Mist, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Mist is an unincorporated
community in Columbia County
, Oregon
, United States
. It was named for the atmospheric conditions of the Nehalem Valley
.
On July 6, 2001, the Mist store, which was built in 1874, caught fire and was destroyed. Until then, it was the oldest continuously operating business in Oregon, offering food and hardware and displaying historic newspaper clippings and antique logging equipment on the walls.
Mist is a crossroads community where Oregon Route 47 turns north to Clatskanie, Oregon
, and a pioneer trail (Burn Road) crossed the Nehalem River and went south to Vernonia
. It is the eastern terminus of Oregon Route 202. The Nehalem River valley widens between Mist and Jewell
, and was favored by the Native American
tribes of the area for hunting; it was later favored by early European American
settlers for agriculture. Although the area is now sparsely settled, it is notable for having the largest operating sawmill
in Columbia County and also geological conditions lending themselves to natural gas storage
. Mist contains one of the very few, and therefore very valuable, natural gas storage areas in the Pacific Northwest
. It operates unobtrusively on a hill near Mist. It is controlled by NW Natural
(formerly Northwest Natural Gas) and is connected by several pipelines, including a 16 inches (406.4 mm) and a 24 inches (609.6 mm) pipeline along the Nehalem Highway
.
Earlier in the 20th century, Mist was an important logging center, complete with a railroad. Though still important in terms of logging, the population today is sparse, and there is no longer a railroad.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
community in Columbia County
Columbia County, Oregon
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was named for the Columbia River, which forms its eastern and northern borders. As of 2010, its population was 49,351. The county seat is St. Helens.-Economy:...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was named for the atmospheric conditions of the Nehalem Valley
Nehalem River
The Nehalem River is a river on the Pacific coast of northwest Oregon in the United States, approximately long. It drains part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range northwest of Portland, originating on the east side of the mountains and flowing in a loop around the north end of the range near the...
.
On July 6, 2001, the Mist store, which was built in 1874, caught fire and was destroyed. Until then, it was the oldest continuously operating business in Oregon, offering food and hardware and displaying historic newspaper clippings and antique logging equipment on the walls.
Mist is a crossroads community where Oregon Route 47 turns north to Clatskanie, Oregon
Clatskanie, Oregon
Clatskanie is a city in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It was named for the Clatskanie River, which empties into the Columbia River within the city limits. The population was 1,528 at the 2000 census. The 2007 estimate is 1,710 residents.-History:...
, and a pioneer trail (Burn Road) crossed the Nehalem River and went south to Vernonia
Vernonia, Oregon
Vernonia is a city in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. The city is located on the Nehalem River, in a valley on the eastern side of the Northern Oregon Coast Range. It is located the heart of the most important timber-producing areas of the state, and logging has played an important role in...
. It is the eastern terminus of Oregon Route 202. The Nehalem River valley widens between Mist and Jewell
Jewell, Oregon
Jewell is an unincorporated community in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. The logging community is located at the junction of Oregon Route 103 and Oregon Route 202, near the Nehalem River.-History:...
, and was favored by the Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes of the area for hunting; it was later favored by early European American
European American
A European American is a citizen or resident of the United States who has origins in any of the original peoples of Europe...
settlers for agriculture. Although the area is now sparsely settled, it is notable for having the largest operating sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
in Columbia County and also geological conditions lending themselves to natural gas storage
Natural gas storage
Natural gas, like many other commodities, can be stored for an indefinite period of time in natural gas storage facilities for later consumption.- Usage :...
. Mist contains one of the very few, and therefore very valuable, natural gas storage areas in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. It operates unobtrusively on a hill near Mist. It is controlled by NW Natural
NW Natural
NW Natural is a publicly traded utility headquartered in Portland, Oregon, United States. Primarily a natural gas distributor, the company services residential, industrial, and commercial customers in Western Oregon and Southwest Washington in the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1859, the company...
(formerly Northwest Natural Gas) and is connected by several pipelines, including a 16 inches (406.4 mm) and a 24 inches (609.6 mm) pipeline along the Nehalem Highway
Nehalem Highway
The Nehalem Highway No. 102 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Oregon that passes through the Nehalem River valley. It runs from U.S. Route 101 in Astoria southeast to Oregon Route 8 in Forest Grove. Between Astoria and the Mist-Clatskanie Highway in Mist, it is signed as Oregon Route 202;...
.
Earlier in the 20th century, Mist was an important logging center, complete with a railroad. Though still important in terms of logging, the population today is sparse, and there is no longer a railroad.