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Lacey was originally called Woodland after settlers Isaac and Catherine Wood, who claimed land there in 1853.[8] By 1891, the railroad had come to the community of Woodland and the residents decided it was time to apply for a post office. The request was denied because there was already a town called Woodland on the Columbia River. The name Lacey was chosen for the new post office application, presumably after O. C. Lacey, a Justice of the Peace in Olympia.[9] The small settlements of Woodland and Chambers Prairie consolidated into Lacey in the 1950s. The city of Lacey was not officially incorporated until December 5, 1966.[10][11] At the time, the main industries were cattle, milk, forest products, and retail. Lacey became a commuter town for Olympia, Fort Lewis[12] and to some extent, Tacoma; in recent years, however, business developments, community groups, and population growth have led Lacey to develop into a city in its own right.

Geography

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Lacey generally lies between Olympia to the west and the Nisqually River delta (which includes the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge) to the east. The city's northernmost point is along the Nisqually Reach on Puget Sound adjacent to Tolmie State Park and its southern boundary is a section of the BNSF Railway's Seattle Subdivision, a major freight and passenger railway.[13][14]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.51 square miles (42.76 km2), of which, 16.06 square miles (41.60 km2) is land and 0.45 square miles (1.17 km2) is water.[15]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note
19606,630
19709,69646.2%
198013,94043.8%
199019,27938.3%
200031,22662.0%
201042,39335.8%
202053,52626.3%
2022 (est.)58,552[6]9.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[16]
2020 Census[5]

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, there were 53,526 people, 20,984 households in the city.

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, there were 42,393 people, 16,949 households, and 10,869 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,639.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,019.2/km2). There were 18,493 housing units at an average density of 1,151.5 per square mile (444.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 74.2% White, 5.4% African American, 1.2% Native American, 8.0% Asian, 1.7% Pacific Islander, 2.6% from other races, and 7.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.2% of the population.

There were 16,949 households, of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.9% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.99.

The median age in the city was 34 years. 24.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.5% were from 25 to 44; 21.8% were from 45 to 64; and 14.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

2000 census

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As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $46,848, and the median income for a family was $54,923. Males had a median income of $41,053 versus $32,497 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,224. About 7.1% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Neighborhoods

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Mushroom Corner is located along Interstate 5 and is included in the Tanglewilde-Thompson Place Census-designated place (CDP) for Census purposes. The "corner" in Mushroom Corner is located at the intersection of Steilacoom Road SE and Marvin Road SE. The community takes its name from the local mushroom crop; the Ostrom Mushroom Farm that formerly operated nearby.[17][18]

Economy

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The largest retail area in Lacey is the South Sound Center, which opened in 1966 and was originally an enclosed mall until 2000.[19] Plans to develop a city center near the mall were considered as early as the 1990s to revitalize the area around the civic campus.[20] The Lacey Gateway was developed in the 2000s and is home to a Cabela's store, but failed to attract other major tenants.[21] The Nisqually Tribe announced plans in 2023 to build Quiemuth Resort, a casino resort with a 350-room hotel adjacent to Lacey Gateway, and a mixed-use development at a nearby site.[22]

The city designated 500 acres (200 ha) of land in the Hawks Prairie area for industrial use in the 1990s with the intent of attracting high-tech businesses. It instead was developed into large warehouses and distribution centers that serve the Puget Sound region and connect with the Port of Seattle and Port of Tacoma.[23] In 2003, retailer Target opened its West Coast distribution center in Lacey with 1.7 million square feet (160,000 m2) of space—among the largest warehouses in the U.S. by usable volume.[24][25] The city council passed a cap of 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2) for new warehouses in 2006, but lifted it in 2015 for additional development.[26]

Sustainability

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Lacey was the twelfth city to be designated an official "Green Power Community" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its use of renewable energy sources; 8.4% of its total energy use comes from green power sources.[27] It is working to meet its Alternative Energy Initiative, which includes using 100 percent green electrical energy in all of its municipal buildings, parks, utilities, and 3,000 streetlights and traffic signals; providing electric vehicle charging stations to visitors and employees at its city hall and library campus; and initiating conversion of its municipal fleet to energy efficient vehicles powered by electricity, hybrid technology, and 80/20 biofuel.[28] Lacey has received the "Tree City, USA" designation from the National Arbor Day Foundation for twenty six years.[29]

Education

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The city is entirely within the boundaries of North Thurston Public Schools,[30] the largest school district in Thurston County. Lacey is also home to various faith based schools, such as Holy Family School (Roman Catholic Preschool through 8th grade), Faith Lutheran School (Preschool through 8th Grade) and Foundation Campus, which includes Community Christian Academy (Pre-school to Middle School) and Northwest Christian High School. Lacey is also the home of Pope John Paul II High School.

Lacey is also home to Saint Martin's University, a private four-year university that was founded in 1895 by the Order of Saint Benedict.[31] The Olympia-based South Puget Sound Community College opened a satellite center in a Hawks Prairie strip mall in 1995 to serve Lacey. It was replaced in September 2015 by a larger branch campus at a former office park.[32] The college had also purchased 54.5 acres (22.1 ha) in 2005 to build a larger permanent campus, but sold the land after issues with wetlands mitigation were discovered.[32][33]

Public secondary schools

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Infrastructure

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Transportation

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Lacey is bisected from west to east by Interstate 5, a north–south freeway connecting Seattle to Portland, Oregon.[14] The first diverging diamond interchange in Washington opened in August 2020 at a junction in Lacey between Interstate 5 and Marvin Road (State Route 510).[35] As of 2021, the city maintains 178.6 miles (287.4 km) of streets within its city limits.[36]

The city is served by Intercity Transit, the public transit system for Thurston County, and is the eastern terminus of The One bus rapid transit line. The agency also runs express buses from Olympia and Lacey to Tacoma with onward connections to other transit systems.[37][38] The county's only Amtrak station, Centennial Station, is located near Lacey's southern boundary and is served by daily Cascades and Coast Starlight trains.[39]

Healthcare

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The largest hospital in Thurston County is the Providence St. Peter Hospital, which has a 390-bed capacity and is located northwest of Lacey.[40] St. Peter Hospital was originally located in Olympia from its foundation in 1887 until January 1971, when its current location opened outside of the city limits.[41][42] It is operated by Providence Health & Services, a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare provider that also has outpatient and specialty facilities in Lacey.[43] The city also has an off-campus emergency room for the MultiCare Capital Medical Center, the other major hospital in the Olympia area. The facility opened in 2023 and has 18 beds.[44] A mental health hospital was opened in Lacey by US HealthVest in 2018 and a second facility with 85 beds was planned by Providence St. Peter Hospital and Fairfax Behavioral Health.[45] The Providence–Fairfax plan was later put on hold after Fairfax announced in 2023 that they would not pursue the project.[46]

Notable people

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Sister city

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Lacey has a sister city in Poland, Mińsk Mazowiecki.[56]

References

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  1. ^ "City Council". City of Lacey. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  2. ^ "Andy Ryder, Mayor | Meet the Lacey City Council | City Council | City of Lacey, Washington, USA". Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  3. ^ "City Council". City of Lacey. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  4. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  7. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  8. ^ "Thurston County Sesquicentennial" Archived February 13, 2002, at archive.today — The Olympian
  9. ^ "A Rich History". City of Lacey.
  10. ^ Dougherty, Phil (October 4, 2006). "Lacey incorporates on December 5, 1966". HistoryLink. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  11. ^ "Thurston County Place Names: A Heritage Guide" (PDF). Thurston County Historical Commission. 1992. p. 42. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  12. ^ "Joint Base Lewis McChord Growth Coordination - JBLM.growth.com". Archived from the original on April 13, 2011. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
  13. ^ The City of Lacey Urban Growth Area (PDF) (Map). Thurston County GeoData Center. August 16, 2024. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Washington State Department of Transportation (2014). Washington State Highways, 2014–2015 (PDF) (Map). 1:842,000. Olympia: Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  15. ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 2, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  16. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  17. ^ Boone, Rolf (July 21, 2023). "Development plans emerge for former Ostrom's mushroom farm, Pacific Ave. apartments". The Olympian.
  18. ^ "Thurston County Place Names: A Heritage Guide" (PDF). Thurston County Historical Commission. 1992. p. 56. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  19. ^ Graber, John (August 30, 2000). "South Sound's first mall razed". The Olympian. p. A12. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ Kearsley, Kelly (July 17, 2013). "Lacey ponders its core desires". The News Tribune. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  21. ^ Boone, Rolf (January 3, 2017). "Lacey Gateway site attracts first major development proposal since Cabela's". The Olympian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  22. ^ Boone, Rolf (September 25, 2023). "Nisquallys unveil sweeping development plan for its land in Lacey near Cabela's". The Olympian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  23. ^ {[cite news |last=Boyer |first=Tom |date=August 14, 2005 |title=Lacey makes way for warehouses |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/lacey-makes-way-for-warehouses/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=November 3, 2024}}
  24. ^ Clough, Chris (April 26, 2003). "Target center celebrates opening". The Olympian. p. C8. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Building Big: The Outer Limits of Enclosure". Center for Land Use Interpretation. 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  26. ^ Boone, Rolf (November 16, 2015). "Lacey City Council eliminates cap on warehouse sizes". The Olympian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  27. ^ "Green Power Communities List". United States Environmental Protection Agency. October 8, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  28. ^ "Lacey Alternative Energy Fair Named Top Event by Washington Recreation and Park Association" — Lacey Online - Press Releases
  29. ^ "City of Lacey Marks 26 Years as a Tree City USA" Archived September 29, 2021, at the Wayback Machine — Lacey Online - Press Releases
  30. ^ 2020 Census – School District Reference Map: Thurston County, WA (PDF) (Map). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2024. - Text list
  31. ^ Pemberton, Lisa (August 8, 2005). "Saint Martin's 'College' no more". The Olympian. pp. A1–A2.
  32. ^ a b Pemberton, Lisa (March 11, 2017). "SPSCC plans renovation to help ease growing pains at Lacey campus". The Olympian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  33. ^ Hill, Lacey (April 23, 2010). "Lacey approves college branch". The Olympian. p. A3. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "Construction & Design - Salish Middle School". Archived from the original on April 6, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  35. ^ Lindblom, Mike (December 28, 2020). "A novel I-5 interchange in Lacey lets motorists drive on the left side of the road". The Seattle Times. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  36. ^ "State of the Streets Report, 2021" (PDF). City of Lacey. December 2021. p. 1. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  37. ^ Spegman, Abby (October 11, 2019). "Coming soon: A bus ride across Olympia in 10 stops — for free". The Olympian. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  38. ^ Bilbao, Martín (September 27, 2023). "This I-5 ramp in Lacey will be closed starting Thursday. Here's why". The Olympian. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  39. ^ Krotzer, Chelsea (November 17, 2017). "Volunteers keep Lacey's train station unique and welcoming". The Olympian. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  40. ^ "Providence, Swedish health care systems unite under one brand". The Olympian. April 4, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  41. ^ Hogan, Hal (January 6, 1971). "St. Peter Hospital: Switch Without a Hitch". The Olympian. p. 1. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  42. ^ Satir, F.E. (July 10, 1997). "Times change, caring doesn't". The Olympian. p. D1. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ^ Boone, Rolf (October 31, 2024). "Providence to cut 55 jobs, shut down some outpatient therapy and related services". The Olympian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  44. ^ Boone, December 18, 2023. "Off-campus ER opens Friday, check out downtown winery and this pizzeria's new third site". The Olympian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  45. ^ Boone, Rolf (September 1, 2020). "Long-awaited second mental health hospital submits plans to city of Lacey". The Olympian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  46. ^ Boone, Rolf (January 26, 2023). "Mental health hospital in NE Lacey on hold after partner pulls out". The Olympian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  47. ^ Rosenzweig, David (January 24, 2001). "White supremacist agrees to plead guilty in rampage". The Seattle Times. p. A13.
  48. ^ Milles, Todd (December 5, 2016). "Dutra in charge of keeping Sounders goalkeepers in top form". The News Tribune. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  49. ^ Orenstein, Walker (December 29, 2016). "After internship that lasted 50 years, retiring Karen Fraser leaves long legacy of service". The Olympian. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  50. ^ a b Smith, Lauren (January 28, 2019). "Northwest Nuggets through the years: Who are the top football recruits from the region since 1988?". The News Tribune. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  51. ^ Liebsekind, Josh (April 17, 2015). "Kasey Keller headlines WIAA Hall of Fame class". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  52. ^ Buhain, Venice (June 23, 2010). "Lacey woman at White House". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  53. ^ Rousso, Nick (October 25, 2022). "Seattle Mayor Ed Murray announces his resignation on September 12, 2017". HistoryLink. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  54. ^ Perry, Nick; Armstrong, Ken (January 27, 2008). "Convicted of assault and accused of rape, star player received raft of second chances". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  55. ^ Fentress, Aaron (July 10, 2010). "Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart finds his footing on and off the field". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  56. ^ Minutes of a regular meeting of the Lacey City Council held Thursday, January 25, 2007, at Lacey Council Chambers Archived January 15, 2016, at the Wayback Machine — Retrieved October 24, 2009.
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