Oregon City, Oregon

Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center

Oregon City's largest employer and the anchor of its economy. The not-for-profit acute care hospital at 1500 Division St, operated by Providence Health & Services, has about 143 licensed beds and employs roughly 750-plus people, making it the biggest single workplace in the city and a major driver of healthcare jobs across southern Clackamas County.

Oregon City School District (62)

One of the larger school districts in Oregon, serving Oregon City plus unincorporated areas of southwestern Clackamas County including Beavercreek and Jennings Lodge. With about 7,200 students in grades K through 12, the district is a significant public-sector employer and a steady source of professional jobs.

Clackamas County government

Oregon City is the county seat of Clackamas County, so the county's administrative offices, courts, and services are headquartered here. County government is one of the region's largest employers, and its presence keeps a broad base of professional, public-service, and administrative jobs in the city.

Clackamas Community College

The college's main campus sits right in Oregon City, offering two-year degrees, workforce training, and continuing education. It is both a major employer and an anchor institution that draws students from across the county, feeding the local economy and the city's civic life.

Retail, manufacturing, and services

Fred Meyer, Walmart, and the Hilltop Mall retail core add thousands of local jobs, while Benchmade Knife Company, a well-known maker of premium knives, is headquartered in Oregon City and is among the area top employers. Together with scores of small, locally owned businesses, they round out a resilient and diverse local economy.

The second-largest waterfall by volume in the United States after Niagara, and the largest in the Pacific Northwest, where the Willamette River drops about 40 to 50 feet across a roughly 1,500-foot-wide horseshoe. The best views are from the Willamette Falls Scenic Viewpoint on McLoughlin Boulevard and the McLoughlin Promenade above the river.

The only vertical street in North America and one of only four municipal elevators in the world. This free, 130-foot elevator has connected lower and upper Oregon City since 1915, and its observation deck offers panoramic views of the city, the river, and the falls.

Oregon City was the official end of the 2,000-mile Oregon Trail, and this center at 1726 Washington St brings pioneer history to life with exhibits, a state welcome center, gift shop, and visitor lounge.

A historic, roughly 1.1-mile bluff-top walk above the Willamette River with sweeping views of Willamette Falls, the Arch Bridge, and the riverfront. One of the most scenic strolls in the metro and a favorite for locals and visitors alike.

A riverside park at the confluence of the Clackamas and Willamette Rivers with a boat launch, RV park, and open lawns, a popular spot for fishing, picnics, and watching the boats on the water.

A 233-acre natural area with miles of trails through forest, creeks, and wetlands, a peaceful escape for hiking and wildlife watching just minutes from downtown.

A year-round farmers market, with the summer market running Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May through October at Clackamas Community College. With 60-plus vendors, it has been named one of the 50 best markets in the USA.

The 1845-46 home of Dr. John McLoughlin, the Father of Oregon, is preserved as a national historic site, and the nearby Museum of the Oregon Territory tells the story of the region from the falls to the pioneers.