Heritage and Hospitality on the Vineyard and Valley Scenic Tour

Starting around 1860, land grant programs and the area’s excellent agricultural reputation began drawing many new settlers to northwestern Oregon. They included several distinctive communities – including Scottish, German, Russian, Swiss, Austrian, and Dutch – whose legacy is felt in settlements along the route like Helvetia, Roy and Verboort, all in current-day Washington County.

‘Helvetia’, the name rooted in the Latin term for Switzerland, hosts a Swiss Picnic each summer.

In the Dutch settlement of Verboort, a mile or so off the route, beds of tulips are common on spring days and a festive traditional sausage dinner is held each fall.

A noted Scottish contribution is the Tualatin Plains Presbyterian Church, also known as the Old Scotch Church.The current church building, on the road bearing its name, was completed in 1878 and is a national historic site. It has an unusual eight-sided steeple and is one of the oldest continuously used churches in Oregon.

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge – one of a handful of urban wildlife refuges in the nation
L-Bar-T Bison Ranch – see the Great North American Plains Bison, tours by appt., gift shot
Old Scotch Church – dates back to 1873, on National Register of Historic Places, still in use today

Heritage | Wine History | Vineyard & Valley Scenic Tour

Monthly E-Newsletter SIGN-UP

The latest in Washington County golf, winery events, farmers markets, festivals and more--delivered to your inbox.