West Linn Real Estate

By 1846, Moore had built four flour and lumber mills, along with dwellings for the mill workers. He also operated a ferry to Oregon City. In 1845, Moore renamed the tiny town “Linn City” in honor of his friend, well-known free-state advocate Dr. Lewis F. Linn, a U.S. Senator from Missouri and sponsor of the Donation Land Claim Bill. Moore became Linn City’s first postmaster in 1850, and purchased The Spectator, an Oregon City newspaper, in 1852. By then, his Linn City enterprises included a gristmill, sawmill, warehouse, wharves, and a breakwater to create a basin for boats to load and unload cargo. Moore died in 1857.

Not long after Moore’s death, a fire destroyed the sawmill, gristmill, wharves, and a docked steamer ship. Local businessmen began to rebuild, only to see their hard work washed away in floods later that same year. In 1868, Linn City was revived when the Willamette Transportation Locks Co. began providing passage to shipping over the Willamette Falls. The locks remained in continuous operation until placed in “non operational” status by the Army Corps of Engineers in 2011.

In 1913, the City of West Linn was incorporated, encompassing West Oregon City, Bolton, Sunset and Willamette Heights. The incorporation allowed the settlements to obtain needed services, utilities, and improvements without annexing to Oregon City. After considerable debate on a name, the city founders decided to honor the pioneer town that Moore had established.

The city’s population historically grew steadily, but in recent years has leveled off. The 1860 census listed 225 residents. By 1920, the number had grown to 1,628. The 1960 census set the population at 2,923, and by 1970, West Linn had grown to more than 7,000. The city’s population has continued to grow each year. Currently, the city’s population is 25,992.

West Linn is situated approximately 15 miles south of Portland, along the west bank of the Willamette River in Clackamas County. Our city’s residents enjoy a first-rate quality of life with exceptional schools, vibrant community life and high rates of home ownership. Within the last eight years, West Linn has been honored three times in Money Magazine’s list of Best Places to Live. Bordered by natural areas and known as the “city of hills, trees and rivers”, West Linn is the ideal place to live, work and play.

In 2011, the City of West Linn was the Top-Ranked Oregon City on the CNN/Money Magazine ‘Best Places to Live 2011’ List. Citing ‘breathtaking views of the Cascades and relatively low local taxes,’ the Number 69 listing includes a photo of Central Village, and also mentions the Music in the Park concert series, the historic Willamette area, the farmer’s market, and the Street Dance. In 2009, the City of West Linn was included on the ‘Best Places to Live 2009’ list. Oregonians move to the hilltop homes here for a scenic view of the Cascades and relatively low local taxes. Weekends are spent enjoying waterfront recreation and on summer evenings, residents enjoy picnic dinners over concerts in the park. Locals also flock to a revitalized downtown area, Historic Willamette, which offers a farmer’s market and, occasionally, dancing in the street.