Oregon City
Heritage District · Oregon City, Oregon
The end of the Oregon Trail, and in 1844 the first city incorporated west of the Rocky Mountains. It sits at the foot of Willamette Falls on a bluff so steep that the town runs on two levels connected by a municipal elevator - 130 ft, free to ride, with an observation deck that gives the best view of the falls in the city. The McLoughlin House on the upper level is the home of the Hudson's Bay Company factor who effectively founded the place, and is administered by the National Park Service.
625 Center Street, Oregon City, Oregon, 97045, United States
The town and the bluff are open year round. ⚠ THE MUNICIPAL ELEVATOR IS FREE AND STAFFED but does not run around the clock - it keeps daily operating hours and closes in the evening. The McLoughlin House, run by the National Park Service, keeps limited and seasonal hours and is closed several days a week; check before travelling, as it is the best thing in the town. The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center and the Museum of the Oregon Territory keep their own hours and both cut back in winter.