Port History

The early maritime history of the Nehalem River Valley, including the Port of Nehalem, is characterized by the establishment of Oregon’s earliest forms of transportation, trade, and communication between European and American mariners and the Indigenous tribes of the Pacific Northwest.

The Port continues to occupy a crucial role in the provision of regional transportation, business operations, and community recreational opportunities. that begins at the Pacific coast in the west, extends north to the Clatsop County border, south to the northside of Rockaway Beach, east to the Tillamook County border and encompasses the municipalities of Manzanita, Nehalem, Wheeler and the unincorporated areas of Neahkahnie Beach and Mohler.

The Port was formally created in November 1909 upon successful election by the Tillamook County Commission with the explicit purpose of maintaining and enhancing the navigability of the Nehalem River for the benefit of residents and visitors in the lower Nehalem River Valley.