Community Volunteers Bring a Shine to Downtown Shelton Icons
Now located in the heart of downtown Shelton, Caboose #700 serves as the Chamber’s Visitor Information Center and as a monument to the area ’ s logging history It was built in the 1920s in Shelton by the Peninsula Railway Company, a subsidiary of Simpson The unique side-door caboose was originally used to haul freight and passengers to and from logging camps, many of which were inaccessible by automobile The railway car remained in service through the late 1950s and was retired in 1965 It was then purchased by the Puget Sound Railroad Historical Association and displayed in Snoqualmie The Caboose returned to Shelton in 1983 and was placed behind the “Tollie” Shay, an homage to its travels over this exact location on Railroad Avenue for many years. Visitors are always encouraged to stop by, snap a selfie, and share their experiences with the hashtag #explorehoodcanal and #sheltoncaboose.
You may have noticed that the second block of Railroad is looking a bit brighter these days Much-needed restoration work was conducted on two of Shelton’s most cherished landmarks: the “Tollie” or Shay Locomotive #7; and the Caboose #700, which also serves as a visitor information center This project saw the community come together in a big way, displaying the spirit of community and collaboration that defines Shelton.
The renovation project was made possible thanks to many dedicated volunteers Ilana, Mica, Silas Dickison, Eli, Duane, Dennis, Eric, Mark, John, Laurie, Anna, Mo, Grace, Pat, Irvin, Wayne, Charlotte, Luke, Joe, to name a few for their countless hours of labor scrubbing, repairing, and painting on these landmarks A special thanks goes out to the incredible Zach Hansen for his carpentry expertise and leadership on this project.
The dedicated individuals collectively logged nearly 500 volunteer hours, transforming the caboose and returning it to a vibrant, welcoming landmark.
The Chamber budget for specialty timber was stretched by additional contributions from community partners and friends Builders FirstSource donated gallons and gallons of paint and supplies and City of Shelton who pressure washed and coordinated sidewalk closures Volunteers received daily coffee infusions from Urraco Coffee and local restaurants like the Railroad Tap Station provided lunches for the hardworking team.
The Chamber is now looking forward to the next stage of the project, which involves transforming the inside of the Shelton Caboose Plans include the installation of historical photographs, showcasing logging artifacts, and leaning into Mason County’s tourism brand “Explore Hood Canal” and the “Wild Side of Washington ” Cooper Studios and Mason County Historical Society have already provided initial consultation on the second phase and, undoubtedly, community support will be integral to those plans becoming reality
The ongoing efforts reflect the unwavering power of community collaboration and spirit of Shelton’s residents in preserving their heritage and creating a vibrant community space The Chamber extends its heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in this transformative project and looks forward to future celebrations of this community effort
Want to get involved? Visit masonchamber com/volunteer