PORT ANGELES — The Smithsonian has selected Port Angeles as one of the 20 best small towns for 2016.

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, the Smithsonian online magazine selected 20 towns located near national parks as being worthy of a visit.

Port Angeles, called the gateway city to Olympic National Park, is No. 16 on the list, which is organized alphabetically by state.

President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the Park Service on Aug. 25, 1916.

“Port Angeles is getting a lot of national recognition as a cool place to visit,” said Marc Abshire, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.

He noted the inclusion of Port Angeles in many travel lists and contests in the past year — by USA Today, Outside magazine and numerous online travel websites.

Smithsonian is a highly respected organization with a huge national and international reach, Abshire said.

Positive change

“Positive change is moving into town,” he said.

Expansions and new start-ups are starting to grow the area’s economy, he added, citing the recent announcement of a new Chevrolet dealership to be established in Port Angeles, the expansion of Olympic Medical Center and the impending opening of the Composite Recycling Technology Center.

“No single one is the answer. It has to be collective prosperity, including tourism,” Abshire said.

The article can be viewed online at the Smithsonian at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Smithsonian.

Smithsonian web editor Jackie Mansky, who compiled the list and wrote about each of the towns, said she was seeking “small communities that cater to the annual crowds with charming hotels, greasy spoons, local culture and innovative museums that tell fascinating stories.”

Each of the towns, with a population of 20,000 or fewer, features “distinct and diverse histories, cultures, food and art,” in addition to being located near a national park, she said.

Trails, views

“The Pacific Northwest jewel is known for its trails: The Olympic Discovery Trail offers more than 60 miles for running or cycling, and the Hurricane Ridge, which rises about a mile above sea level and boasts some of the best views of the Olympic Mountains,” Mansky said.

The article also touts the area’s bed-and-breakfasts, whale-watching tours, the Sequim lavender fields and the Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival.

Mansky noted that the area is already well-known to one pop-culture group, fans of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga book and movie series.

She also made a tongue-in-cheek suggestion that the angsty main characters of the Twilight book series “might have been happier if they’d ventured out of Forks every now and then to take a weekend trip to this national park gateway town.”

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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.