Why visit La Center
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 15 parks and trails, 19 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Judge Columbia Lancaster House, Paradise Point State Park and Duck Lake Wildlife Area.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; February lows average 32°F.
Weather in La Center
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About La Center
La Center is a city in Clark County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,424 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article La Center, Washington (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks3
Judge Columbia Lancaster House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Ridgefield, Washington, listed on the NRHP in Clark County, Washington
Parks, trails and playgrounds15
3 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes19
Podunk Pizza Co.
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.4 mi
630 East Birch Avenue, La Center
We-Fr 16:00-20:00; Sa,Su 11:00-20:00
Exit 16 Sips and Scoops
Bar and pub · Ice Cream, Appetizers, American, Mexican
305 Northwest Pacific Highway, La Center
Longhouse
Restaurant · Sushi · 1.6 mi
Su-Th 11:00-23:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-24:00
Michael Jordan's Steak House
Restaurant · Steak House · 1.6 mi
Su-Sa 11:00-01:00
Sweet Collective
Ice cream
103 East 4th Street, La Center
Mo,Tu 06:00-23:00, We,Th 06:00-11:00, We-Fr 15:00-20:00, Sa...
7 more on the map.
History
In the 1870s, La Center was a business center and head of navigation on the East Fork of the Lewis River. In late summer, the regular schedules of the steamers Mascot and Walker, paddle-wheeling to Portland, were often interrupted by low water. Passengers and freight were transferred to scows, which were poled up the river or towed by horses along the bank. With the arrival of railroads and highways, La Center lost importance and lapsed into a small village serving the surrounding farming district. La Center was officially incorporated on August 27, 1909. Its population in 1940 was 193.
The city is home to three card rooms or casinos which allow gambling on card games and poker, but not slots. The three casinos are the New Phoenix, Last Frontier and Fortune.
From the History section of La Center, Washington on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Sunset Ridge Intermediate School
School · 5.1 mi
3215 South Hillhurst Road, Ridgefield
Map of La Center
64 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 32°F | 7.2 in | 0.5 in |
| Feb | 50°F | 32°F | 5.3 in | 0.3 in |
| Mar | 55°F | 35°F | 5.6 in | 0.2 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 38°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 66°F | 43°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 71°F | 47°F | 2.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 79°F | 51°F | 0.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 50°F | 0.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 46°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 40°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 52°F | 35°F | 7.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 45°F | 32°F | 8.0 in | 0.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Battle Ground (9 mi away), 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
Clark County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2024-04-28: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2022-10-17: Nakia Creek Fire (Fire)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-02-02: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, And A T (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Portland International Airport (PDX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Ridgefield 3 mi south, about 5 min by car
- Duluth 5 mi south, about 9 min by car
- St. Helens 7 mi west, about 11 min by car
- Columbia City 7 mi west, about 11 min by car
- Battle Ground 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Mount Vista 9 mi south, about 14 min by car
- Salmon Creek 10 mi south, about 17 min by car
- Felida 10 mi south, about 17 min by car
- Amboy 10 mi northeast, about 16 min by car
- Warren 10 mi west, about 17 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
- Judge Columbia Lancaster House, TDavisPayne, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.