Forks, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Forks, Washington
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Aerial view of Forks
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| Nickname(s):
Logging Capital of the World
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Location in the state of Washington
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 Forks, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Washington | |
| County | Clallam | |
| Incorporated | August 7, 1945 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Mayor–council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4.12 sq mi (10.67 km2) | |
| • Land | 4.12 sq mi (10.67 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | |
| Elevation | 305 ft (93 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,335 | |
| • Density | 810/sq mi (312.6/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) | |
| ZIP Code |
98331
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| Area code | 360 | |
| FIPS code | 53-24810 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410520 | |
Forks is a small town in Washington, United States. It's located in Clallam County. In 2020, about 3,335 people lived there. The town gets its name from where three rivers meet: the Bogachiel, Calawah, and Sol Duc. These rivers then form the Quillayute River.
For a long time, Forks was known for its timber industry. Today, it's a popular spot for tourists. People visit to explore Olympic National Park, enjoy fishing in the rivers, and see the places from the famous Twilight books and movies.
Contents
Exploring Forks' Past
First People of Forks
Long ago, the Quileute Native American tribe lived in the Forks area. They had a deep connection to the land. In 1889, a special area called a reservation was set aside for them near Forks. The name "Forks Prairie" comes from a Quileute phrase meaning "prairie upstream."
How Forks Began
The first European American settlers arrived in the 1860s. They traveled by water because there were no roads. In 1878, Luther and Esther Ford claimed the first homestead here. They even started the first dairy farm.
A post office opened in 1884. It was named "Forks" because of the three rivers that meet nearby. The settlers built simple roads to trade with towns like Port Angeles.
Logging became very important. People started clearing timber from the forests. Later, large timber companies arrived. In 1897, the government created the Olympic Forest Reserve. This reserve eventually became part of Olympic National Park. During World War I, a railroad was built to help transport wood for airplanes.
Forks officially became a town in 1912. It quickly grew into a central place for the area. Even after some fires in the 1920s, the town rebuilt and improved. New roads, like US 101, made it easier to travel to Forks.
Forks Today
Forks officially became a city on August 7, 1945. From the 1950s to the 1970s, the timber industry was huge. Forks was even called the "Logging Capital of the World." Later, new rules about protecting the environment meant less logging.
Today, logging is still part of Forks' economy, but it's not as big as it once was. Forks also became famous because it's the setting for Stephenie Meyer's Twilight books and movies. This brought many new visitors to the town!
Who Lives in Forks?
Forks' Population in 2020
According to the 2020 census, Forks had 3,335 residents. The average age of people living there was about 36 years old. Many young people, under 18, live in Forks, making up about 27.5% of the population. About 14.8% of residents were 65 or older.
Forks is a rural community, meaning it's not a big city. It has a diverse population with people from many different backgrounds.
Forks' Location and Weather
Where is Forks?
Forks is located on a flat area called Forks Prairie. It's just east of where the Calawah River and Bogachiel River meet. The main highway, U.S. Route 101, goes right through the town.
The Olympic rainforest surrounds Forks. The town covers about 4.12 square miles (10.67 square kilometers) of land.
Rainy Rainforest Climate
Forks is famous for its temperate rainforest environment. This means it gets a lot of rain, usually over 100 inches (254 cm) every year. It rains on about 212 days each year! Even in summer, there's still plenty of rain, though it's not as wet as other seasons.
| Climate data for Forks, Washington (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1907–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 67 (19) |
75 (24) |
81 (27) |
85 (29) |
96 (36) |
110 (43) |
101 (38) |
102 (39) |
100 (38) |
88 (31) |
73 (23) |
65 (18) |
110 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 55.4 (13.0) |
59.8 (15.4) |
66.0 (18.9) |
72.8 (22.7) |
81.2 (27.3) |
84.5 (29.2) |
88.2 (31.2) |
88.5 (31.4) |
83.6 (28.7) |
71.8 (22.1) |
58.6 (14.8) |
54.1 (12.3) |
93.0 (33.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 46.9 (8.3) |
49.9 (9.9) |
53.3 (11.8) |
58.7 (14.8) |
64.5 (18.1) |
68.0 (20.0) |
73.1 (22.8) |
74.0 (23.3) |
70.1 (21.2) |
60.0 (15.6) |
50.6 (10.3) |
45.6 (7.6) |
59.6 (15.3) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 40.7 (4.8) |
42.0 (5.6) |
44.4 (6.9) |
48.3 (9.1) |
53.6 (12.0) |
57.5 (14.2) |
61.6 (16.4) |
62.3 (16.8) |
58.8 (14.9) |
51.2 (10.7) |
44.0 (6.7) |
39.8 (4.3) |
50.4 (10.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 34.6 (1.4) |
34.0 (1.1) |
35.6 (2.0) |
37.9 (3.3) |
42.7 (5.9) |
47.0 (8.3) |
50.2 (10.1) |
50.5 (10.3) |
47.4 (8.6) |
42.4 (5.8) |
37.5 (3.1) |
34.0 (1.1) |
41.2 (5.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 23.3 (−4.8) |
24.3 (−4.3) |
26.6 (−3.0) |
29.5 (−1.4) |
33.5 (0.8) |
39.4 (4.1) |
42.9 (6.1) |
43.1 (6.2) |
38.0 (3.3) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
25.2 (−3.8) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
19.8 (−6.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 3 (−16) |
8 (−13) |
12 (−11) |
21 (−6) |
25 (−4) |
30 (−1) |
34 (1) |
34 (1) |
24 (−4) |
21 (−6) |
8 (−13) |
3 (−16) |
3 (−16) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 19.10 (485) |
11.69 (297) |
14.31 (363) |
9.43 (240) |
4.96 (126) |
3.69 (94) |
2.05 (52) |
2.77 (70) |
4.77 (121) |
11.71 (297) |
18.07 (459) |
17.39 (442) |
119.94 (3,046) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 3.1 (7.9) |
1.3 (3.3) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.0 (2.5) |
1.9 (4.8) |
7.9 (20.05) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 23.0 | 20.2 | 23.2 | 20.4 | 15.9 | 15.7 | 10.2 | 9.4 | 11.5 | 18.7 | 23.2 | 23.7 | 215.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 5.1 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
How Forks is Governed
Forks has a local government with an elected mayor and a five-member city council. The mayor is in charge of the city's main departments, like public works and the police.
Getting Around Forks
Roads and Highways
U.S. Route 101 is the main road that goes through Forks. It connects the town to other cities like Port Angeles and Olympia. Another road, State Route 110, leads from Forks to La Push on the coast.
Forks Airport
The Forks Municipal Airport is just a short distance southwest of town. It's a small airport used by single-engine planes and helicopters.
Public Transportation
Forks has public buses that help people get around. Clallam Transit offers local service and routes to nearby towns like Port Angeles and La Push. There's also a bus called the "Olympic Connection" that travels to Lake Quinault. From there, you can connect to other bus services.
News and Radio in Forks
Forks has its own weekly newspaper called the Forks Forum. It's known as the "farthest west newspaper in the contiguous United States." You can also listen to local radio stations like KBDB-FM 96.7 and KNWU 91.5, which is part of Northwest Public Radio.
Learning in Forks
Forks is part of the Quillayute Valley School District. The main high school for the community is Forks High School. The town is also home to the University of Washington's Olympic Natural Resources Center, which is a place for studying nature.
Fun Things to Do in Forks
From Logging to Tourism
Forks has changed over the years. It used to be mostly about logging. Now, it's a popular place for tourists!
Forks Timber Museum
At the south end of town, you can visit the Forks Timber Museum. This museum shows what the local timber industry was like. You can see old tools and learn about the loggers from the past. The museum has exhibits going back to the 1870s.
Exploring Nature and Fishing
Forks is a great base for exploring the Hoh Rainforest, the Pacific Beaches, and many wilderness trails. It's also well-known for steelhead fishing in the winter. The rivers nearby, like the Hoh, Sol Duc, Bogachiel, and Calawah, are perfect for fishing. You can find local guides and gear in town.
The Twilight Connection
Forks became super popular because Stephenie Meyer chose it as the setting for her Twilight book series. She picked Forks because it's known for its rainy weather! Many fans visit to see places that remind them of the books.
After the Twilight books and movies came out, the number of visitors to Forks grew a lot. In 2005, only 74 people signed the visitor guest book in December. By December 2009, that number jumped to 2,540! In July 2010, over 16,000 people visited.
Tillicum Park and the Shay Engine
In Tillicum Park, Forks displays a special Shay engine. These unique trains have a crankshaft on the side that powers all their wheels. They were designed to carry lumber out of forests. This particular engine, Rayonier #10, was built in 1930 and used for logging near Forks until 1959.
The Forks Lions Club built a shelter over the engine in 1999. They also help maintain many other structures in Shay Tillicum Park.
Fun Events in Forks
Spring and Summer Celebrations
- Rainfest: This arts festival happens in April. It includes art shows and craft events, like quilt classes.
- Quillayute Valley Scholarship Auction: Every March, this event raises money for scholarships for Forks students. Since 1964, it has awarded over $1 million!
- Old Fashioned Fourth of July: In the summer, Forks celebrates with a big parade, a demolition derby, and fireworks.
- Quileute Days: Also in July, this event at La Push celebrates Quileute culture. It features a parade, traditional salmon bake, canoe races, and a street fair.
- Forks Family Festival: In August, this festival brings together arts, crafts, and activities for kids.
Fall Festivals
- Last Chance Fishing Derby: In late September, the Forks Chamber of Commerce teams up with the Quileute Tribe for a fishing contest at La Push. There are cash prizes for catching salmon!
- Heritage Days: The first week of October celebrates the community's history. A popular event is the "Old Timers Round Table," where long-time residents share stories about the past on local radio.
- Forever Twilight in Forks Festival: This festival is celebrated annually around September 13. It includes movie marathons, a blood drive, and dance lessons, all inspired by the Twilight series.
See also
In Spanish: Forks para niños
- Cape Flattery
- Olympic Mountains
