Alderton, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alderton, Washington
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 Alderton, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
Alderton, Washington
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Pierce |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.46 sq mi (14.1 km2) |
| • Land | 5.32 sq mi (13.8 km2) |
| • Water | 0.14 sq mi (0.4 km2) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 2,893 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
98374
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| Area code(s) | 360 |
Alderton is a small community in Pierce County, Washington, United States. It's known as a census-designated place (CDP). In 2010, about 2,893 people lived here. Alderton is nestled in the beautiful Puyallup River Valley. You can find it between the cities of Sumner and Orting.
Contents
Exploring Alderton's Location
Alderton is located at 47°10′10″N 122°13′45″W / 47.16944°N 122.22917°W. This means it's in a specific spot on the map! The area is about 5.46 square miles (8.4 square kilometers) in total. Most of this area, about 5.32 square miles (8.3 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.14 square miles (0.08 square kilometers), is water.
Alderton and Mount Rainier
Alderton sits in a rich valley next to the Puyallup River. The land here was formed by many layers of lahar deposits. A lahar is like a fast-moving mudflow made of volcanic ash and water. Alderton is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Mount Rainier, a large volcano.
Scientists have studied how lahars from Mount Rainier could flow. They predict that a lahar could reach nearby Orting in about 30 minutes and Alderton in about an hour. To keep people safe, the Mount Rainier Volcano Lahar Warning System has placed sirens all around the area. These sirens are connected to sensors on Mount Rainier and would warn everyone if a lahar was heading their way.
Alderton's Past: A Look at History
The valley where Alderton is located has a long history. It was once the traditional home of the Puyallup Tribe and the Muckleshoot Tribes. These Native American groups are part of the Salish people who lived in the Puget Sound lowlands.
Life of the Native Tribes
The Puyallup people lived by fishing, hunting, and gathering food. Salmon was a very important food source for them. They respected salmon deeply and included it in their traditional ceremonies. Their permanent villages were built along the riverbanks. The Puyallup River valley was also a key place for different tribes to trade goods.
Early Settlers and Trails
The first wagons carrying settlers arrived in Pierce County in 1853. Some of these settlers came using the Naches Pass trail, which was a shortcut of the famous Oregon Trail. Many families, like the Woolery and Lane families, settled in the Puyallup River valley.
The Naches Trail, which brought many early settlers to Pierce County, went right through Alderton and McMillin. It followed the Military Road. At Alderton, the trail split. One path went west towards Olympia, and the other went north towards Seattle.
Farms and Community Buildings
Early settlers worked hard to clear the land. They created farms to grow their own food. These farms usually had fields for crops like oats, rye, barley, potatoes, and other vegetables. They also had pastures for animals and orchards with different fruit trees.
Orson M. Annis (1828-1900) settled in Alderton in 1869. The Alderton post office opened on April 12, 1878, and closed on October 9, 1964. You can still see the old brick gymnasium and school building, built in 1915, along Military Road (Washington Route 162). The old General Store is located across from the school.
Two historic farms still operate in Alderton today. The Spooner Farm has been running since 1930, and the Cavelti Farm has been active since 1938. In 2015, two families, Sidhu and Alderton LLC, bought 116 acres of farmland near the Puyallup River. Alderton LLC grows Christmas trees, while Sidhu grows fruits and vegetables.
See also
In Spanish: Alderton (Washington) para niños
