About
Local Chambers of Commerce
There are two chambers of commerce serving the Mason County area. Both are key information centers for the tourism, recreation, lodging and dining industries.
Though both chambers contain brochures, directions, maps and descriptions of just about everything you’d want to see or do in Mason County, each chamber has its geographical area of expertise.
For North Mason County (Belfair, Allyn, Victor, Union, Dewatto Bay, Tahuya, Grapeview, Mason Lake) contact North Mason County Chamber of Commerce, 23910 NE State Route 3, Belfair, WA 98528 at 360-275-4267 or www.northmasonchamber.com. A Visitor Information Center, with an extensive map and brochure selection, is located within the North Mason County Chamber office.
For South and Southwest Mason County (Shelton, Kamilche, Matlock, Potlatch, Hoodsport, Union, Lake Cushman) contact the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce at 221 West Railroad Avenue, Shelton, WA 98584 at 360-426-2021 or www.sheltonchamber.org.
In addition to the two chambers’ main offices, travel information can be obtained at the Red Caboose Visitor Information Center on Railroad Avenue in Shelton, across from the main post office. Normal business hours apply.
Hood Canal Visitor Information Center, at State Route 119 where it joins Highway 101 in Hoodsport, is another source for general travel information, as well as trail reports, campground information, and other vital data pertaining to Olympic National Park and Forest.
The Hood Canal VIC is on the way to Staircase and Lake Cushman, and is open on both weekdays and weekends during the summer season (business hours). Volunteers can be reached at 360-877-2021.
The Kamilche Visitor Information Center is located just off the Highway 108 and Kimilche Exit from Highway 101, the same exit for Little Creek Casino and Resort, ten minutes from Olympia.
County Information and Stats
Mason County, rank by size: 29 of 39
961 square miles
Population: 53,100 (2006)
Highest Point: 6,255 feet (Mt. Washington)
Lowest Point: Sea Level
Largest Employer: Squaxin Indian Tribe (700)
2006 Home Sales Total Units: 1,251
Highest Price of Homes Sold
1) $2,200,000 (Grapeview) 2) $1,750,000 (Agate) 3) $1,065,000 (S.Shore)
2006 Price of Homes Sold, County-wide
Minimum: $ 13,500
Maximum: $2,200,000
Average: $226,275
Median: $190,000
Interesting Facts
Olympic National Park is the fourth most popular national park in the United States, following Great Smokey Mountains, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite.
The year 2006 was a near-record year for annual precipitation, with nearly 81 inches falling on Shelton. A normal year for Shelton is 50 to 60 inches.
Average monthly temperatures for Mason County rarely exceed 80 degrees in the summer, though occasional spikes have been recorded at or near 100 degrees. Typically, winter weather temperatures hover around the 40s, with some cold spells and nights dipping below freezing.
Average snow pack in the Olympics will normally begin to accumulate in October, and may often linger into late July. May is an excellent month for photography, as the spring leaves are blooming while the county’s highest peaks still retain their snowy crowns.
Wild game in Mason County includes a variety of fish, deer, elk, bear and waterfowl.
Shellfish producer Taylor Shellfish Farms is the world’s leader in commercial clam harvesting, and a top restaurant favorite, world-wide, for their fresh-shipped and chilled individual oysters in the shell.
