Government

The City is organized under Washington State law as a Non-charter Code City. Its structure is that of an elected Mayor and a five member elected City Council. Unlike other cities on the Olympic Peninsula, Forks operates under what is called a "strong Mayor" form of government with the Mayor being the Chief Executive Officer overseeing four department heads (Clerk/Treasurer, Public Works, Police, and Legal/Planning).

Forks Municipal Airport

Forks Municipal Airport

Forks Municipal Airport

Forks Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located one nautical mile southwest of the central business district of Forks, a city in Clallam County, Washington, United States. It was formerly known as Forks Municipal Airport....

  is located in Clallam County, 1 miles (1.6 km) southwest of Forks. The Airport has six based aircraft, including 3 single-engine aircraft and 3 helicopters. The latest available data indicate that the Airport had a total of 13,550 annual operations.

Runway 4-22 is Forks Municipal Airport's sole runway. This runway is 2400 feet (731.5 m) long, 75 feet (22.9 m) wide, is equipped with medium intensity runway lighting, and has an asphalt surface. Approaches to both ends of this runway are visual.

Tourism

On the South end of town is the Forks Timber Museum. Constructed in 1990 by the Forks High School carpentry class, the 3200 square feet (297.3 m²) building provides a look back into the local history of the timber industry, loggers of the past and their tools of the trade. The museum has exhibits depicting local history dating back to the 1870s.

Depending on the person, there are several things to do in Forks. For the teenage group there is a group called the Rainy Day Gamers. These gamers gather every Friday at the ICN Building located a couple blocks away from the stoplight at 71 North Spartan. For others, Forks serves as the hub for numerous day excursions to the Hoh Rainforest

Hoh Rainforest

The Hoh Rainforest is located on the Olympic Peninsula in western Washington state, USA. It is one of the few temperate rainforests in the U.S., and also one of the largest. Within Olympic National Park, the forest is protected from commercial exploitation. This includes of low elevation forest ...

, the Pacific Beaches, and various wilderness trails.

A large percentage of Forks visitors are fans of Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer is an American author known for her vampire romance series Twilight. The Twilight novels have gained worldwide recognition and sold over 100 million copies globally, with translations into 37 different languages...

's Twilight series, which is set in the town. Tours are available of locations that resemble the places described in Meyer's books, although the movies were not actually filmed in Forks.

Fishing

Forks is well known for its winter steelhead trout fishing with the Quillayute river system

Quillayute River

The Quillayute River is a river situated on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. It empties to the Pacific Ocean at La Push, Washington. The Quillayute River is formed by the confluence of the Bogachiel River and the Sol Duc River...

 - the Hoh, Sol Duc, Bogachiel and Calawah rivers. Other nearby Clallam, Sekiu and Hoko rivers are also good for king salmon fishing and steelheading as well.

Local guides are available for both native and hatchery runs and for float trips. Fishing gear and clothing is available at local stores.

Tillicum Park

Forks has a display of one of a very few Shay engines

Shay locomotive

The Shay locomotive was the most widely used geared steam locomotive. The locomotives were built to the patents of Ephraim Shay, who has been credited with the popularization of the concept of a geared steam locomotive...

 remaining in Washington. Shay locomotives are unusual in that they have a crank shaft running down the side, powering all wheels. Rayonier

Rayonier

Rayonier , headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, is the fifth largest private land owner in the United States with over . In addition to its U.S. holdings, Rayonier also owns of land in New Zealand.-History:...

 #10 (c/n 3348) was built for stock by Lima

Lima Locomotive Works

Lima Locomotive Works was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company took the most distinctive part of its name from its main shops location in Lima, Ohio. The shops were located between the Baltimore & Ohio's Cincinnati-Toledo main line...

 in 1930. It has three cylinders and three trucks. It took 11 years until it was finally sold to the Ozette Timber Company. In 1945 it was acquired by Rayonier for their lumber operation near Forks. It was retired near the north end of Forks in Tillicum Park in 1959. The Forks Lions Club erected an attractive shelter over the #10 in 1999 as well as building and maintaining most of the structures in the park over the last 40 years.

Community events

Rainfest, a celebration of the arts sponsored by the West Olympic Council for the Arts, occurs in April and usually has a combination of arts and craft related events. In recent years there have been quilt classes and a quilt show sponsored by the Piece Makers Quilt Club.

In March of every year, the Quillayute Valley Scholarship Auction occurs. This annual fundraising event raises tens of thousands of dollars for scholarships. Since the first scholarship award in 1964, to Robert Henry, D.D.S., the Committee has awarded over US$1m in scholarships to Forks students.

In the summer, Forks hosts its traditional "Old Fashioned Fourth of July" celebration with a Grand Fourth of July Parade with numerous events, including a demolition derby and fireworks display. July is also the month for Quileute Days at La Push

La Push, Washington

La Push is a small unincorporated community in Clallam County, Washington, United States. It is home to the Quileute tribe and is located along the Quileute River. La Push is known for its whale-watching and natural beauty.- Geography :...

 with its parade, traditional salmon bake, bone games, softball tournament, canoe races, and street fair. In August, the Forks Family Festival combines arts and crafts vendors with children activities.

In late September, the Forks Chamber of Commerce partners with the Quileute Tribe and the City of Forks to host the Last Chance Fishing Derby at La Push with cash prizes being the enticement to those wanting to fish for salmon on the Pacific Ocean. The first week in October is when the community celebrates its heritage during Heritage Days. One of the more celebrated events during this week long festival is the "Old Timers Round Table" that is moderated conversation broadcast live via the local radio station involving long time residents of the region talking about days long past.

As a result of Stephenie Meyer's series, September 13 has been dubbed "Twilight Day" in Forks. This day celebrates the new attraction toward the small town, and is celebrated on the day of Bella's birthday.

See also

• La Push, Washington
  La Push, Washington
  La Push is a small unincorporated community in Clallam County, Washington, United States. It is home to the Quileute tribe and is located along the Quileute River. La Push is known for its whale-watching and natural beauty.- Geography :...
  
  
• Cape Flattery
• Olympic Mountains
  Olympic Mountains
  The Olympic Mountains is a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. The mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are not especially high - Mount Olympus is the highest at - but the western slopes of the Olympics rise directly out of the Pacific...
  
  

External links

• Forks Chamber of Commerce
• The Official City Site for Forks, Washington
• University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections – The Pacific Northwest Olympic Peninsula Community Museum - cultural exhibits, curriculum packets and a searchable archive of over 12,000 items and documents.
  • Great Forks Fire Online museum exhibit that documents the 1951 fire in Forks, Washington, which destroyed 38,000 acres (150 km²).
  • People without Borders Online museum exhibit that highlights the culture and history of Latinos in Forks, Washington.