Let’s paint Winthrop! Over 50 years ago, Winthrop was given a gift from the Wagner Family to create a Western theme town. As good stewards of this gift, we want your help to keep it looking like a boom town, not a ghost town!
A local group, Let’s Paint Winthrop, along with the Winthrop Chamber and Westernization Board, have joined together to launch this campaign to raise funds and get the downtown buildings repainted. We aim to raise enough funds to go from a walking bridge to a walking bridge. We envision the buildings repainted to their original luster.
Donations are tax-deductible donations to the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce. Volunteers will also be needed. We are looking for contractors, painters, fundraisers, etc. If you would like to join in to help Paint Winthrop, please notify Nilsine Harris at 509-341-4694.
Please write your check to the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce and take donations to Bart Bradshaw’s CPA office at 106 Bluff Street or mail them to PO Box 39, Winthrop, WA 98862. Please note “Paint Winthrop” on the donation.
Paint Proposal
Our proposal is to revitalize the historic Western theme town of Winthrop, WA. The town has a fascinating history that dates back to the late 1800s when gold was discovered in the area, leading to the creation of a boomtown. However, in the 1930s, the town was on the brink of collapse when a couple, Guy and Myra Wagner, stepped in and saved it from certain demise. The Wagners gifted the town with Western-style facades, which have since become the hallmark of the tourist town’s unique charm.
Unfortunately, over the years, the town has fallen into disrepair, and many of its buildings have lost their original luster. That’s why we plan to repaint and repair the buildings to their original condition, in order to revive the town’s Western theme. This project will require a significant amount of paint, man hours, building repairs, and artist time. We believe that the investment will be worth it, as it will attract more tourists and bring the town back to its former glory.
The Western theme is an essential part of our history, and it is crucial to preserve it for future generations. By restoring Winthrop, we will not only be preserving this history but also providing an opportunity for people to experience it firsthand, as well as supporting our local economy through tourism dollars. We hope you will consider supporting our project and helping us revitalize this beautiful town. Thank you for your time and consideration.
We have approximately 40 buildings, numerous murals and hundreds of signs that have to be refinished with the era of 1850’s to the 1900’s. This requires specialty colors, fonts and materials to comply with the Westernization ordinance. This projected could take us up to 4 years to complete due to the tourisms. We are restricted in doing major projects if it disrupts the flow of tourist traveling in and out of the town due to the short period of time that our highway is open.
Over 50 years ago, the Wagner Family donated funding to change our town into an attraction they took it from a small town with no vitalization to a Western Theme town. We are trying to be good stewards of this gift by repainting, and repairing building faces, murals, planked boardwalks and additional items that are vital to our downtown shopping corridor. The budget is attached.
