What is the history of Lacey, Washington?
Lacey was officially incorporated on December 5, 1966. At the time, the main industries were cattle, milk, forest products, and retail. Lacey became a “bedroom” community for Olympia and to some extent Tacoma. The city is perceived as a slower paced community with its best characteristics being in close proximity to many lakes and forests as well as being close to the beautiful Nisqually Valley. Lacey sported one of the Northwest’s first ever “indoor malls,” South Sound Center. It has since been partially demolished and turned into an outdoor shopping center. When the Lacey Plywood Mill shut down, Lacey took on the challenges of being a place to invest in. Lacey now flourishes with retail, warehousing/distribution centers, a large retirement community, a major mushroom farm, and Weyerhaeuser’s corrugated container facility.
