Most of Yachats was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1986. Below: 9 old photos and papers, maps from 1922 on, and the census since 1970.
The Yachats post office opened in 1916, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1967. Another post office, Ocean View (1887), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 441 in 19702020 census: 994110 years
How historic is Yachats?
C
More historic than 28% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Yachats post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1967.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Yachats’ History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Yachats is more historic than 28% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Yachats’ 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 Yachats’ 10.2 sits above most of its state (72% of Oregon towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to B−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.3 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata gives 1967.
Founding year: the first post office (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 Yachats’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Archeological studies have shown that the Yachats area has been inhabited for at least 1,500 years. Remains of a pit-house in Yachats have been radiocarbon dated at approximately AD 570 . Yachats is built on seashell middens and numerous graves left by its past inhabitants. Excavations for construction of buildings and U.S. Route 101 uncovered a great many skeletons and artifacts. Most of these became part of the fill dirt forming the base of the current highway and city.
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.
The Yachats post office opened in 1916, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1967.
How does Yachats rank for history?
Yachats is more historic than 28% of U.S. towns. 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.
What is on the National Register in Yachats?
One place: the Cape Perpetua Shelter and Parapet (listed 1989).
How old are the homes in Yachats?
7% of Yachats’ 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 1986.
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 (2), the Library of Congress (7), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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