Monroe is one of those towns where the scenery stops you in mid-sentence. I got a perfect shot of the trees reflecting off the water, so tranquil it could’ve been a Bob Ross painting. But don’t let the calm fool you. Monroe has seen plenty of action over the years.
Originally called Park Place, the town was renamed Monroe in 1890 to honor President James Monroe. The town itself picked up and moved northeast to cozy up to the Great Northern Railway, which arrived in 1892 with the full swagger of a transcontinental connector. That strategic relocation paid off: Monroe became a hub for lumber operations, thanks to its location in the forest-rich Skykomish Valley. By 1894, the first shingle mill was spinning, followed by a sawmill on Woods Creek in 1897.
The town also became home to two major institutions: a condensed milk plant and the state reformatory, which, depending on how your day’s going, could be seen as equally humbling.
In 1902, Monroe opened its very first jail... and forgot to include cells. Locals joked that if prisoners wanted to escape, they'd have to let themselves out nicely.
So yes, Monroe is beautiful. But it’s also got grit, charm, and just enough quirk to keep things interesting.
