Oregon City was the first incorporated city west of the Rockies, as well as the original capital of the Oregon Territory. For 300,000 early pioneers, it was the end of the Oregon Trail. You can relive that long and trying journey through audiovisual displays and artifacts at the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Visit, too, the turn-of-the-century Stevens-Crawford House and the John McLoughlin Home (it's on the National Register of Historic Places—McLoughlin was a special agent for the Hudson's Bay Company). The view of Willamette Falls from the observation deck of the Oregon City Municipal Elevator is spectacular.
South of Oregon City on Highway 214, the little town of Mount Angel has a strong German-Swiss heritage. (If you're there in September, you won't be able to miss the Mount Angel Oktoberfest—a big deal in the area.) Drive up to have a look at Mount Angel Abbey, a monastery established by Swiss Benedictine monks that is high on a 330-ft/100-m butte. Oregon City is 12 mi/20 km south of Portland.
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