Immerse yourself in the rich history of the Willamette Falls Heritage Area.
Take our virtual tour!
Visit sites throughout the heritage area from the comfort of your own home or use this as a guide as you visit each site in person.
Our Heritage Area includes many sites along the Willamette River and adjacent uplands that represent a vast time period, and a diversity of peoples and cultures beginning with Native American Tribes more than 10,000 years ago. Native Americans continue to live, fish, and contribute to the cultural landscape today. Some of these same places are where the earliest French-Canadian settlers later claimed lands and built communities. The Heritage Area boundary incorporates the earliest political, cultural, and commercial sites of the Oregon Country and United States Territory, the original pioneer settlements, and locations where key decisions were made that eventually brought Oregon into the United States.
Many different communities of people contribute to the rich cultural landscape of the Heritage Area. Native Americans, Chinese, Pacific Islanders, Latinx, African, European, Canadian, and other Peoples of Color left their mark on the region, past and present. We strive to unearth and share their stories in order to enhance and strengthen our community.
Explore our virtual tour to learn about some of these people and if you have a story you want to share, please let us know.
The History of Willamette Falls
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8,500
Present Native tribes and bands live along Willamette River and near Willamette Falls 1806. Lewis & Clark Expedition hears about Willamette Falls.
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1824
Dr. John McLoughlin’s long tenure as Chief Factor for Hudson’s Bay Company begins.
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1843
Provisional Government established; first Constitution ratified.
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1867
Iron Smelting begins in Oswego's Iron Furnace.
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1873
Willamette Falls Navigation Canal & Locks Open for business.
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1889
First long distance transmission of electricity in the world.
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1893
Station B, now T.W. Sullivan electric power plant.
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2015
Willamette Falls State Heritage Area Established.