CogKnoSys

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Physical

Multnomah County, Oregon

Multnomah County is Oregon's smallest county by area and, at the 2020 census, its most populous, with Portland as its county seat.

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The idea

Multnomah County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. It covers less land than any other county in the state, yet at the 2020 census it had more people than any other. Its county seat is Portland. A county seat is the town where a county's government is based. The county courthouse stands in downtown Portland.

The name comes from a Chinookan word for the "lower river." People have lived along the lower Willamette River for thousands of years. Among them was the Multnomah band of Chinookan peoples, long before Europeans arrived. Explorer William Clark wrote in his journal that the Willamette was called Multnomah, after a nation living on Wappato Island. Later, Portland businessmen asked for a new county because the Washington County seat in Hillsboro was inconvenient to reach.

The county covers 466 square miles on the south side of the Columbia River. It also holds a number of extinct volcanoes in the Boring Lava Field. Its main industries are manufacturing, transportation, trade and tourism. Oregon has no sales tax, so the county draws shoppers from southwest Washington. Because so many voters live there, the county's large Democratic majorities are often enough to swing statewide elections.

Check yourself

Question 1 of 3

Where does the name Multnomah come from?

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Composition

what it's made of

  • Portland — The county seat, where the county courthouse stands downtown.
  • Boring Lava Field — A group of extinct volcanoes inside the county.
  • Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area — Part of this protected area lies in the county.
  • Mount Hood National Forest — Part of this national forest lies in the county.
  • Central Courthouse — The county's courthouse in downtown Portland, opened in 2020.

Connection

how it relates

Under Lower Columbia Counties

In place

  1. Portland, Oregonstrength 90 of 100

    Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County.

  2. Columbia River Gorgestrength 70 of 100

    The Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge forms the eastern part of the county's northern border.

  3. Sauvie Islandstrength 60 of 100

    Most of Sauvie Island lies within Multnomah County.

Related

  1. Multnomah Peoplestrength 70 of 100

    Multnomah County takes its name from the same word as the Multnomah people.

Cause and effect

  1. Forest Parkstrength 50 of 100

    Multnomah County helped create Forest Park by transferring land to the city of Portland.

Change

how and why it evolves

Past
Multnomah County was created on December 22, 1854, from parts of Washington and Clackamas counties. Vanport was built north of Portland in 1943 to house shipyard workers, but a flood destroyed it five years later.
Now
In the 2020 census, the county had 815,428 people, and 98.7% of them lived in urban areas.
Next
County leaders will likely keep working to provide services and care to people experiencing homelessness.

Knowledge you can walk. Read the idea, then step up, across or down.

Multnomah County, Oregon

Multnomah County is Oregon's smallest county by area and, at the 2020 census, its most populous, with Portland as its county seat.

See it on the map

Learn, discuss, create, buy or invest

The idea

Multnomah County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. It covers less land than any other county in the state, yet at the 2020 census it had more people than any other. Its county seat is Portland. A county seat is the town where a county's government is based. The county courthouse stands in downtown Portland.

The name comes from a Chinookan word for the "lower river." People have lived along the lower Willamette River for thousands of years. Among them was the Multnomah band of Chinookan peoples, long before Europeans arrived. Explorer William Clark wrote in his journal that the Willamette was called Multnomah, after a nation living on Wappato Island. Later, Portland businessmen asked for a new county because the Washington County seat in Hillsboro was inconvenient to reach.

The county covers 466 square miles on the south side of the Columbia River. It also holds a number of extinct volcanoes in the Boring Lava Field. Its main industries are manufacturing, transportation, trade and tourism. Oregon has no sales tax, so the county draws shoppers from southwest Washington. Because so many voters live there, the county's large Democratic majorities are often enough to swing statewide elections.

Check yourself

3 quick questions, instant feedback.