Just across Youngs Bay, two miles west of Astoria and encompassing Fort Stevens State Park, is the beautiful town of Warrenton, Oregon. With miles of gorgeous beaches, vivid green forests, and clean, exhilarating ocean breezes, Warrenton, Oregon, offers a marine climate and the perfect place to set down roots for a life full of nature and fun in a thriving community of great people.
A Locale With Lots Of History
A part of Clatsop County (aptly named to honor the local Clatsop Native Americans), Warrenton, Oregon, is a flourishing locale that has a long, colorful maritime history. In fact, more than 200 major shipwrecks rest at the bottom of the ocean in “The Graveyard of the Pacific” where it connects with the mouth of the mighty Columbia River at Warrenton, Oregon. From the beach of Fort Stevens State Park, you can still see the “Peter Iredale” shipwreck of 1906.
Bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north by the Columbia River, D.K. Warren, an early settler, platted Warrenton, Oregon. The state incorporated Warrenton (named after D.K. Warren) as a city in 1899. Warrenton resident Cynthia Munson holds a place in history as the first woman elected Mayor of an Oregon city when she won the Warrenton, Oregon, mayoral election in 1913.
Built on tidal flats and split by the Skipanon River that flows through town, Warrenton, Oregon, relies on a system of water dikes to halt flooding by the Columbia River. With a long past in the fishing industry, Warrenton, Oregon, has two commercial fishing boat ports today, the Warrenton and Hammond Marinas, and the area is a hub for Columbia River salmon fishing.
Historic Landmarks
- Fort Stevens State Park – Originally built in 1863 at the mouth of the Columbia River at Warrenton, Fort Stevens served as a military defense fort from the start of the Civil War until the end of World War II. Now a part of the Oregon State Park System, Fort Stevens State Park offers 3,700 acres of history, nature, wildlife, camping, swimming, trails, beaches, and more.
- Astoria Golf and Country Club – Although it’s named after the city of Astoria, Oregon, the Astoria Golf and Country Club is actually across Youngs Bay in the city of Warrenton, Oregon. Opened in 1923, the Astoria Golf and Country Club is still one of the most celebrated private golf clubs in the Pacific Northwest.
Warrenton, Oregon, Today
Today, Warrenton, Oregon, is a retail center for the county and one of the fastest growing areas in the state. Even though it’s a popular area, the city does a great job of retaining its natural charm. The mix of thriving city and vast natural areas make Warrenton, Oregon, the ideal place to live as it offers a little something for everyone.
Warrenton’s downtown district has a number of retail shops, restaurants, a post office, City Hall, the fire station and two gas stations on Main Street (yes, it’s really called Main Street). There’s also several motels in Warrenton, although they are located just outside the downtown area. Hwy 101 runs North and South through Warrenton, and has been the fastest growing area for commercial development in the county.
The Youngs Bay Plaza was the first retail center in the city, and now includes a Rite-Aid, Ross, AT&T Wireless, Subway, Starbucks and other retail stores. Shortly after another retail development sprang up immediately North on Youngs Bay to include a Shilo Inn, Walgreen’s, and a number of retail spaces in the Premarq Center. During the 1990′s a Fred Meyer store was built to the South of the plaza and was followed shortly by a Costco.
Recently even more commercial development has begun further South, starting with two car dealerships and a Home Depot. A larger Costco store opened recently, and future plans for the North Coast Business Park include several more retail spaces and restaurants.
Popular neighborhoods in the area include Juniper Ridge, Forest Rim, Cullaby Lake, Surf Pines, Pacific Bellvue, and Country Club Estates. With great schools and hospitals and a wide variety of activities to enjoy, it’s no wonder people say Warrenton, Oregon, is a great place to raise a family.