Oregon City

Oregon City is a city in the Portland Metropolitan Area. The seat of suburban Clackamas County, it is best known as being the end of the Oregon Trail. Several tourist attractions in the city commemorate this history.

Understand

Although Portland is the main attraction in modern-day Oregon, those making the trek from the Midwest to Oregon along the Oregon Trail in the 1840s and 1850s came to their journey's end in Oregon City, near a camp called Abernethy Green. It was here that newly arrived settlers would camp while filing their land claims.

Dr. John McLoughlin founded Oregon City in 1829 as an outpost of the Hudson's Bay Company to take advantage of the power provided by nearby Willamette Falls. It became the capital of the Oregon Territory for its early years (1848 to 1851), and at the time competed with nearby Portland for influence.

Today, its downtown area retains the historic character thanks to preservation of the historic houses and buildings.

Visitor information

• 🌍 Downtown Oregon City Association, 814 Main St., ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. (updated Jun 2017)

Get in

By bus

TriMet has buses connecting Portland's city center to Oregon City. Bus 33 goes along the east side of the Willamette River (while it does cross the Hawthorne Bridge, it mostly has views of car dealerships) and bus 35 goes along the west side (lots of trees).

By car

I-205 runs through Oregon City. From PDX, take 205 South to Oregon City. 205 also branches off of I-5.

By train

See also: Rail travel in the US

The Oregon City Amtrak station is served by the Cascades line. There is no ticket machine here, so you will need to buy tickets at another station or online.

Get around

See

• 🌍 John McLoughlin House, 713 Center St, ☎ [phone]. John McLoughlin was the head of the British Hudson Bay Company in the Oregon Country. His house has been preserved as a museum of the fur trade and settlement of Oregon.  
• 🌍 Willamette Falls (Hwy 99E near S 2nd St). Natural horseshoe shaped waterfall, 2nd largest by volume in the United States after Niagara Falls. A former paper mill overlooking the falls is being redeveloped. As of 2017, the best views of the falls are from a public viewpoint below the Museum of the Oregon Territory, or by taking the Municipal Elevator to the McLoughlin Promenade.  
• 🌍 Oregon City Elevator, 605 High St (Lower terminus at 7th and Railroad), ☎ [phone]. Only municipal elevator in the United States. Observation deck has a view of city and the Willamette River. If you want a souvenir, ask the elevator operator (yes, it has one) for a "lifetime pass". Free.  
• 🌍 End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, 1726 Washington St (exit 10 from I-205 south, right on Washington St), ☎ [phone]. 11AM - 4PM. Located at the actual end of the Oregon Trail, the museum features costumed historical interpreters. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Museum of the Oregon Territory (Clackamas County Historical Society), 211 Tumwater Dr, ☎ [phone]. 10:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M Wed- Sat.. Adults $5; Ages 5-17 $3; Under 5 free. (updated Nov 2016)
• 🌍 Stevens-Crawford Heritage House, 603 6th St.. Thurs.- Sat. noon to 4 p.m. (last tour at 3:30). This historic house has been mostly restored and furnished with items from 1908 to 1920. Adults $5; ages 5-17 $3; under 5 free. (updated Nov 2016)
• 🌍 Francis Ermatinger House, 619 6th St, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. F-Sa 10AM-4PM. (updated Feb 2019)

Do

• Hopkins Demonstration Forest, 16750 S. Brockway Rd., ☎ [phone]. Daily, Daylight hours. (updated Mar 2017)

Buy

• Tony's Fish Market, Washington and 14th (Across the street from Oregon City Brewing and Spicer Brothers Produce), ☎ [phone]. Fish market that's been around for 50+ years. (updated May 2015)

Eat

• Mi Famiglia Wood Oven Pizzeria, 701 Main St, ☎ [phone]. (updated Feb 2019)

Drink

• The Highland Stillhouse, 201 S 2nd St, ☎ [phone]. 11AM-12AM (10PM closing on Sunday). Scottish pub with an impressive whiskey list and good views of the Willamette River. (updated May 2015)
• Oregon City Brewing Company, 1401 Washington St. 40+ beers on tap, a few are their own. Light snacks are available but you can bring your own food or order in. All vinyl on the stereo. (updated May 2015)
• Arch Bridge Taphouse, 207 7th St, ☎ [phone]. (updated May 2015)
• The Growler Run, 19502 Molalla Ave Ste 117 (In O.C. Point shopping center next to Hawaiian Time and across from Five Guys Burgers), ☎ [phone]. 20+ rotating taps of craft beer, specializing in local Northwest beers. Wine, hard cider, and kombucha are also offered. TVs, shuffle board and board games. No food. Dog-friendly. (updated May 2015)
• Midway Historic Public House, 1003 7th St, ☎ [phone]. Good place to play pool. Bar food. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 McMenamins Oregon City, 102 9th St, ☎ [phone]. A church turned pub. Patio overlooks the Willamette River. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Nebbiolo Wine Bar and Market, 800 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Italian food made with local ingredients. (updated May 2015)
• Portland Cider Company, 275 S Beavercreek Rd Ste 149. Cider in the English tradition. Free snacks (popcorn and pretzels) with your drinks. You can bring your own food. (updated May 2015)
• Feckin Brewery (Feckin Irish Brewing Co.), 415 S Mcloughlin Blvd, ☎ [phone]. Traditional Irish beers with northwest influences. Taproom open on weekends. Live music. (updated May 2015)
• The Oregon City Ice House, 1200 Main St.. Sports bar (updated May 2015)

Sleep

• 🌍 Best Western Plus Rivershore Hotel, 1900 Clackamette Drive (On McLoughlin Blvd. at I-205 Exit 9), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Oct 2016)

Connect

• 🌍 Oregon City Library, 606 John Adams St. (at 7th St.), ☎ [phone]. A historic 1913 Carnegie Library Building remodeled and expanded in 2016. It offers free WiFi and public use computers (ask staff for a guest pass to use computers if you do not have a library card). (updated Dec 2016)

Cope

• 🌍 Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, 1500 Division St., ☎ [phone]. (updated Jan 2017)

Go next

Routes through Oregon City

Portland ← Gladstone ←	N  S	→ Aurora → Eugene
Portland ← Gladstone ←	N  S	→ Silverton → Salem
Seattle ← Portland ←	N  S	→ Salem → Eugene