More historic than 20% of U.S. towns · #99 of 142 in Oregon. What drives it
Most of Umatilla was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1992. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1915 on, and the census since 1870.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1949.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Umatilla’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Umatilla is more historic than 20% of U.S. towns, #99 of 142 in Oregon. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Umatilla’s overall grade.
Oregon towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Oregon town has 2.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Umatilla’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (18% of Oregon towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1863.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.3 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Umatilla’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Before European settlement, the peninsula formed by the convergence of the Umatilla and Columbia rivers had been occupied by the indigenous Umatilla people for at least 10,000 years, being the site of temporary and seasonal villages, fishing and later horse breeding. On their return trip from the mouth of the Columbia River in 1806, the Lewis and Clark Expedition made note in their journals of a village on the site.
Passages that mention Umatilla, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Historic sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and Garfield counties, Washington Territory, and Umatilla County, Oregon1882 · page 455Read the page →
Read the text
Powder river could be landed and forwarded to their destination, thus saving time and distance over the Walla Walla route. It was expected to become a rival of Walla Walla; to be, in fact, the "Sacramento of Oregon," and doorto the mines. A point eight miles below the mouth of Umatilla river was selected and a town called Grand Ronde Landing was laid out. This was followed early the next spring by a new town just above the mouth of the Umatilla, which was laid off and christened Columbia, though the name was soon changed to Umatilla Landing or Umatilla City.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Historic sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and Garfield counties, Washington Territory, and Umatilla County, Oregon1882 · page 454Read the page →
Read the text
O. Humason, Representative from Wasco, and was referred to a special committee of three. These gentlemen thoroughly investigated the question, and became convinced that at least two new counties were necessary; for a seat of justice on Powder river would not benefit the people of Umatilla or John Day rivers, while one west of the mountains would be of no advantage to those on the other side. They therefore reported two bills, one for Baker, to embrace all of the state east of the summit ridge of the Blue mountains, and one for Umatilla, to contain the John Day and Umatilla settlements, the county seat to be with the latter. The bills passed, the one creating
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Umatilla, 1863 to 2020
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1863, according to Wikidata. Umatilla’s post office opened in 1949, and the census of 1870 counted 150 people here.
How does Umatilla rank for history?
Umatilla is more historic than 20% of U.S. towns, #99 of 142 in Oregon. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Umatilla?
5% of Umatilla’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.3 points), against a typical 5.3% for an Oregon town; the median home was built in 1992.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
c. 1920
1987
