Columbia County

Columbia County is an administrative division in northwestern Oregon situated along the Columbia River, with St. Helens as the county seat. The area includes several small towns and rural communities connected by the river and working lands.

The county was established in 1854, carved from the northern portion of Washington County and named for the Columbia River. This founding was part of Oregon's early administrative organization during westward expansion.

The land was home to Chinook and Clatskanie peoples whose heritage shows up in local place names and community stories. This indigenous presence shapes how people today understand the region's roots.

The county is about an hour's drive from the Portland area and offers a local bus system for connections between communities. Visitors should know that traffic between towns is light and having a car is often practical for getting around.

The area was historically a center for logging and river trade along the Columbia. You can still see traces of this past in old buildings and in how the small towns are organized economically.

Location: Oregon

Inception: 1854

Capital city: St. Helens

Shares border with: Wahkiakum County, Cowlitz County, Clark County, Multnomah County, Washington County, Clatsop County, Tillamook County

Website: http://co.columbia.or.us

GPS coordinates: 45.95000,-123.08000

Latest update: December 7, 2025 10:03