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The Hudson’s Bay Company established Fort Vancouver in 1825 as the administrative headquarters for its fur trade in the Pacific Northwest. Dr. John McLoughlin became the fort’s first Chief Factor and remained in the role for 20 years.

Although his work focused on profits for the Hudson’s Bay Company, McLoughlin showed compassion for immigrants arriving via the Oregon Trail. Many arrived starving. He often supplied them with goods from the Fort Vancouver Mercantile to help them start new lives.

In 1844, he purchased land along the Willamette River and named the settlement Oregon City. Officials granted the charter that December, making it the oldest incorporated city west of the Missouri River.

After forced retirement in 1846, McLoughlin settled with his family near Willamette Falls. Trained as a physician, he became widely known in Oregon City simply as “The Doctor.”

McLoughlin became an American citizen in 1851 and devoted himself to strengthening the Oregon Territory. Known for his generosity and civic leadership, he later served as mayor of Oregon City.

In 1909, the McLoughlin Memorial Association saved the McLoughlin home from destruction. They moved it from its original site near the falls. During our visit, a park ranger showed us photographs of the move. Horses hauled the house uphill on rollers to its present location beside the Barclay House.

The McLoughlin House and the Barclay House, now home to the visitor center, joined the Fort Vancouver National Park Service unit in 2003. Since the house opens only a few days each week, we planned our visit to join a ranger-led tour.

The site also serves as a stop along the Oregon National Historic Trail. More than 200,000 settlers traveled this route in covered wagons. For those who reached the Oregon Territory, John McLoughlin played a crucial role in their survival and success. This earned him the title “Father of Oregon.”

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Location: 713 Center St, Oregon City, Oregon
Designation: National Historic Site
Date designated/established: 1941
Date of my visit: August 26, 2016