The sign in the window of Glut, a popular co-op grocery store in Mount Rainier, reads, “After all these years — still funky, still cheap.” The slogan captures the essence of the burg.

Incorporated as a trolley car suburb in 1910, the town remains eclectic, affordable and culturally diverse. The police station is green, and plans are in the works to do the same with City Hall. Some residents will stay warm this winter burning corn in their furnaces, and classes are offered in belly dancing. Located just over the District line, Mount Rainier is something completely different.