Columbia City, Oregon
Columbia City is a city of 2,006 people in Columbia County, Oregon, founded in 1926.
Why visit Columbia City
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Caples House Museum, Cox–Williams House and Nob Hill Nature Park.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 79°F; January lows average 33°F.
Weather in Columbia City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Columbia City
Columbia City is a city in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It was named for its location on the Columbia River. As of the 2020 census, Columbia City had a population of 1,949.
From the Wikipedia article Columbia City, Oregon (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
Caples House Museum
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic house museum in Columbia City, Oregon, USA
Cox–Williams House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic house in Oregon, United States
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Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Botanical garden in Washington, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
Nob Hill Nature Park
Park · 2.7 mi
Park in Oregon, United States of America
1 more on the map.
Where to stay1
Gas and EV charging1
History
The Chinookan peoples were the original inhabitants of the region. This Native American tribe operated an active fishing settlement at the location known as "Cumahi".
Columbia City was founded in 1867 by Jacob and Joseph Caples. In 1870, the town had aspirations of becoming the terminus for Ben Holladay's Willamette Valley railroad. The same year, Portland became the terminus of the west-side line, but the railroad never reached Columbia City. Columbia City post office was established in 1871. In 1902 the Columbia and Nehalem Valley Railroad was built as a forest railway towards Yankton.
During World War I Columbia City built ships for the war effort, which was run by the Sommartson Shipbuilding Co. Sommartson Shipbuilding Co. Images They were ideally situated due to the channel coming so close to shore. The contracts were cancelled at the end of the war.
From the History section of Columbia City, Oregon on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Map of Columbia City
34 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 33°F | 7.0 in |
| Feb | 47°F | 33°F | 5.3 in |
| Mar | 53°F | 36°F | 4.9 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 40°F | 3.7 in |
| May | 67°F | 46°F | 2.5 in |
| Jun | 72°F | 50°F | 1.8 in |
| Jul | 79°F | 55°F | 0.5 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 55°F | 0.7 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 1.7 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 45°F | 4.1 in |
| Nov | 49°F | 38°F | 6.8 in |
| Dec | 42°F | 33°F | 7.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Saint Helens Rfd (4 mi away), rain and snow from Warren 1 Sw, NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Columbia County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-09-15: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds (Fire)
- 2020-03-28: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2017-08-08: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2016-02-17: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2012-03-02: Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Southwest Washington Regional Airport (KLS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- St. Helens 3 mi south, about 4 min by car
- Warren 7 mi southwest, about 10 min by car
- Ridgefield 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Felida 13 mi south, about 22 min by car
- Mount Vista 14 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
- Salmon Creek 15 mi southeast, about 24 min by car
- Battle Ground 15 mi southeast, about 25 min by car
- Kelso 16 mi north, about 25 min by car
- Hazel Dell 17 mi southeast, about 27 min by car
- Longview 19 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- City Hall - Columbia City, Oregon, Tedder, CC BY 3.0
- Industrial factory, Columbia City, Oregon (17915994740), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Caples House Museum - Columbia City Oregon, Tedder, CC BY 3.0
- Lilac "Sensation" at the at the Hulda Klager Lilac Garden, Wendy Cutler from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Cox-Williams House - St Helens Oregon, Ian Poellet ( User:Werewombat ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS053-E-17135 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS053-E-17134 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Chemical Plant on the Columbia River - Oregon (54182534523), Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
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